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Bodyweight Birthday Pullup Challenge

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Mike E

Mike E

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I have a BW "feat" planned for my 68th birthday in August. It's been a few years since I managed 20 BW strict pull-ups, so that's one goal. I would also like a 68 lb weighted pull-up. My strategy for achieving these goals is GTG pull-ups during the week at work, 4 or 5 sets of 9 presently, work up to 12-13 by the end of July. On the weekends weighted pull-ups, one rep heavy x 2 with holds at the top. Lighter weight for reps, one set. Yesterday did a 54 lb weighted (felt easy) with about a 10 second hold at the top (moderate). I figure if I add 2 lbs a week until the end of July I'll be right at my goal. I also did 11 reps x 1 with only ten pounds. It was getting harder at the end but I probably could have done 12 with a lot of effort. I plan to rest two days a week, one weekend day and one in the middle of the week. I'm also doing intermittent fasting and losing a bit of weight, hopefully down to about 152 by the end of July. Any advice, criticism's, or whatever very welcome.
Updated to add: I'm also doing sets of 30 swings (16Kg) to acclimate to the higher reps. Emphasizing packing the shoulders and activating lats. Thanks to SF for enlightening me about these issues :)
 
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Are both those goals to be performed on the same day Mike ?

In one sense the 20 rep goal is in a different category to the weighted chins, it's a mix of endurance and pure raw strength at the other end of the scale.

It should be possible though.

I found Steven Proto's website the other day, he is or was the Guinness world record holder for weighted pullups. His training for the weighted pullups is remarkably similar to mine. That is he does sets of descending reps where the weight increases on each set, I also pryamid back down the opposite way too, which he does recommend as well. He even does light and heavy days as I do as well.

Our routines are so similar I think I must have seen his website some time in the past and subconsciously stolen his program. I can't remember ever seeing it before I stumbled across it a few days ago though. My program is very organic and I don't calculate % of 1rm's, I just go by feel but the rep ranges for my heavy days are very similar to his, my light days are slightly different as I max out at 8 or 10 reps. I think I must be in the same ballpark as far as % of 1rm on the heavy day goes though.

I can tell you the format works very well for weighted chinup and pullup work, for me it works better than anything else I've tried over the years.

Here's a link to his training routine.
Routines
 
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Thanks for the encouragement Tarzan. I'm going to stick with my plan for now until August and see what happens. I plan both on the same day, probably Mon August 8th (the day after my birthday). The weighted pull-up first, then the 20 BW after some amount of rest. I mentioned this to one of my co-workers who happens to be a crossfit trainer at a nearby cf affiliate. He jumped right on it with great enthusiasm and asked me to come over and do it at his cf place and he will video it. I admit momentary regret telling him about my plan but realize he's helping me greatly, I started seriously planning a schedule after talking to him. Last year I tried 67 lbs with no preparation and couldn't get my eyes to the bar let alone chin. Yesterday did GTG, 4 sets of 9. I've decided to train BW GTG on M,W,F and weighted on Sun. T,Th,Sat rest days. It's a minimal amount of work I know. But I used to have a strong pull and I'm just trying to wake it up for now. I have some issues that preclude large volume presently. I'm eight weeks out from a arthroscopic procedure on my right knee to repair a torn meniscus. I've just gotten back to walking every day but my conditioning is a bit off. Doing this feat gives me something to focus on, doable but not crushing. I have a couple of other goals left over from CF I haven't achieved yet. After my birthday I plan a couple of months of starting strength barbell training (includes weighted dips and pull-ups) just to bring everything back to balance. Then I'm thinking of simple and sinister for a couple of months. Probably can do TGU's again by then. Down the road I want to do another SF kettlebell course and then sign up for the old guy SFG1 certification and start the prep for it.

I looked at the program you linked to. I like the decreasing reps, increasing weight and the volume of the BW.
 
Karen,
Thanks very much for asking but I'm kind of embarrassed to say...it hasn't happened yet. My birthday came and went on the 7th. I asked a couple of CF friends if I could come over where they had a real bar and do the test while recording; one was going rafting, the other something else. I put it off until Monday. Meanwhile I was fooling around experimenting with pistols at home. I've been contemplating the equivalence of a weighted pistol compared to a barbell front squat, what the equivalent weight on the bar would be per leg. I did the math and then did an experiment. I haven't tried to do a pistol for some time so I started with an 8 Kg kettlebell and lowered myself slowly onto a low step stool, significantly below parallel. Quite difficult but I managed it. I got some cramping on the inside of my working leg at the bottom. So far so good. My wife asked me to put some boxes in the attic. I'm in the attic moving around and I smack my head on a rafter fairly hard right on the temple. Jerking away from where I hit my head my back spasmed and locked up good. Three or four days of icing and little movement and I started feeling sort of normal. I think I peaked a week early anyway. I managed 82 lbs weighted and 20 reps unweighted the weekend before my birthday, but on my doorway bar in my office. Videos here: and here:
Hopefully I'll get videos of the same feat but after my 68th bd soon. I'm thinking of building a pull up/dip rig at home and not have to go somewhere else to have a bar I can get my chin over.
Best regards,
Mike
 
Solid lifts Mike, well done !

I don't know what the issue is, you set a goal and exceeded it before your cutoff date. I'd say you could tick those two off your bucket list. If any other 68year olds can even get close to that I'd love to see it.

I'll be showing those vids to some of the under 18's and under 20's football players I train for inspiration and to give them some motivation to train to their potential.

That's truly inspirational stuff Mike.
 
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@Tarzan Thanks very much for your kind remarks. I think I'll move on to the next thing now. I believe you recommended a good time to start on one arm pulls was after achieving a 1/2 bw pull. So I think I'll continue my pull practice with one arm hangs. Tried today, managed about 5 seconds each arm. Amazing what a different stress this is, an uneven one. I feel it in my biceps (only 5 seconds!) as if I maxed out on curls. And obliques. I'm going to work on pistols, presses and one arm hangs for awhile. Thanks to all for the articles and observations about training. I learn a great deal plus get the motivation I do have from here mostly. Strongfirst is the real deal. Thanks to @Karen Smith for the recent pull up and pistol articles and for advice through email.
 
Great job @Mike E and so sorry to hear about hitting the head and tweaking your back. You did great and have more great goals ahead of you.... KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB!
 
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