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Bodyweight Bent Knee Pull Up Technique

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crt1

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Hi all,

At the moment I am stuck doing pull-ups on one of those door-jam PU bars. I can not extend my legs into the hollow position without hitting the floor. L-Sit PUs are a bit above me at the moment so I am stuck doing PUs with bent knees.

Can folks please offer suggestions how to maximize the benefit of this exercise?

Thanks in advance,
Chris
 
Don't overthink it.

It is possible to maintain the hollow position pelvic and lumbar alignment with your knees bent.

If you can't, then keep working on your hollow position on the floor (their are tons of tutorials out there) and do your pull ups in a more extended position in the meanwhile. IMO, there is really nothing wrong with this style of pull up; it is the traditional bodybuilder style, as opposed to the more gymnastics-based hollow style.
 
@crt1 What @Steve W. said.

To add my 2 cents, vary the bent knee and L-sit pull-ups. Stretch your hip flexors. Sometimes do also "bodybuilding" pullups (read Pavel's article here). Vary the grip as well - wider, more narrow, thumbless grip, with thumbs.
 
I have the same problem, I go from bent knees into the hollow body position as soon as I pull myself up enough to allow it i.e. start pull up with bent knees, as I pull myself up extend knees into hollow body position then reverse on way down
 
Hey,

In my opinion bent knee pull ups are a great exercise which train every parts of "core strength" (exepted legs). It really builds functional strength, even if it's pretty difficult to do high rep sets. Besides, they are kind of a step when you want to do a "full planche"

Sometimes, when I want to vary a little my bodyweight training an save time, I use them instead of "standard" pull ups and hanging led raises.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Thanks for the input, folks. I have been trying to get that same "full-body tension" feeling as is so intuitive with the hollow position PU. I've found that crossing my feet and pressing them into each other is really helping me tense the low body. Is this advisable? I suppose I should alternate what foot is on top each set.
 
Hey,

I would not say that is "advisable". But, I would alternate one foot on the top / bottom at each rep as you suggest.

Nevertheless I'd preferably maintain my feet side by side. From my experience and feeling, this "solution" also permits a full tension along the low body.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
I am in the same boat using a door frame pullup bar. My knees almost hit the floor with me hanging from the bar. I lift my knees to the front slightly to engage my abs, I am still working on keeping my glutes tight(I still haven't mastered keeping them tight in pullups), and squeeze your knees/thighs together for extra tension. You could even place an empty but capped 20oz water bottle between your thighs in order to have something to squeeze against and remind you to squeeze.
 
Be careful- I've had one of those pull loose (I'm 205-210, heavier then average but not exceptionally so)- knees and floor are a bad combo.

This. Is truly not fun. My wife and I wound up with 3 of these pullup bars and I threw all of them away and built a proper bar outside after one of them dropped me on my knees. From the top position.

If your bar screws into the door frame it's probably safe but those cantilever style bars are an accident waiting to happen.
 
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