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Bodyweight Cues for Pull ups

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charles

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I have read all sorts of technique training for pull ups. Pulling the shoulders down is no problem. I have tried driving my elbows down and back. But I still many times feel it heavily in my biceps when doing pull ups. What cues have really helped people het the workload on the lats? Even if it is a bit more off the beaten path? what may I be doing wrong? and how should I correct it

thank you
 
If you want to feel it more in your lats use a wider grip.

I mostly use a grip about shoulder width or a very close grip as I don't feel a need to feel it in my lats. Hypertrophy is never my focus and I have what some people would call overdeveloped lats (compared to bodybuilders with overdeveloped pecs) all from shoulder width and narrow grip work.

My guess is that you just need to strengthen your arms if you feel it so much in the biceps. Start adding weight to your pull ups and keep your reps low and your lats will grow and your arms will get stronger very quickly.
 
Apart from participating at SFB 1-Day Course (which covers tactical pullups in great detail), I would recommend Pavel's Hardstyle Abs.

Pavel writes in the hanging leg raise section of the book:

The third step is attempting to “break the bar”, as taught in The Naked Warrior, to get some external shoulder rotation and to fire up the lats and other “armpit muscles”. Another cue meant to accomplish the same goal is trying to “make the elbows face each other”. Of course, unless you have been worked over by a BJJ champion, it is not possible. But the intention will recruit the right muscles.

Most of the cues for HLR apply to pull-ups as well.
 
Charles, for grip width, I like the following idea I learned from Steve Maxwell:

Keep your thumbs about shoulder width. Since your thumbs are on the outsides for chinups and on the inside for pullups, this tells you how much wider your grip should be for pullups.

This is not intended to be the final word on the subject for anyone but rather initial guidance, a place to start from that should be safe and effective for most people most of the time. From there, adjust as needed as your strength and experience grows.

-S-
 
thank you all. Pavel, could yo elaborate on making the elbows face eachother? I have heard a buddy say pull your elbows towards your centerline. Is that what you mean?

thanks
 
Charles,

when you hang on the bar (thumbless overhand grip), the elbow points face to the sides, away from each other. Break the bar and try to make the elbows face each other. The movement happens at the shoulders/armpits (external shoulder rotation).
 
Is there any reason a thumbless grip is preferred Pavel?

I noticed the Beast tamer challenge requires a thumbless grip too.

I've always used a full grip with the thumb so I can crush the bar even on my 60 mm bar.
 
Tarzan, it helps you to activate the lats, plus - think climbing over the wall (hence "tactical").

Anyway - pull-ups/chinups love variety - grip (tumbless, wit the thumb, over, under, wider, more narrow, mixed... ) and equipment (bar, rings, towels, with the kettlebell on your feet or waist, weighted vest... ).

In my own training I spend 60-80% practicing weighted tactical pullups (usually 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps, weighted), and vary the rest (grip, equipment, reps). My shoulders feel awesome, it helps my bench press significantly, and I never had problems with elbows.
 
Thanks for the insight Pavel.

Your pullup work sounds very similar to my approach, and my elbows & shoulders are good too.

I like to warm up with unweighted pullups for higher reps and sometimes I'll add some explosive work like muscle ups but most of my work is weighted in the same rep range you ascribe to.
 
Pavel so would would the other pael's cue of keeping te pressure on the little fingers also be appropriate? And I have found that when I have to jump to reach the bar as opposed to say a door bar I can reach standing, feel I get more out of it and also generally not as heavy on the biceps. Can you think of any reason for this?

thanks
 
Charles,

yes, I am breaking that bar both forward and down.

As for your second question, I don't know.
 
Charles, I don't know why but I'm with you on the subject of bar height. I keep a bar here adjusted to that I can just barely reach it standing on my toes, and that's my favorite bar height. Lower doesn't work as well, somehow, although I am at a loss to explain why.

-S-
 
Definitely agree - the bar height. I have wondered about that too for a while now.
Try and keep (centre of gravity) under the bar - if you have kettlebells (heavy) hanging from your waist you can sway a bit, normally out as you are about to come up. You either have to pause at the bottom - making it legit - or control the descent. Both no dramas.
 
I have a high enough bar that I have to stand on a box to reach it, and this is perfect for weighted work as well because it lets the bell hang off your foot when you're working that way. My bar is about eight feet off the ground, attached to the rafters in part of my basement where the rafters are nine feet from the floor.

-S-
 
Charles - another drill for engaging your lats and get them to "fire" would be to use a dowel rod, hold it out extended in front of your chest with your arms about shoulder width apart. Try to break the dowel rod in 1/2. This will cause your lats to engage and if done hard enough maybe even cramp. Then return to the bar and mimic that in the hanging position as Pavel stated above. This same concept is used when you do hanging leg raises.
 
this has been a great post, thanks Pavel and Karen - some fantastic cues to focus on technique improvement and efficiency - i love this forum.
 
I've been doing Pavel's 5RM Russian Pull Up Program (bodyweight only). I'm on Day 22.

1. Should I have been switching grips or sticking with pronated (palms facing out) grip?
2. Once I get to Day 30 which progression program should I gravitate towards?
3. Will this help with future Lever work?

Thanks
 
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