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Bodyweight Fighter Pullup Program [high volume] Question/Confusion

BrettSFG

Level 3 Valued Member
Certified Instructor
Hello, I'm looking to start the fighter pull up program based on my current 15RM. Based on the article, it looks like the program goes up by a volume of 2 reps per set. Why is this? The lower volume programs only go up by 1. This is NOT the same question as why do the numbers drop off more dramatically.
In the article, Pavel gives this example:

Day 1 15RMx12, 10, 8, 6, 4
Day 2 15RMx12, 10, 8, 6, 6
Day 3 15RMx12, 10, 8, 8, 6
Day 4 15RMx12, 10, 10, 8, 6
Day 5 15RMx12, 12, 10, 8, 6
Day 6 Off
Day 7 15RMx14, etc.

From day 5 to day 7... Why does the top set go from 12 to 14? Why not go from 12 to 13? It seems like the bigger jump will be harder the further along you get into the program.

Looking to go from 15 pull ups to 20+ in a month, do you think this is the right program? I previously did the 5RM program last fall and have recently been training pull ups 3x per week. No injuries. Thank you!
 
It's still a similar(ish) percent increase. If you're doing 5 reps and you increase by one, to 6, that's a 20% increase. Because one rep represent 20% of the amount you're doing (5).

By the time you've accumulated the volume, a 2 rep jump will be fine at the number of reps.

Another issue: FPP isn't meant to be run forever. I used it as a peaking program to go from 17 to 22 in about three weeks. If you jump up by 1, you'll be on the program a lot longer, and it can burn you out. It's like that thing pavel says about bigger weight jumps rather than micro loading. Sometimes it burns you out less to take bigger jumps but then deload sooner than to keep grinding away forever with small increases. Not sure.

Edit: I didn't notice your question but answered in indirectly. It'll work to get you there in three weeks. Exactly what it did for me, 17 to 22
 
Dayz said:
It's still a similar(ish) percent increase. If you're doing 5 reps and you increase by one, to 6, that's a 20% increase. Because one rep represent 20% of the amount you're doing (5).

By the time you've accumulated the volume, a 2 rep jump will be fine at the number of reps.

Another issue: FPP isn't meant to be run forever. I used it as a peaking program to go from 17 to 22 in about three weeks. If you jump up by 1, you'll be on the program a lot longer, and it can burn you out. It's like that thing pavel says about bigger weight jumps rather than micro loading. Sometimes it burns you out less to take bigger jumps but then deload sooner than to keep grinding away forever with small increases. Not sure.

Edit: I didn't notice your question but answered in indirectly. It'll work to get you there in three weeks. Exactly what it did for me, 17 to 22
Click to expand...
Thanks Dayz, I hadn't thought about it that way before. Appreciate your explanation and glad to hear it worked for you, looking forward to running the program starting next week!
 
Dayz said:
It's still a similar(ish) percent increase. If you're doing 5 reps and you increase by one, to 6, that's a 20% increase. Because one rep represent 20% of the amount you're doing (5).

By the time you've accumulated the volume, a 2 rep jump will be fine at the number of reps.

Another issue: FPP isn't meant to be run forever. I used it as a peaking program to go from 17 to 22 in about three weeks. If you jump up by 1, you'll be on the program a lot longer, and it can burn you out. It's like that thing pavel says about bigger weight jumps rather than micro loading. Sometimes it burns you out less to take bigger jumps but then deload sooner than to keep grinding away forever with small increases. Not sure.

Edit: I didn't notice your question but answered in indirectly. It'll work to get you there in three weeks. Exactly what it did for me, 17 to 22
Click to expand...
Can anyone tell me what the rest period is between sets within a particular day? I’m referring to the fighter pull up series. In the quick and dead series they are specific about the rest period, so I’m curious for this one.
Thanks!
 
neal said:
Can anyone tell me what the rest period is between sets within a particular day? I’m referring to the fighter pull up series. In the quick and dead series they are specific about the rest period, so I’m curious for this one.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I don’t believe that there is a prescribed rest period.
For me it’s fluid, depending upon where I am at in the progression, wether I am doing them weighted or not, and how I have recovered from the prior session and any other training. But I get good results in the 3 to 5 minute range.
 
Last edited:
neal said:
Can anyone tell me what the rest period is between sets within a particular day? I’m referring to the fighter pull up series. In the quick and dead series they are specific about the rest period, so I’m curious for this one.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I've been doing them almost GTG most days, but at least 5 mins when I don't.
 
I have read somewhere thats its recommemded to do it like GTG. At least 15 min between sets.
 
Dayz said:
Good luck!!!
Click to expand...
Thought I'd post a follow-up. I ran the program for four weeks total which included a few extra days of rest and even 4 days completely off when I had to travel to Paris. The highest set I made it up to was 18-16-14-14-12 (I started at 12-10-8-6-4). I tested today for my PFT and hit 23 pull ups! I'm amazed, I had been assuming I'd barely hit 20 and would have to continue the program but I'll happily take this result. Thanks for your help in getting me to trust the program.
 
BrettSFG said:
Thought I'd post a follow-up. I ran the program for four weeks total which included a few extra days of rest and even 4 days completely off when I had to travel to Paris. The highest set I made it up to was 18-16-14-14-12 (I started at 12-10-8-6-4). I tested today for my PFT and hit 23 pull ups! I'm amazed, I had been assuming I'd barely hit 20 and would have to continue the program but I'll happily take this result. Thanks for your help in getting me to trust the program.
Click to expand...
Congratulations! That is a great improvement!!!
 
BrettSFG said:
Thought I'd post a follow-up. I ran the program for four weeks total which included a few extra days of rest and even 4 days completely off when I had to travel to Paris. The highest set I made it up to was 18-16-14-14-12 (I started at 12-10-8-6-4). I tested today for my PFT and hit 23 pull ups! I'm amazed, I had been assuming I'd barely hit 20 and would have to continue the program but I'll happily take this result. Thanks for your help in getting me to trust the program.
Click to expand...
Awesome result, gotta be happy with that!
 
Does anyone have advice/programming for maintaining this high volume of pull-ups? I have another PFT in a few weeks and I don't want to lose this progress. I'm assuming I don't want to keep doing Fighter Pull-Up Program because it's a peaking program and I'm concerned about overuse/injury. I'm thinking something like 3x per week but am not sure how to program sets and reps in order to maintain my 23 pull-ups.
 
Dayz said:
It's still a similar(ish) percent increase. If you're doing 5 reps and you increase by one, to 6, that's a 20% increase. Because one rep represent 20% of the amount you're doing (5).

By the time you've accumulated the volume, a 2 rep jump will be fine at the number of reps.

Another issue: FPP isn't meant to be run forever. I used it as a peaking program to go from 17 to 22 in about three weeks. If you jump up by 1, you'll be on the program a lot longer, and it can burn you out. It's like that thing pavel says about bigger weight jumps rather than micro loading. Sometimes it burns you out less to take bigger jumps but then deload sooner than to keep grinding away forever with small increases. Not sure.

Edit: I didn't notice your question but answered in indirectly. It'll work to get you there in three weeks. Exactly what it did for me, 17 to 22
Click to expand...
Does anyone have advice/programming for maintaining this high volume of pull-ups? I have another PFT in a few weeks and I don't want to lose this progress. I'm assuming I don't want to keep doing Fighter Pull-Up Program because it's a peaking program and I'm concerned about overuse/injury. I'm thinking something like 3x per week but am not sure how to program sets and reps in order to maintain my 23 pull-ups.
 
BrettSFG said:
Does anyone have advice/programming for maintaining this high volume of pull-ups? I have another PFT in a few weeks and I don't want to lose this progress. I'm assuming I don't want to keep doing Fighter Pull-Up Program because it's a peaking program and I'm concerned about overuse/injury. I'm thinking something like 3x per week but am not sure how to program sets and reps in order to maintain my 23 pull-ups.
Click to expand...
You could try GTG 5-ish times per week.

Another option would be something like 3 x 70% of max reps, 3 x per week.

Edit: for reference, when I first hit 18 reps, using GTG lackadaisically had me maintain 17 reps next time I tried a max. I never tried to maintain after I hit 22 reps, so I don't know what works at that range.
 
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