all posts post new thread

Bodyweight Pull ups

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
I guess "grip strength" doesn't necessarily equate to "grip endurance". I have pretty good grip strength. I can deadlift over 400 lbs and have never failed a lift due to my grip. On the other hand when I deadhang from a pull-up bar I can barely hang on for one minute.

Of course in the deadlift you only need to hang on for a few seconds but it's a much more intense grip than a pull-up. Not sure how to increase my grip endurance for pull-ups.

I used to do deadhangs everyday for months but could never increase my hang time much past one minute. Never tried to hang from the top position but I'm sure it's got to be much harder.
 
@Hasbro ...
What are your pull-up goals? You imply that grip endurance is your limiting factor. Is your grip failing during a set, or after multiple sets?
 
offwidth said:
@Hasbro ...
What are your pull-up goals? You imply that grip endurance is your limiting factor. Is your grip failing during a set, or after multiple sets?
Click to expand...

I'm kind of teetering on the edge right now. My grip isn't failing but it's real close. I'd like to get my pull-ups to the 12-15 range and right now and I'm at the 7-8 mark. But I feel even if I had the arm strength to do 12-15 my grip would fail before I got there.

@Steve Freides I would've thought so too but I've been doing 1H swings for years and really haven't noticed much difference at least in my deadhang time. If you use the deadhang as a measuring stick I've been stuck at the 1 minute mark for years.
 
@Hasbro ...
Some grip options that may help...
  • Weighted pull-ups
  • Frenchies
  • Wrist Rollers
I agree with Steve as well. One minute is pretty decent...
 
Hasbro said:
Not sure how to increase my grip endurance for pull-ups.
Click to expand...

90 second farmer's carries. 4 x 90 sec, "heavy". Al's prescription in my SFG I prep program. For four 90-sec carries, "heavy" is relative... but you figure out quickly what it is, and it will improve if you keep doing it. A great thing to add to the end of any training session, not only for the grip endurance, but all the other benefits of loaded carries as well.

I have not found that heavy swings help much for grip endurance, but, I very rarely do more than 10 swings in a set. I suppose if you did extended sets of swings (like the non-stop swings day every 2 weeks on S&S), it may help.
 
Anna C said:
I have not found that heavy swings help much for grip endurance, but, I very rarely do more than 10 swings in a set. I suppose if you did extended sets of swings (like the non-stop swings day every 2 weeks on S&S), it may help.
Click to expand...
The GS folks do high-rep swings with a heavier bell following snatches.

-S-
 
@Anna C Moderately loaded, near max distance Farmers Carries will help build great support Grip, Shoulder, and Upper Back endurance. If you do Monkey Grip pullups(tactical grip, thumbless grip) use that grip on Farmers as well for the most carryover.

I have heard a few Strongman competitors recommended this as well for improving their grip heavy events. Great tip. I can see now how Farmers Carries would carryover to Pullups.
 
If you have rings do some inverted hangs too. Static upside down loaded carry with bodyweight.
 
Steve Freides said:
The GS folks do high-rep swings with a heavier bell following snatches.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, a high rep set of GS swings for grip endurance. On this forum we are so used to thinking of swings in sets of 10 from S&S, or even less than that for A+A, and with these short sets the swings tend to be (should be) max power, which seems to help grip strength more than grip endurance. The grip required varies like a sine wave in a powerful hardstyle swing. A GS swing would even out the tension required to more of a flat line, and could be carried on longer, increasing grip endurance.
 
@Anna C, IMHO, one can still swing our way and for longer sets; it's just a matter of dialing down the volume control. I don't do GS training but I do sometimes do sets of 15, 20, or 25 with my normal swing weight, and go with much longer rest periods, i.e., I might do 25 swings on the 4:00.

-S-
 
for grip:
rope climbing.
beats the hell out of swings anyday.
if you ever climb six meter up and down with hands only, grip won´t be an issue anymore.
 
I don't want to come across as a know-it-all-better, but things like rope climbs or hang holds are relative.
I argue that swinging a Beast for sets of 10-20 does more for your grip than rope climbs if you're a 150lbs guy or a 120lbs woman. For a 220lbs man on the other hand the rope climb is much more challenging for the grip.
 
There are also only so many training hours in a day - when I did some rope climbing, I found it so tiring to my grip that most of the rest of my training suffered, so I went back to focusing on deadlifts and swings.

Standing with the barbell at lockout for your deadlifts can help and, if - a big "if" - you are comfortable with DL active negatives, those are another way to tax your grip with a heavy weight while accomplishing a lot of other things at the same time.

-S-
 
HUNTER1313 said:
To put it simply and bluntly. My pull ups suck. Chin ups no problem. What and where can I find the best SFG resources on how to do pull ups?
Click to expand...

Hunter - I would be happy to help.
Send me an email at karen.smith@strongfirst.com

We have many progressions that we teach at our course and certs. I have also done many case studies and have some average number to meet for the progressions that should help you reach your first pullup.

Thanks
 
Last edited:
yes, rope climbing is very hard for the hands in the beginning, but they adjust pretty fast. you can also use progressions, starting with your feet on the floor like a bodyweight row.

fortunately there are many different options for grip training.

odd objects, especially sandbags and stones, are great.


by the way: in this regard i would very highly recommend UNTAPPED STRENGTH from ROSS ENAMAIT!!!

it is a book dedicated to grip and lower arm training.

it is not expansive, very straight forward and shows a lot of different exersises with different modalities.
 
I need advice on my pullups and don't want to start new threads.

I decided to give a try with pullups in a GTG style training. My max is 8 reps, so I am doing sets of 4 through the day. Since I have a 9 to 5 job and there are no bars at work, I figured such schedule: I do 1 set before my morning S&S practice, 1 set after breakfast (so about an hour and half after the previous one). When I return from work, it is usually around 6 pm that I do the third set (so about 10 hours after the previous one) and then 2 more sets at 7 and 8 pm.

First questions: is this volume appropriate for pullups in GTG style? Second question: is it acceptable to have such uneven rest periods between sets (basically, I rest 1.5, 10, 1 and 1 hours)? Is it still GTG or am I doing something different? How would you adjust it?
 
The key to GTG's success is its volume. Your schedule is fine as far as it goes, but it would be great if you found a ledge or tree branch you could use during the day. I'd say you're off to a good start.

I would also add that, IMHO, you don't need to do exactly 4 reps every time, e.g., if you get on the bar and feel it's tough, you could do a few or two fewer, but likewise if you get on the bar and do 4 reps and feel like it wasn't even a 50% effort, you could add a rep or even two. It's nice to try to "tune in" to how your body is feeling in this way, and as long as you avoid the temptation to overtrain, you'll still be fine and still practicing GTG.

-S-
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom