Bodyweight Tactical Pullup Standard - Touching the bar with the upper chest

[Tobias K.]

I was reviewing the Tactical Pullup Standard:

• The student will grip the bar with an overhand thumbless grip. There is no restriction on the grip width.
• A chin-up grip (palms facing the student) is not allowed for the men but is for women.
• The student shall pause motionless in a dead hang, with the elbows locked, before each pullup and await the Judges command to begin the attempt. The knees and hips may be flexed.
• The elbows must be straight before each repetition with the bicep in line with the ear. (If a mobility issue limits the elbows straightening, the student must notify the instructor prior to the set.)
• The student shall pull up without kipping or swinging.
• The neck (as defined by clearing the jawline not the underside of the chin) must clear the bar or the upper chest must touch the bar on the top of the pullup. The body should maintain a near vertical orientation.

I notice in my own Pullups that I'm lacking the "last 5%" to get my upper chest touching the bar on the top of the Pullup. As a regular deskworker the muscles in my back are probably to weak. Are there support exercise I can do, e.g. some kind of pulls with a resistance band, to strengthen and improve this specific motion?
Unfortunately I cannot post a video of me doing a Pullup as I live in an environment right now where I'm not allowed to take photos or videos.

 

[Period]

I would recommend trying bodyweight rows, placing an emphasis on the last part of the motion. You can even do isometric holds with the bar to chest to really activate the latissimus. Please note that you can scale the bodyweight row very easily by varying bar height and foot placement.

Cheers
Period.

 

[pet']

Hello,

It is also possible to do partial reps, especially in the ROM which is the most difficult.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Period]

Hello,

It is also possible to do partial reps, especially in the ROM which is the most difficult.

Kind regards,

Pet'

That is true, but the problem is that if you can't pull all the way to the top from bottom, you'll find it even harder to do partials in your weak range... so it would have to be assisted partials (or assisted full reps) or negatives.

Cheers
Period.

 

[pet']

Hello,

Are there support exercise I can do, e.g. some kind of pulls with a resistance band

Resistance band is an interesting solution, so obviously, you can try it. However, I'd like to stress a point here:
The more you will get closer to the last 5%, the less you will have assistance from the band. RB are - in general - more interesting when we have trouble to start the move.

For a constant assistance, you can try a pulley and counterweight system.

As @Period said, row are extremely powerful. This is the system I used to get my girlfriend's first pull up. Slow eccentric, a slight pause on the top of the move, regular concentric. How you hold the handle is also important: starting with a pull up grip (pronation), and ending with a neutral / hammer grip.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Tobias K.]

@Period @pet' Thank you for your help. I will try the rows. There are even some rings available here that I could use.

 

[Steve Freides]

I have never done rows. I've improved the top of my pullups by making a habit of getting to the top and staying there - needn't be long, but a distinct pause - before lowering.

-S-

 

[Steve Freides]

And @Tobias K., please post a video of a pullup with a brief pause at whatever the top now is for you.

-S-

 

[GeoffreyLevens]

Could use stool or chair to get to top position. Then flex knee/hips to put weight fully on the bar. Hold then do sloooow negative. A few sessions might open up that last 5% to access from the bottom

 

[Tobias K.]

I have never done rows. I've improved the top of my pullups by making a habit of getting to the top and staying there - needn't be long, but a distinct pause - before lowering.

-S-

Good idea!

And @Tobias K., please post a video of a pullup with a brief pause at whatever the top now is for you.

-S-

I would like to post a video, but it is not allowed where I live right now unfortunately

 

[wespom9]

Iso's at the top would be my strategy

 

[Tobias K.]

From the latest newslettter:

StrongFirst style pullups are notorious for being the hardest. Whether you are repping out at the TSC or taking a shot at the Iron Maiden or Beast Tamer title with a heavy weighted pullup, you must complete your super strict reps by touching the bar with your upper chest or neck.

The following drill from the StrongFirst Bodyweight (SFB) Certified Instructor Manual—a “lock-off”—will rapidly strengthen this most difficult part of the tactical pullup.

The lock-off comes from the rock climbers’ training arsenal. It looks like simply holding the top position of a pullup for time—but there is a lot more going on behind the curtains. Hanging like a ripe fruit is not enough.

Drive your elbows back hard, attempt to pull the bar through your chest, or at least to leave a bruise! This is called an “active static.”

Come down in a normal, not exaggeratedly slow, negative when the bar pressure against your neck or chest starts decreasing. Do not go to failure!

Adjust the resistance—add weight or get help from your training partner—to enable a strong 6-8sec hold.

If you need help, insist that your training partner gives it correctly: by pushing you up and forward into the bar, his or her hands below your shoulder blades. Holding the ankles is for amateurs.

Perform 3 sets in this manner, with a minimum of 3min of rest. Do this twice a week and carry on your normal pullup training.

A subtlety: for lock-offs use a grip wider than your shoulders to limit the elbow flexion and reduce the stress on the elbows. “Clear” the elbows afterwards with a handstand or another counter-stretch.

Like all isometric exercises, the above works exceptionally well for up to six weeks.