How Far Down for Pull Ups?

[FitFossil]

How far down should I go when doing pull ups? I've been pulling up to my sternum and going down to a dead hang, back up and so on, and it's hard as hell!

But lots of guys I see (no other women do pullups in my gym ) aren't going all the way down. Some go farther than others. We have lots of those "land of the 1/4 rep" guys, and I'm not talking about those, but rather the ones who go almost to a dead hang but not quite.

I was wondering if I'm doing them wrong by going down to a dead hang? I tried it the other way and it was a lot easier and I could do many more. So what's the correct way?

 

[BrickGirl]

Free hang those babies, thats the way I do them Those others are for people that cant free hang do them

 

[muskles]

How much weight could you ladies curl before attempting pull ups? For some reason (must be scary memories of the president's fitness tests in gym class ), I just feel intimidated to try them. I'm afraid I won't be able to complete even one. I've only seen one other girl do them @ my gym, and she has her personal trainer help her and she's pretty tiny. I know it's silly -- someday i'll work up the nerve to walk up there and give it a go.

 

[MS]

The silliest thing about those 'partial reppers' is that the lats are maximally stimulated over the first couple of inches of movement from the dead hang. The rest of the pullup involves more bicep, forearm, abs and middle back. In fact, I think one of the best exercises for lat development if you can't do full pullups is to do a reverse shrug type of move. From a wide grip dead hang you pull up only as far as you can without engaging your biceps. You can also do these on the lat pulldown machine.

If you're not shy you can bring a bungy cord to the gym and tie that onto the pullup bar so that you can put your feet on it and give yourself just enough help to do a full pullup. Of course, if you're not shy you would prolly just ask some else to assist you, and maybe make a new friend/training partner out of the experience!

 

[Texas Guns]

A Bungy cord??? What a great idea!!! I do not have the luxury of having someone assist me with these. I am so totally jealous of you women who can do more than two pull-ups!! It is one of my main goals to get it done!!!! Spatts you kill me!!

Mrs. TG

 

[BrickGirl]

Warlobo, we do the identical same thing

 

[JuicyGirl]

If I don't have a spotter (like usual) I use a chair to push off with my legs to force out about another 4-5 reps and grab onto those negatives really strong on the way down.

Using my legs a bit with a chair or bench makes me be able to complete a full set of those "dead hang pullups"

 

[Belial]

In fact, I think one of the best exercises for lat development if you can't do full pullups is to do a reverse shrug type of move. From a wide grip dead hang you pull up only as far as you can without engaging your biceps. You can also do these on the lat pulldown machine.

I want to vouch for that. These are EXCELLENT. And many people can actually do these weighted; or on the pulldown machine with significantly more weight than they could handle for a full rep. The key is to try it in front of a mirror if your gym has one properly located; once you get the feel of how to properly contract your lats on these (and feel the pain the next day) you'll realize how great they are.

 

[gymratess1]

I can honestly say I love doing pullups. I used to have a training partner to spot me, now I just ask someone I know (or anyone around). They are awesome for your back. I never skip them. I've even had big huge guys watching me in disbelief because they've never seen a girl doing pullups before. Strange to me. I've always done them. Don't be afraid to try. People respect that you are training hard and will almost always help spot if you ask.

 

[Texas Guns]

DID MY FIRST SET OF TEN LAST NIGHT IN THE GYM!!! My cousin came down and helped spot me and WOW do I feel it today!!! Yes I did the dead hang all the way down and all the way to the top, bringing my collar or upper chest to the bar (wide grip) I'm so excited, I'm headed out to by me a bungy cord....BANZI!!!!!!!


Mrs. TG