Pull-Ups

Granted, this post will never top Tyburn's beautiful legs...

However, I wanted to state my latest feat of strength.

While the lifts commonly associated with strength are good for my size (bench, squat, deadlift, etc.), they aren't blowing anybody away. However, the many bodyweight exercises that I do can turn some heads.

Today, I did one and very nearly two (the bar was at mouth level...could not get my chin quite over the bar) pull-ups with BW (bodyweight) + 80 lbs.

I may never be able to beat him in the octagon...but, I'm trying to tackle GSP's triples (sets of 3) with 100 lbs as shown in this video that I think I've posted (or someone has posted) before. I actually think he's doing like 110 and 120 these days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPDVEWWP4KU

With that said, I haven't checked it in a chin-up. He's a doing a chin-up (undergrip) and that's actually advantageous (aka - easier) because the biceps tendon isn't twisted under the radius bone. That's why pull-ups (overgrip) are more difficult. In a pronated (overgrip) grip, the radius and ulna of the forearm actually cross over one another. The biceps tendon inserts on the radius and gets twisted up and is in a less mechanically advantageous position. So, instead of getting the aid of the big "3" elbow flexors (brachioradialis, brachialis, and the biceps brachii), you only have the first two functioning effectively.

So, that's why pull-ups (overgrip) are harder theoretically than chin-ups (undergrip).

Good job! I haven't tried weighted pull-ups too much, the most weight I've tried it with is 45 lbs for four reps. They say once you can do a pull-up with twice your bodyweight you can probably do a One arm chin-up.

A bodyweight move i'm working on at the moment is the press handstand, I'm finally seeing some improvement.

[VCURamFan]

Yeah, my buddy Alex (the one who's been making these workouts for me), has been doing weighted pull-ups for awhile now. Today at the end of his back workout (don't ask me why he didn't do these when he was fresh) he strapped on a 45 & a 10 & repped out 7. The guy's one of the most jacked dudes in the gym (5'7" & 185), but is so humble that he will not let anyone compliment him.

I was not impressed by his pull up. It was close grip and underhand which incorperates more muscles groups then a wide grip overhand.

Originally Posted by logrus

I was not impressed by his pull up. It was close grip and underhand which incorperates more muscles groups then a wide grip overhand.

Dude, he was still doing them with 90 lbs on him ... which isnt' bad ... they said he couldn't even do 10 before he started with the strength coach ... so that was cool ... i was more impressed with the hurdle thing ...

[Llamafighter]

Awesome job Chris! Now you've inspired me to start cranking out the pullups. do you recommend doing the different types or are overhand wide grip the best?

I think a variety of pull-ups is good, I'm not an expert though.

Do people usually hang the weights on their waist like that? When I've tried weighted pull-ups I just stuffed weights in a backpack, the straps really ripped up my shoulders, that's why I never do them. I want to get one of those belts.

Originally Posted by sasquatch

I think a variety of pull-ups is good, I'm not an expert though.

Do people usually hang the weights on their waist like that? When I've tried weighted pull-ups I just stuffed weights in a backpack, the straps really ripped up my shoulders, that's why I never do them. I want to get one of those belts.

yeah, the belts are the way to go ... it also places the weight in a more central area .... i do wide grip palms facing away from me, shoulder width palms facing me and close grip palms facing each other ...

Originally Posted by Llamafighter

Awesome job Chris! Now you've inspired me to start cranking out the pullups. do you recommend doing the different types or are overhand wide grip the best?

Honestly, neutral grip pull-ups are the safest for your shoulder. Chin-ups (undergrip) actually internally rotates the humerus, which isn't ideal while pull-ups (overgrip) externally rotate the humerus, which isn't ideal, either.

As for the wide-arm pull-ups that you see people doing (particularly bodybuilders trying to target their lats) - this variation is really not good for the shoulders and I imagine if I went digging in the research I'd probably find that there is very little difference in latissimus muscle activation. It's all anecdotal bullsh** from muscle-bound guys jacked up on steroids.

Another one that is really bad for the shoulders is the upright row. The extreme internal rotation and abduction as the bar is being lifted closes off the space between the acromion process of the scapula and the rotator cuff tendons that lie over top of the humerus (upper arm bone). This could eventually manifest into impingement.

Originally Posted by logrus

I was not impressed by his pull up. It was close grip and underhand which incorperates more muscles groups then a wide grip overhand.

It doesn't incorporate more muscle groups. As I stated, the biggest difference is that it allows the biceps brachii to be in a more mechanically advantageous position, which helps.

I would imagine that the activation patterns elsewhere are relatively similar with a few muscles differing, but probably by very little. I've not checked the research lately, but considering that I read about this stuff all of the time, spend time with two incredibly smart fitness gurus every Saturday morning, and try to keep up with the research - I'd probably have run across this or been told such by someone at some point.

If you can show me some research stating otherwise, then feel free. With that said, GSP is doing neutral grip to protect his shoulders.