A lot of adults want to do strict pull-ups, but they lack strength and don't know where to start.
Unlocking your first strict pull-up can be tricky. It can feel like you'll never have the strength to do strict pull-ups.
It's frustrating.
Over the last three weeks, I've shared the 3 key milestones that I like to use for helping adults unlock their first strict pull-up. In this post, I will recap these milestones so you can hopefully see the method to my madness.
Firstly, I'm not a fan of using bands for pull-ups as they don't help us build the required strength in key areas of the pull-up. If you would like to read more about this check out "When should and shouldn't I use a band for chin-ups."
Here are the first 3 milestones to work towards.
Milestone #1: 30sec Chin Above The Bar Isometric Hold
The journey begins with being able to hold your chin above the bar in a narrow grip isometric chin-up.
We start with a narrow grip chin-up because we're stronger in a supinated grip (palms up in the chin-up) than we are in a pronated grip (palms down in a pull-up).
We're also stronger in a narrow grip than we are in a wide grip.
And, we're also stronger at the top of the chin-up than at any other point in the chin-up. This is due to the mechanical advantage of the biceps being in a shortened position.
Therefore, it makes sense to start the pull-up journey in the strongest position possible.
If you can't hold yourself in the strongest position, there is no point training the rest of the chin-up.
Holding your chin above the bar for 30 seconds isn't easy, so it's best to start with 3-5 sets of 10-second holds.
Once you can achieve this, increase the hold times to 15 seconds. Each time you accomplish 5 sets of the required hold time, add 5 seconds to the next workout.
Continue on this path until you can achieve 30-second holds.
If you can't hold your chin above the bar for 10 seconds, you're going to need to spend more time working on rows, biceps curls, shoulder external rotation exercises and lower trap strength.
Milestone 2: 30sec Eccentric Chin-ups.
Once you've built the strength to hold your chin above the bar for 30 seconds, you're ready to start training eccentrics.
We are stronger in the eccentric phase (lowering of the weight) of a movement than we are in the concentric phase (lifting of the weight).
When it comes to chin-ups, you will want to utilise this knowledge to help build the strength to unlock your first strict chin-up.
By standing on an elevated surface, you can start at the top of the chin-up and then slowly lower yourself down to a dead hang.
You need to have control from top to bottom and move at a consistent speed. It's not good holding the top of the chin-up for 29 seconds and then falling to the bottom in 1 second.
I recommend starting this part of the pull-up journey with 3-5 sets of 10-15 second eccentrics.
Once you can achieve 5 sets of 15sec eccentrics, increase the time to 15-20sec eccentric. Continue with this process until you can do multiple sets of 30sec eccentric chin-ups.
Once you can achieve a 30sec eccentric, you'll have the strength to get your first strict chin-up.
Milestone 3: Eccentric Chin-ups With +20% Of Your Bodyweight
Once you can achieve a 30sec eccentric chin-up, you're ready to add weight.
We are between 120-150% stronger in the eccentric (lowering of the weight) phase of a movement than we are in the concentric (lifting of the weight) phase.
This means we can continue to increase our strength levels by overloading the eccentric phase.
This phase of training is not for wimps. It requires hard work, grit, and the determination to become a badass at pull-ups.
The goal is to perform 3 reps with a 10 second eccentric and +20% of your bodyweight.
If you weigh 75kg, that's an additional 15kg.
When working towards this milestone, I like to use a Cluster Method. The cluster method is a cluster of reps performed in the same set with small intra-rep rests that allow the muscle to recover slightly between reps so you can keep the intensity high.
It looks like this:
4-5 x [1+1+1], Chin-up, Eccentric (10sec eccentric), 15sec rest between reps, rest 3mins
For each set, you perform one 10 second eccentric chin-up and then rest 15seconds before performing the next rep. You repeat this process until you've completed 3 reps. You then rest 3 minutes before starting the next set, repeating the whole process for a total of 4-5 sets.
It's best to start this part of the journey at a lightweight (2.5-5kg). Once you can successfully complete all 5 sets of 3 reps, increase the weight.
Continue with this process until you achieve +20% of your body weight for 4-5 sets of 3 reps.
Once you can achieve this, you'll have the strength to unlock your first strict pull-up.
Pull-up Training Priorities And Accessories
These 3 milestones are the main priorities of each Bent Arm Strength (BAS) training days.
The session begins with these exercises.
It would help if you then did additional accessory exercises like rows, bicep curls, shoulder external rotations, and scapular depressions. All of these movements target the major muscle groups that will help you unlock your first pull-up.
Where Do I Start?
If you're completely new to pull-ups, trying to puzzle everything together at the same time is often confusing as you will likely not yet have the strength or confidence to start this journey.
This is where having a program to follow makes a world of difference.
It will help you establish a baseline of where you are on the strict pull-up journey and provide you with a plan to follow.
I’m ready to build strength and unlock strict pull-ups
As you gain strength in the right areas and work through each key milestone, you will progress faster towards your pull-up goals.
This is precisely where TSTM can help.
We’ve helped hundreds of adults unlock their first strict pull-up. We’ve used this knowledge and experience to design the Unlock Chin-ups and Push-ups Skill-Based Training Programs.
We also work one-on-one with online personal training to tailor a program to your needs. You can enquire about online personal training here.