How I Progressed Up To My First Chin Up

[sgtrock]

(This is a longish post, but I have to describe a move that I can't find online now, sorry)

I've posted elsewhere on here about my trouble getting to do even 1 freaking pull up. It just wouldn't happen. I'm 6'0 / 218lbs, on month 4 of SL with a 160 squat and 175 deadlift (missed a few weeks of workouts here and there). I tried jumping, negatives, neutral grip, chins, even lat pulldowns. I was doing the inverted rows too. Nada. Zip. Never could get up above 1/2 or 3/4 of one rep before failing.

The other day I did one full chin. WOW! And I think it has to do largely with a new move I tried. I've been searching for the video I found that gave me the idea, but can't find it. I can't remember the name either, but it's a bodybuilding move apparently. So I'll try to describe it.

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EDIT by Mehdi: the name of this exercise is Rack Chin-ups. Video:


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Commandeer a Smith machine or rack. Set the bar at around shoulder/head height (modify as needed). Drag a bench over and set it a few feet out in front of you. Grab the bar and put both heels on the bench. Let your hips drop down until you hang vertically under the bar. You should now be in a rough "L" shape, with hips lower than heels (this is important). Now start doing pullups.

Now you are doing modified pullups, at partial weight, AND you can "grease the groove" so to speak. I was able to crank out 3 or 4 the first try, and got up to 5 or 6 the next workout. A couple workouts later, and I did a full hanging chin!

Note that I also started doing more inverted rows (4 sets sometimes, or "get to 20 total, regardless of sets", etc), including a couple of times with my feet up on a bench (hanging horizontally in the air), but it was the "bench pullup" that really did it. After the first time my upper back was SORE beneath my shoulder blades, and I'm convinced this was the muscle group I was lacking and this exercise helped me break through that wall.

I have NO idea what this exercise is called, but I saw a few bodybuilding videos on youtube with it and now can't find them. The guys would get in this position and put a dumbbell in their lap. Makes no sense to me when you have legs for weight, but it was a cool idea and it helped me a lot.

Maybe it will help someone else.

[sgtrock]

I just noticed that the other day lovestolift nailed the problem I was having:

Essentially you can have strong enough lats to do a pull-up, but not be able to do IR's and vice versa.
http://stronglifts.com/forum/inverted-row-problems-t14704.html#p312719

This is what the modified "bench pullup" solved for me.

[l1n3n01z]

Thanks. I'm really heavy, so having problems with pull-ups and chin-ups in SL5x5. I've been trying negatives, and not seeing much progress.

The elastic bands they sell here suck, and I'm too much of a cheapskate to buy the ones Mehdi recommends This sounds like a good solution. Do you recommend doing 3*F on this exercise instead of the pull-ups/chin-ups on B days?

[Ellie]

I still can't do a chin up to save my life, so congratulations!

[Mazikins]

Ooh, nice find, I'll try this one today.

[Kathy]

Thanks for sharing sgtrock and congrats!!! I can't wait to try this. I too, have been frustrated by not progressing on chins/pulls,

[markg]

Good find! I think I'll try that myself. I can do 2 chins but have made no progress in months...

[Barry06GT]

.
I am going to try this!

I got the rubberbands from Elite FTS but don't want to take them to the gym, but use them at home.

Your solution sounds great!

Thank you for sharing!
.

[sgtrock]

Thanks for all the replies! Glad I could help give back something to the community that has helped me so much. Sorry for this late response -- I took a couple evenings off.

I too was stumped because I didn't want to take bands, and standing/jumping never seemed to help. I think the trick really came down to working my neglected back pulling muscles -- which can only really be worked by "greasing the groove", which I (and judging from response some others as well) simply couldn't do.

@l1n3n01z: 3xF should be great. I did 1xF (5?) that first time and felt it the next day. I was really lacking in those pulling muscles in the upper back (not sure of what they are called off hand -- under/between the shoulder blades especially) and this really worked them hard.

BTW just for the record, due to scheduling issues since last Friday I worked out exactly once -- Sunday -- and we are going back tomorrow (Friday). I expect I will not be able to perform a single chinup at this point. If not I'll do this again to try and get back into it.

I can attest though: Putting your head above that bar will give you a HUGE grin.

[AhBen]

I couldnt do a single chin up when I was weak and wimpy at 150lb.

Now I can do 0.5BW weighted pullup at 210lb.

Just keep at it and you'll make it one day.

[Subdeacon]

This is great! Definitely will give it a try!

[jjay2000]

I saw this or something similar to this posted elsewhere. Is this the movement you were talking about?

[markg]

I have started doing these now. The bench I use is a normal flat bench, so not as high as the video above. The idea is the same though. I can get about 9 or 10 reps out first set this way and I'm hopeful it will help with my chinning progress soon.

[sgtrock]

I saw this or something similar to this posted elsewhere. Is this the movement you were talking about?

YES!!!

But damn if I could remember the name when I tried. Thanks for finding it!

>> Tons more videos of rack chins at Google Video <<

[Subdeacon]

So we're calling these "Rack chinups" and "Rack pullups"?