Wide grip pull ups: extra practice at home for novice?

[benlondon]

Hi,

I've just started following the basic stronglifts routine. I struggle to do the wide grip pull ups (I can barely do 3), so at the gym I've only been doing the chin ups (3 sets of about 8, 6 then 5 reps).

I've bought a bar to practice wide grip pull ups at home. Assuming I go to the gym Monday, Weds and Friday, when / how's the best way to practice wide grip pull ups at home so I can quickly progress to doing proper sets at the gym, but without overtraining muscles?

Thanks,
Ben

P.S. At the end of workout B I do 1 or 2 sets to failure of close grip chin ups. This is extra to the 3 sets of normal chin ups I do earlier in the gym session. Is this okay?

[youngathlete]

you can practice the pullups at home anytime, as long as you do not go to failure. Similar to GTG, you simply do pullups frequently, but don't strain yourself. If your current max is 3 pullups, then you would do 1 pullup at a time, but 10-20 times spaced apart throughout the day.

[benlondon]

So one at a time only on any day. Cheers, Ben

[benlondon]

Thanks again for the advice - very clear.

'Cos I'm so weak on wide grip pull ups I'm actually now just focussing on chin ups until I can do lots with good form. (Then I'll start doing the wide grip pulls too.) Using the GTG technique you suggested, I'm doing two chins at a time spaced through the day on any day.

Also I've dropped the idea of doing extra sets of close grip chins after the 3 sets of normal chins on workout B. I guess the whole point of this program is to focus on gaining strength on the main lifts, not to tire out your arms with loads of extra stuff . I'll stick to the three sets of chins as recommended and maybe change the grip a little on each set.

Great website by the way.

cheers,
Ben

[ricepower]

Remember just because they are pull-ups do not mean they have to be super-wide. Just call them pull-ups.

Your hands should ideally placed where you can get maximum range of motion travelling up & down. This is usually wider than shoulders. Too wide would make the range very small, too narrow would focus lift onto arms specifically making it perhaps even harder to do but would not work back effectively.

[Rockfella]

I have no idea whats happenning with my pull-up thingy. I can do 3 sets of 5 only. Not 6 in the first set but i can do 5 in the last set! and it is not increasing... any suggestions?

[kidsoftheblackhole]

i wouldn't worry about it too much at this point. you will get better at them but for now maybe keep doing what you're doing and focus on your lifts.

[Soofy]

Pull ups don't come easy. At all. Just keep doing them day in, day out and the numbers will go up.

[Rockfella]

Will keep on doing them religiously!

[Munnings]

I have no idea whats happenning with my pull-up thingy. I can do 3 sets of 5 only. Not 6 in the first set but i can do 5 in the last set! and it is not increasing... any suggestions?

Rockfella, you might want to try to add an extra set of 5, so your doing 4 sets of 5 instead of 3 sets of 5.
i know mehdi said only 3 sets and im not trying to dispute that. i agree with his program im doing it now, but if your struggling to make a gain, that might be a good option.
remember, its not just about increasing vertically, but horizontally too. i.e not just doing 6 reps, 6 reps 6 reps but 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 5 reps, if you get me.
it might be too much workload, but you need to stress your body and MAKE it WANT to get better at pull ups.
so hopefully it may help. if not i apologize, it just seems that is the most likely way to get more reps... once u get an extra one or two donee in ur first set drop it back to 3 sets?

[Rockfella]

Thanks man.... i kinda agree with you. I do 2 sets of heavy lat machine pulldowns after my pull-up sets... just started last week... lets see if it works. No need to apologize thanks for posting Also since i am not benching/OHP i think it is also a reason why my "pulling" strength suffers... 'coz i am not "pushing" any weight!

I have no idea whats happenning with my pull-up thingy. I can do 3 sets of 5 only. Not 6 in the first set but i can do 5 in the last set! and it is not increasing... any suggestions?

Rockfella, you might want to try to add an extra set of 5, so your doing 4 sets of 5 instead of 3 sets of 5.
i know mehdi said only 3 sets and im not trying to dispute that. i agree with his program im doing it now, but if your struggling to make a gain, that might be a good option.
remember, its not just about increasing vertically, but horizontally too. i.e not just doing 6 reps, 6 reps 6 reps but 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 5 reps, if you get me.
it might be too much workload, but you need to stress your body and MAKE it WANT to get better at pull ups.
so hopefully it may help. if not i apologize, it just seems that is the most likely way to get more reps... once u get an extra one or two donee in ur first set drop it back to 3 sets?

[Munnings]

Thanks man.... i kinda agree with you. I do 2 sets of heavy lat machine pulldowns after my pull-up sets... just started last week... lets see if it works. No need to apologize thanks for posting Also since i am not benching/OHP i think it is also a reason why my "pulling" strength suffers... 'coz i am not "pushing" any weight!

can i ask why you are not benching/ OHPing? they are really great exercises for building muscle and strength
are you doing the 5x5 program?
yeah i can see the benefit of the lat pulldown, i worked that hard before i did the 5x5 program, now i can do 17 wide pull ups in a row and ive only been doing pull ups for about 2 or 3 months
but once you can i strongly recommend you just keep doing the pull/chin ups. the more u do something the better you get at it - im pretty sure some of the guys above me said something along those lines.
anyway, good luck with your workouts

[Rockfella]

Ofcourse u can ask sir. My right shoulder got injured while swimming in the month of july this year, it is still healing I do 5x5s without BP/OHP, i know the shortcomings but i just can't sit @ home and wait for my shoulder to heal. Soon i will go for an MRI or something serious 'coz it aint healing anymore... pain goes on & off and it pains worse in OHP and BP, i can do rest of the exercises with ease! I will continue doing pull-ups through-out my life but since my squats/DLs all have gone up i was wondering whats stopping my numbers on the pulls hence posted.

Thanks man.... i kinda agree with you. I do 2 sets of heavy lat machine pulldowns after my pull-up sets... just started last week... lets see if it works. No need to apologize thanks for posting Also since i am not benching/OHP i think it is also a reason why my "pulling" strength suffers... 'coz i am not "pushing" any weight!

can i ask why you are not benching/ OHPing? they are really great exercises for building muscle and strength
are you doing the 5x5 program?
yeah i can see the benefit of the lat pulldown, i worked that hard before i did the 5x5 program, now i can do 17 wide pull ups in a row and ive only been doing pull ups for about 2 or 3 months
but once you can i strongly recommend you just keep doing the pull/chin ups. the more u do something the better you get at it - im pretty sure some of the guys above me said something along those lines.
anyway, good luck with your workouts

[Munnings]

Ofcourse u can ask sir. My right shoulder got injured while swimming in the month of july this year, it is still healing I do 5x5s without BP/OHP, i know the shortcomings but i just can't sit @ home and wait for my shoulder to heal. Soon i will go for an MRI or something serious 'coz it aint healing anymore... pain goes on & off and it pains worse in OHP and BP, i can do rest of the exercises with ease! I will continue doing pull-ups through-out my life but since my squats/DLs all have gone up i was wondering whats stopping my numbers on the pulls hence posted.

yeah i can definately see it hurting in those excersises!
that sucks man, but its good to see your still working out. your totally right, cant just sit at home and wait.
let me know how you make gains on your pull ups when you do

[Rockfella]

Sure.. will keep u posted.

Ofcourse u can ask sir. My right shoulder got injured while swimming in the month of july this year, it is still healing I do 5x5s without BP/OHP, i know the shortcomings but i just can't sit @ home and wait for my shoulder to heal. Soon i will go for an MRI or something serious 'coz it aint healing anymore... pain goes on & off and it pains worse in OHP and BP, i can do rest of the exercises with ease! I will continue doing pull-ups through-out my life but since my squats/DLs all have gone up i was wondering whats stopping my numbers on the pulls hence posted.

yeah i can definately see it hurting in those excersises!
that sucks man, but its good to see your still working out. your totally right, cant just sit at home and wait.
let me know how you make gains on your pull ups when you do