Some people will read the title of this post and see what they want to see…
“…Tony G has lost his mind. He’s telling people that doing eccentric only pull-ups to help build their actual pull-up is wrong. He also hates kittens.”
Others will know better and actually continue reading.
The Missing Ingredient to Conquering Your First Pull-Up
I’d be remiss not to note that most competent programs designed to help people become pull-up badasses either emphasize or incorporate eccentric only variations.
Hell, one of the most baller programs out there (and one I reference often myself) – Meghan Callaway’s Ultimate Pull-Up Program (ahem, it’s its 3-year anniversary this week and it’s on sale for 50% OFF the regular price hint, hint, nudge, nudge) – incorporates a bevy of eccentric only pull-ups…
…among many, many other things.
I mean, it’s well established that the eccentric (or lowering) portion of any exercise is generally where a trainee is strongest, can handle the most load, and, potentially, leads to the most muscle growth.
All the above being the case, when it comes to BUILDING the pull-up, I still feel too many trainees (women AND men, mind you) miss the forest for the trees.
Despite it being an excellent choice, performing 5 to 10 lackluster eccentric only pull-ups week in and week out does not a pull-up make.
It’s akin to me posting a shirtless pic on my Match.com profile – and only a shirtless pic – and then underneath that pic typing…
First of all: I’m a happily married man and don’t have a Match.com profile. It’s just a metaphor. But, coincidentally enough, I did meet my wife there…;o)
Second: I’d like to think my superior writing skills and uncanny wit was what won her over and led to us meeting for our first date four days after crossing paths digitally.
Third: In the age of Tinder, Bumble, and the litany of other dating apps at society’s disposal, do people even use Match.com anymore?
Where was I?
Right, what else to focus on other than eccentric only pull-ups.
Do More
I think one of the biggest mistakes I see most people make with their pull-up/chin-up programming is that they simply don’t train the pattern enough.
Most people will train their pull-up once, maybe twice per week.
This isn’t enough.
Pull-up badass, Artemis Scantalides, will often advocate a frequency of 4-5x per week.
However, this approach only works well for those who can already perform 3-5 pull-ups and are looking to level up that number.
If you can’t even perform one this would be a daunting prospect to say the least.
That said, I think staying cognizant of total VOLUME is an often overlooked component of pull-up progress.
As in: A metric fuck ton (which is just a tad below a metric boat load) of pulling volume is undoubtedly going to result in some cool things happening.
I like to incorporate the following (hybrid) vertical pulling progressions when working with an individual working toward their first pull-up
This is hands down one of my favorite accessory “pull-up builder” exercises (and upper back exercises in general).
I LOVE the lat stretch in the bottom position.
If someone is looking to conquer their first pull-up I’d be more inclined to include one of these exercises as part of EVERY training session aiming for 2-4 sets of 5-15 repetitions
The “easier” drills are assigned more sets and reps.
The “harder” drills are assigned less sets and reps.
Sick beats optional.
Ultimate Pull-Up Program & Ultimate Push-Up Program
All this week you can purchase Meghan Callaway’s Ultimate Pull-Up Program at 50% off the regular price. Meghan is one of the best coaches I know and this program is without hesitation THE “go-t0” program if you’re looking to take your pull-up game to the next level.
Moreover, you also have the option of purchasing both the Ultimate Pull-Up Program & the Ultimate Push-Up Program at a heavily discounted price.
Nevertheless, given many people have lost access to their regular gyms due to COVID-19 and have been regulated to training mostly at home these two programs couldn’t come at a better time.
If I want to learn more about astrophysics I listen to Neil deGrasse Tyson.
If I want to learn more about how to to be jacked while rocking a bowl cut I listen to He-Man.
Moreover, if I want to learn about or become a legit badass at pull-ups, my go to expert is Meghan Callaway. She’s a straight-up gangster when it comes to pull-ups and pull-up programming.
With the release of The Complete Trainers’ Toolbox this week, of which Meghan and myself are a part of (along with seven other health/fitness professionals), we felt it important to give people a bit of insight as to what kind of information they can learn from this resource.
Meghan goes into the weeds on anything and everything regarding programming for the pull-up and today she offers a little insight on some commonly made mistakes people make.
Countless people of all genders have the goal of being able to perform one or many pull-ups. Yet it is no secret that most people struggle to execute a single strict pull-up, and this includes many elite athletes.
Sam Bennett, the number one draft pick in the 2014 NHL draft, made the news when he failed to perform a single pull-up at the NHL draft combine.
So the inability to excel at pull-ups definitely isn’t limited to the general population, or purely beginners. Most people fail to conquer pull-ups, not because they are physically incapable, but because they are making some key mistakes.
I have great news for you.
This can be rectified.
Case in point, shortly after Sam Bennett bombed his pull-ups in the NHL draft combine, with some proper training, he banged out 11 reps.
Note From TG:I actually wrote an article a few years ago on the reaction to people giving Sam Bennett grief about not being able to perform a pull-up initially. You can read it HERE.
In this article I am going to discuss FIVE key mistakes that are preventing an abundance of people from excelling at pull-ups.
Mistake #1: Relying on the Arms to Perform the Movement
When pull-ups are being executed correctly, the shoulder blades, not the arms, should be initiating the movement. Instead of using the muscles in the mid and upper back to perform the bulk of the movement, a myriad of people rely on their arms.
To be clear, while the muscles in the arms will play a role, they should only be assisting the muscles in the back, not performing the majority of the work.
During the initial phase of the movement, and as your body is traveling towards the bar, you want to draw each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards your opposite hip (depression, retraction, downward rotation), not pull with your arms.
During the eccentric phase of the movement, rather than keeping your shoulder blades pinned, a mistake that plagues many individuals and can again cause them to rely on their arms to execute the movement, your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements and should move away from your spine and away from your opposite hip (elevation, protraction, upward rotation).
As you can see, the ability to control the movement of your shoulder blades is a key component of being able to perform pull-ups.
Solution
The scapula pull-up is a really useful pull-up specific regression as it teaches you how to initiate the movement with your shoulder blades instead of pulling with your arms. This exercise is also specific to pull-ups as it requires you use the same body positioning, and it helps improve grip strength.
A few key points:
Initiate the movement by drawing your shoulder blades in towards your spine and down towards your opposite hip (retraction, depression, downward rotation).
In the top position, pause for a brief count.
Perform the eccentric component with complete control.
During the lowering/eccentric portion of the movement, your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did during the concentric component, and should move away from your spine and away from your opposite hip (protraction, elevation, upward rotation).
For the duration of the movement, your elbows should remain in a fixed position and should not bend at all. All of the movement should occur via the shoulder blades.
Mistake #2: Inability to Maintain the Proper Body Positioning
This might surprise you, but if you hope to perform pull-ups as efficiently as possible, your entire body must function as a synchronized unit.
Pull-ups are not just an upper body movement.
If you are not able to maintain the proper body positioning, and in order to do so your lumbo-pelvic region and lower body must remain in a relatively fixed position for the duration of the movement, you will struggle.
Your path to the bar will likely be longer and less efficient as you will be more prone to swinging, and you will likely be forced to move unnecessary deadweight to and from the bar. This is not conducive to optimal pull-up performance. Keeping your head, torso, and hips in a stacked position, something I often liken to a canister, is extremely important. Proper breathing, bracing, rib positioning, and glute engagement are crucial. In terms of your lower body, you want to fully extend your knees and contract your quadriceps, cross one foot over the other, and dorsiflex your feet.
Solution
The dead bug, and its many variations, is one of my go-to exercises for improving lumbo-pelvic stability.
This exercise, which can accommodate people of most fitness levels and abilities, trains your anterior core muscles to generate the requisite levels of tension needed to perform pull-ups efficiently. This versatile exercise also trains your muscles to resist the extension of the spine, and this is an area where many people labour. When heaps of people perform pull-ups, it is extremely common to see their ribcage flaring and lower back hyperextending. Dead bugs will help resolve these issues.
A few key points:
For the duration of the exercise, keep your head, torso and hips in a stacked position. Keep your ribcage down, and do not allow your lower back to hyperextend. In other words, maintain the canister position.
As you initiate each rep and lower the opposite arm and leg towards the floor, steadily exhale, and brace your anterior core muscles as hard as you can.
Start out with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle and maintain this position for the duration of the movement. Only extend your knees (and perform more advanced variations) once you’ve mastered the movement with your knees bent, not before.
Here is an innovative and extremely effective dead bug variation you can try.
Mistake #3: Lack of Specificity
Are you spending endless hours training yet are still unable to execute one or more pull-ups?
The exercises you are performing might not be specific enough to pull-ups.
With your pull-up training, you need to perform exercises that develop pull-up specific mechanics and pull-up specific body positioning. Pull-up regressions develop these key components, and serve as great stepping stones towards being able to bang out one or many unassisted pull-ups. In terms of body positioning, exercises like hollow body holds, dead bugs, and hanging leg raises help you learn how to develop and also maintain proper pull-up specific body positioning.
Some common culprit exercises that many people believe will help their pull-up performance, yet have a relatively low carryover as they are not specific enough to pull-ups, include lat pull-downs, biceps curls, and machine assisted pull-ups.
These are just a few of many exercises I could list. The fact I named machine assisted pull-ups as one of these exercises might surprise you, so I will discuss this in my next point.
Mistake #4: Relying on Machine Assisted Pull-ups and Band Assisted Pull-ups
In most cases, I am not a fan of machine assisted pull-ups.
At least, I strongly believe there are many better options.
While machine assisted pull-ups do allow you to focus on scapular movement, so this is one benefit of the exercise, due to the fact you are kneeling on a pad, your body is in a completely different position to when you are performing regular pull-ups, and you don’t need to generate and maintain full body tension.
In essence, the need for pull-up specific body positioning and lumbo-pelvic stability are almost entirely removed from the overall equation. When it comes to training for actual pull-ups, there are plenty of other pull-up regressions and accessory exercises that are much more specific to actual pull-ups, and will have a vastly greater carryover to your pull-up performance.
Now when it comes to band assisted pull-ups, if they are implemented and execute correctly, and at an appropriate time in your training program, they can have a positive impact.
However, an abundance of people make the mistake of training for pull-ups by relying purely on band assistance, and they omit performing all of the other extremely important pull-up specific regressions.
With band-assisted pull-ups, the band provides the help in the bottom position of the movement, and this is when most people do not need the most assistance. Another key issue with band assisted pull-ups, the band makes it easy to disregard proper body positioning, and generating the requisite levels of tension around the spine, hips, and lower body.
Due to all of the above, when many people eliminate the band and attempt to perform regular pull-ups, they flounder.
Before you introduce band assisted pull-ups to your training program, you should have already developed the proper pull-up specific technique, the ability to control the movement of your shoulder blades and shoulders, and the ability to generate the requisite levels of tension and pull-up specific body positioning.
In short, when you are utilizing band assistance, it is imperative that your form is identical to when you are performing regular unassisted pull-ups. Also, you want to use as little assistance as needed, but as much as necessary so you can perform 100% of your reps with impeccable form.
Mistake #5: Insufficient Grip Strength
While this kind of goes without saying, if you cannot support your bodyweight from a hanging position, your ability to perform pull-ups will suffer. An insufficient grip plagues many people of all fitness levels and abilities, not just beginners.
Adding some grip specific exercises to your training program will positively impact your overall ability to perform pull-ups.
A few of my favorite exercises for improving grip strength include loaded carries, and bottoms-up kettlebell presses.
Loaded Carries
Key Points:(describing loaded carries with dumbbells by sides)
For the duration of the exercise, maintain the canister position. Your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or ribcage to flare.
Keep your arms rigid (all the way down to your hands), and pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits.
For the duration of the exercise, maintain your 360 degree brace, and maintain regular breathing (360 degrees of air around your spine).
Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Presses
Key Points:
For the duration of the exercise, maintain the canister position. Your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or ribcage to flare.
Keep the muscles in your forearm engaged, and wrist in a vertical position.
Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are supposed to move. This applies to both the concentric and eccentric components of the movement.
Before you initiate each press, take a deep breath in, (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips, and squeeze your glutes. This will help stabilize your hips and spine.
Nine fitness professionals tackle a bevy of topics ranging from assessment and program design to differentiating flexion & extension based back pain and battling negative self talk.
We all have encountered the same problems you have as a fitness professional; so here’s how we handled them.
Today I wanted to share some quickie thoughts with regards to pull-up/chin-up programming. I firmly believe possessing the ability to perform a pull-up, if not multiple pull-ups, is one of the most rewarding and worthwhile achievements to accomplish in the weight-room.1
Pull-ups are a fantastic way to measure and gauge relative strength; I.e., your strength relative to your bodyweight.
Pull-ups are great for overall shoulder health; I.e., help to offset muscular imbalances and/or strength asymmetries from pressing too much.
Pull-ups make you look yoked.
Pull-ups don’t require expensive equipment to perform.
There are an infinite number of variations you can play around with.
Uh, if you ever find yourself climbing a mountain, pull-ups help you from falling off it.
When it comes to programming the pull-up/chin-up here are some things to consider.
1. All Rows Count
I think where a lot of trainees (and even coaches) go wrong is falling into the trap that in order for someone to perform their first pull-up/chin-up that they have to do pull-ups/chin-ups.
My friend Meghan Callaway did a great job of extolling why this is not necessarily the case in THIS post.
That said, I think all rowing movements count and should be utilized in this scenario.
Yes, specificity matters and takes precedent.
However, building pulling strength in general – incorporating row variations from varying angles with varying implements with varying set/rep schemes – is going to have a profound carryover for pretty much everyone.
What’s more, and as my other good friend, Bryan Krahn, has noted on several occasions…building a muscular physique can take years (if not decades).
As such, “its best to use joint friendly exercises as your training “cake” with other effective yet potentially problematic moves serving as “icing.”
When it comes to back training:
Cake: Rows (ALL FORMS <— seriously, use them all)
Icing: Pull-ups
Pull-ups can (not always) beat up people’s elbows – particularly when volume is cranked up and someone’s not prepared for it.
To that end, be intelligent and don’t downplay your rows.
2. Do More
Now, forget what I just said about volume.
I think one of the biggest mistakes I see most people make with their pull-up/chin-up programming is that they simply don’t train the pattern enough.
Most people will train their pull-up once, maybe twice per week.
This isn’t enough.
Strong First coach and pull-up badass, Artemis Scantalides, will often advocate a frequency of 4-5x per week.
To mirror what I mentioned above, though, when Artemis says 4-5x per week that includes a hodge-podge of ground based drills like push-ups and hollow holds, pull-up assistance drills such as band-assisted pull-ups, eccentric pull-ups, and flexed-arm hangs, in addition to TRX row variations or even hybrid drills like a Rack Pull-Up.
So, not just pull-ups/chin-ups.
Starting to catch a theme here?
One day may include nothing but Hollow Hold drills; the next Flexed Arm Hangs for time; and the next Band Assisted Pull-Ups.
Later in the week you toss in some high-rep TRX Rows.
All told that’s four separate “exposures” during one training week that either hit the pattern itself or have a favorable carryover. You can bet this will be a far superior and time efficient manner to finally conquer that pull-up/chin-up conundrum.
3. Easy Training Is Good Training
I’ve championed this saying before, but it bears repeating. I’d rather my clients leave the gym feeling refreshed and wanting more than feeling like the lost an arm-wrestling match to a tank.
That doesn’t even make any sense, which is precisely my point.
Neither does it make sense to train to failure every…single…set…of…every…single…day.
Missing reps routinely does you no favors. Straining, fighting, and clawing for every rep does you no favors.
By contrast, hitting your reps helps you. Ensuring the bulk of them are clean, “fast,” and performed with pristine technique helps you.
With regards to increasing the total number of pull-ups you can perform this is key. It’s called greasing the groove, and it works.
Lets say you can currently perform four pull-ups and you want to be able to do more. Stop TESTING the total number you can do and actually BUILD it.
Every few hours, perform HALF that number; in this case two.
This will ensure each rep is textbook. Jesus himself will weep because these reps will be so immaculate.
If you do this 4-5x per day that’s 8-10 immaculate pull-ups.
Over the course of a week that 56-70 immaculate pull-ups.
Over the course of a month that’s 216-280 wet dream inducing pull-ups.
You will be able to perform more than four pull-ups after all that.
If you’d like more similar insights on the topic I’d encourage you to pick up Meghan Callaway’s fantastic resource.
It’s impressive, thorough, and something she put a ton of work into. I can’t say enough good things about it.
Whether you’re a male, female, beginner, or elite lifter…this manual will have something to offer you. It’s currently on SALE for half-off the original price and the sale ends TONIGHT (10/27) at midnight.
Last week I posted something up on my Instagram account highlighting the latter point – earning your curls – that sparked some good conversation.
I posted a video of one of my female clients performing a set of bicep curls and in the description I wrote:
“I have a silly rule when it comes to working with female clients. I don’t include any direct arm work (mostly referring to bicep curls here) until they’re able to perform a strict bodyweight chin-up. @blondepaleo has earned her curls.”
Actually, what am I doing?
Why don’t I just post the video and subsequent commentary here?
Many who chimed in simply asked “why?” and asked if I’d explain my rationale and train of thought.
Others brought up some very valid points, even disagreeing with me, which also served as an additional impetus to write this post and expound further.
So, here we go.
Earn Your Curls
First and foremost let’s not get cra-cra.
There’s a lot of things I take an “anti” stance on – anti-vaccers, Dr. Oz, mushrooms, poodles – but bicep curls isn’t one of them.
I’m not some elitist, Acai shake drinking, gluten free eating, bourgeoisie douchehole running around the far reaches of the internet trolling people telling them “bicep curls aren’t a functional exercise.”
Because, well, they are.
There are many things we do and accomplish in everyday life that require us to flex our elbows and/or to hold something isometrically in our arms.
Secondly, just so we’re clear, I’m also not a Sith Lord.
I don’t deal in absolutes.
There’s always going to be a “what if” or “it depends” caveat to any comment or claim.
As someone astutely pointed out in my original IG post:
“What if you’re working with someone who’s overweight and would otherwise have a long journey to their first chin-up/pull-up?”
1. On one hand, as a coach, I’m going to work to the best of my ability to set all my clients up for as much success as possible. My goal is to respect their goal(s) and to elicit a training effect.
If bicep curls are part of that equation, so be it.
2. However, assuming an overweight client’s goal is to lose weight, I can think of many things more deserving of our time within an hour session than performing bicep curls.
Anyhoo…..
As far as WHY I have my “no bicep curl until you can chin-up” rule I can wrap it up into a few bullet points:
1. Standards Simplify Programming
By implementing a few standards or “markers” into the mix, I find it helps to make programming more seamless and transparent.
As an example I have my own rule that no one graduates to the Trap Bar Deadlift until he or she can deadlift the “Beast” (48 kg kettlebell).
I have no smarty aleck explanation as to why, it’s just something I adopted after reading something from strength coach Mike Perry which resonated with me.
There’s no time line on this.
I have some clients who nail it within a session or two. Some take a few weeks. Others take a few months.
Either way it provides some semblance of guidance and direction with programming.
Do this then you can do that.
2. Performance Based Goals Work
Lets be real: most people start working out because they want to look good naked.
There’s no denying the aesthetic bias that drive many of us to the iron.
Whether I’m working with a female or male client for the first time, many will divulge they’d like to “tone up” this area or “tighten up” that area.
Having a pair of muscular arms to show off – especially now that we’re in the summer months here in Boston – is almost always high on someone’s list.
In my 15+ years as a personal trainer and strength coach, though, the limiting factor which prevents most people from attaining a nice pair arms isn’t their lack of bicep curls.
It’s their lack of being strong.
If I can nudge trainees towards a performance based goal – which will provide purpose and intent in their training – almost always, the aesthetic changes many covet just kinda sorta happen.2
3. People Are Gonna Perform Curls
Listen, I’m not going to sit here and say programming bicep curls is stupid, because it’s not. I often toss in a bonus “Gun Show” for many of my clients at the end of their session.
That being said, I wasn’t born yesterday.
Why program curls if you know people are going to sneak them in on their own no matter what anyways?….;o)
The Chin-Up Hierarchy
My friend and colleague, Max Shank, brought up a valid point in the conversation:
“Dude I have a rare opportunity to politely disagree with you on something!
Shall we?
Curls are a functional exercise. They also can help one achieve a faster, better pull up if applied properly. “Endless” would be totally up to application.
You are silly in a good way, my friend—and your rule is silly in a doesn’t really make sense to me yet kinda way. Maybe this is just the pendulum swinging back from too many curls and kickbacks and no compound moves?”
I can’t disagree with any of that.
“It depends” is always the right answer to any question.3 And, to be candid, I have programmed bicep curls into some client’s programs in an effort to expedite their chin-up prowess.
Oftentimes for the the exact reasons Max outlined above.
But also because bicep curls can help with the “end range” of the chin-up….especially those last 1-2 inches. Moreover, in terms of helping to improve anterior shoulder stability (bicep tendon attaches to the corocoid process), bicep curls can be valuable.
To that end, when it comes to one’s ability to perform their first chin-up (male or female) there’s a hierarchy of sorts I like to follow.
Training chin-ups/pull-ups more frequently will be paramount. This is a point I stole from Artemis Scantalides who’s a HUGE fan of training the chin-up 4-5x PER WEEK.
Mind you, not the “chin-up” chin-up 4-5x per week, but rather all the “stuff” that make up its parts 4-5x per week.
1. Learn the Hollow Position
This is a great way to teach context. Trainees need to learn to appreciate the Hollow Position from the floor before they have any hope in emulating the same position hanging from a chin-up/pull-up bar.
What’s more, there are a number of exercises you can perform in the Hollow Position – 1-Arm Presses, DB Flye, for example – that will reinforce full-body tension and transfer very well to the chin-up/pull-up
2. Learn to Use the Scapulae and Lats
The biceps ARE in the line-of-pull when it comes to chin-ups/pull-ups, so it’s not uncommon for people to feel them working.
However, it becomes a problem when the biceps the only thing people feel working.
The upper back, scapulae (shoulder blades) in particular, should be where the movement initiates, as well as the lats.
Scapular pull-ups, as demonstrated by strength coach Meghan Callaway above are a fantastic learning tool. That and cueing people to drive their elbows towards the floor when pulling.
3. Confirming, that, in fact, Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin to Fuck Wit
Because, they’re not.
4. Actual Chin-Up Variations (Hanging From a Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar)
Chin-ups with accommodating assistance (band assisted)
Eccentric Chin-Ups (emphasizing the lowering portion)
Flexed-Arm Hangs
Straight Arm Hangs
Straight Leg or Bent Knee Raises
5. Accessory Movements
Movements/exercises that very closely resemble chin-ups/pull-ups and/or target the same muscle groups:
Rack Pull-Ups
TRX Progressions
Starting with regular ol’ Inverted Row variations to something more along the lines as this:
Seated Lat Pulldowns – various grips
Any rowing variation – Seated Rows, Chest Supported Rows, DB Rows, literally, anything.
Rollout variations – Stability Ball, Ab Wheel, etc
6. Bicep Curls
Get some.
Wrapping Up
I am not anti-bicep curl.
I am not anti-bicep curl as part of a program to help someone achieve their first chin-up (or to perform more chin-ups).
I’m just anti-bicep curl when I know I have a limited amount of time with someone.
