Ways to increase the number of pull-ups. Program for increasing pull-ups on the horizontal bar Optimal number of pull-ups per approach

Pull-ups are a staple exercise in most muscle-building programs. Many athletes, both beginners and professionals, are wondering how to increase the number of pull-ups, since a value of 20 or 30 times seems unattractive to them. To do this, there is a pull-up program “from 0 to 82 in 30 weeks.” It is quite effective and the results are proven. Let's understand its intricacies and scheme.

Before moving on to considering the program, you should understand what methods and types of pull-ups there are.

Ways to do pull-ups

Carrying out this exercise, various muscle groups. Loads well:

  • dorsal backs;
  • biceps;
  • shoulder muscles;
  • trapezoidal;
  • paired round.

There are several ways to perform the exercise - pull-ups, each of which distributes the load on the muscles differently. Let's look into this issue.

The main ones:

  • if you do pull-ups with your hands in a medium straight grip, your work will be affected following muscles: back, shoulders, and biceps. Hands in this case should be shoulder-width apart from each other, palms turned away from the face;

Correct execution technique is the key to the effectiveness of the exercise. Medium straight grip - excellent pumping of the muscles of the arms, back, shoulders

Among them:

  • professionals know by heart that before performing any set of exercises, you should do a warm-up. It is simply necessary, as it allows you to avoid injuries and warm up your muscles;
  • After finishing any workout, you should always stretch. After the load, the muscles should relax;
  • you should believe in yourself and strive for your cherished dream, namely a large number pull-ups. The complex, of course, will help with this, but if there is no desire, and laziness arises, then it will not be possible to achieve results;
  • if, due to your personal well-being, you are not confident in full recovery of strength, it is better to slow down the pace when doing pull-ups or take a little longer breaks between approaches, but you should not skip days;
  • Music will help tone you down;
  • You can arrange something like a competition with your friends, but you should perform the exercise the number of times indicated in the above table in the figure.

If the goal is to find the answer to the question of how to increase the number of pull-ups on the bar yourself, plus mastering the most effective methodology, then the tips below will bring you as close as possible to it. So, you can achieve what you want in several proven ways.

One of them is regular exercise to prepare the body and strengthen the muscles for the exercise. The second is a special program designed for a certain period. As an option, you can try to combine both schemes, although there is no guarantee that instead of the result, the body will be brought to a state of overtraining.

Let's start with why many people working on pull-ups encounter the so-called “freeze”, when they fail to improve their results despite regular and diligent training. Typically, this is influenced by the following factors:

  • improper, insufficiently balanced diet;
  • lack or insufficient amount of rest between workouts on the horizontal bar and more;
  • monotonous exercises to which the muscles adapt and no longer react so actively to the load.

Below is a list of useful exercises for increasing the number of pull-ups that everyone can do at home at a time convenient for themselves and that will help improve their pull-ups quickly and without injury.

Exercises to increase the number of times

Very useful exercise- these are hangs on the horizontal bar. If the number of your pull-ups does not exceed 10-15 times, then you need to start doing hanging exercises with your own weight. Over time, when you can do more pull-ups, you can try adding weights, increasing it within reasonable limits.

Pull-ups with one arm in a lower position will also help achieve results. To do this, you will need to hold the horizontal bar with one hand, while the other will be on the rack at approximately shoulder level. It is with this hand that you will need to help yourself during pull-ups, shifting the load to each of the hands separately.

You can also hang on the bar with one hand, thus training endurance and grip reliability. Regular execution Hanging will not only strengthen your muscles. Thanks to this, you will not so quickly feel the unpleasant numbness of your arms while doing pull-ups.

Just a great option to increase the number of pull-ups on the horizontal bar is to use a climbing frame. Both regular horizontal and angled monkey bars can easily be found in any yard.

We looked at the main so-called auxiliary exercises that can be safely used to increase the number of times you can do pull-ups on the bar.

How to exercise on the horizontal bar to improve results?

In addition to auxiliary exercises, naturally, you will need to continue to practice on the horizontal bar. To increase the number of times you do pull-ups, you can use additional burden. If you already do 10 pull-ups in one approach, then you can safely use a backpack with books weighing 5 kilograms as a weight. Train in this way until you can easily do 10 reps with weights.

An effective option is to alternate exercises with and without weights. So, for example, throughout the entire workout you use a backpack with books, and in the final part of it, do pull-ups only with your own weight as many times as possible.

Isometric delays during the lifting or lowering phase can also help many people improve their results. Start with a three-second pause, and then gradually try to increase this time.

And lastly, when training for results, try to perform 50 repetitions in a minimum number of approaches, forcing yourself to work to the limit in each of them. Between approaches you will need to pause for 30 seconds. You can train using this method in conjunction with parallel bars and push-ups.

Program to improve results in 10 days

There are many different schemes and algorithms that can be used to increase the number of pull-ups within a certain period of time. Below is a program for increasing the number of times in 10 days.

The principle of the method is based on work with rest every 10 days so that interest in essentially monotonous exercises does not stop. The program will improve results by two, and in some cases even three times, and will be especially relevant for those who cannot do more than 10 pull-ups.

The program is divided into three different levels depending on the level of training of the athlete. So, the first level is for beginners, with the number of pull-ups less than five times. The second level is for those who can do more than 5 pull-ups, the third advanced is for everyone who can already do more than 10 pull-ups.

According to the first entry level You will need to try to do 30 pull-ups every day, dividing the workout into many approaches. Within the second level, the number of pull-ups for daily performance is close to 50 times, and the third level involves performing more than 50 pull-ups per day.

Do pull-ups the specified number of times during the day for the entire ten-day period, after which you rest for 3-4 days. After rest, you will be able to see a significant increase in the number of pull-ups, which will become more and more from workout to workout.

The horizontal bar is a universal gymnastic equipment, and pull-ups are basic exercise, in which a person's own weight is applied. Pull-ups develop the muscles of the upper body very well and do not require expensive equipment.

In the warm season, it is possible to do pull-ups outside, but what to do in rainy weather or the cold season so as not to miss training? You don't have to buy an expensive gym membership to do this.

There are horizontal bars for the home that can be hung in a doorway or against a wall, and if you purchase a wall bars with a horizontal bar, you will have the opportunity not only to do pull-ups, but also to perform other exercises that develop your physical capabilities.

Important! To increase the number of pull-ups, check out the exercise machine - buy a wall bars!

Quantity does not mean quality

For proper development, technique is very important. There are three main tenets of pull-ups that must be followed in order for your exercises to benefit you:

1) Do the exercise without jerking.

2) Don't swing.

3) Do not stretch your neck so that your chin is above the bar; use your biceps and back muscles to do this.


How to increase the number of pull-ups?

A popular question: “How can I increase the number of pull-ups?” In fact, the answer is very simple: the more often you do pull-ups, the more you can do. But don’t forget about technique, don’t resort to tricks.

You should not compare yourself with others, each person is individual. People differ in their physical characteristics and abilities. If you and a friend started working out at the same time, his result in a week is 10 pull-ups, and yours is 5, don’t rush to get upset. This is already your personal record, you should praise yourself and move on. If you have become stagnant, reconsider your program, your attitude, and you will definitely succeed.

Pull-up problem

When a person daily workouts, but there is no progress and progress, you need to carefully analyze your actions. Pull-ups affect different muscle groups, and if one of the muscle groups is lagging behind in development, it will slow down your progress. You may have a strong back, but weak muscles arms, then you need to train your biceps. Partial-range pull-ups with a reverse narrow grip are perfect for this.

Increase your total maximum

One of the methods for increasing the number of pull-ups is the method of increasing the total maximum for all approaches, and not for one. It is perfect for beginners in this business. The point of this method is to do as many repetitions as you can each time.

Do 5 approaches, trying to do the maximum number of times in each:

1st to max: 10 reps, 5 minutes rest,

2nd to maximum: 8 reps, 4 minutes rest;

3rd to maximum: 6 repetitions, rest for 3 minutes;

4th to maximum: 4 repetitions, rest for 2 minutes;

5th to maximum: 2 repetitions.

In total we get 30 times. During the next workout, the task will be to increase by 1 repetition in some approach, it’s great if it works in all of them. As a result, the training volume will increase and the intensity of the approach will increase.

The number of approaches and the time between them is selected individually. You need to arrange your rest time in such a way that by the end of the workout you feel as hard as possible.

The advantage of this method is that it takes 20-30 minutes and can be combined with other exercises.


Method "Weight Gain"

The weight gain method requires drawing up a program and journal entries. It’s better to write out a training plan for the month and edit it along the way. In this method, you do not need to focus on the number of repetitions; the working weight is important. The simplest option is a backpack with cargo inside.

First, do a workout that will help you evaluate your strength. Take a 5 kg weight and do as many pull-ups as you can. This way you will know your capabilities with a given weight and can gradually change it. This will take quite a bit of time. Here it is important not to feel sorry for yourself, but to do everything technically correctly as many times as possible, this is the only way you can achieve success.

Don't forget about the warm-up, you need to warm up well so as not to get injured. Pull-ups are not a warm-up; for this it is better to do joint exercises or go for a run.

Sample training plan:

Do 3-4 sets of medium-grip pull-ups with a weight of 5 kg - 5 times. Slowly rise and descend slowly. Don't forget to rest during breaks. Finish your workout with 2-3 sets of pull-ups without weight.

“5 days a week” method

The essence of the “5 days a week” method is that you need to choose 5 days a week that you will study, and then rest for two days. For good result, don't skip workouts. Another feature of this workout is that you are given 5-10 minutes to rest between approaches. Perform the exercises efficiently, observing the three main postulates of pull-ups. If you don’t have the strength to do the last repetition technically correctly, it’s better not to do it, finish and rest.

Example workout:

1st day. 5 sets of maximum reps with 90 seconds rest.

2nd day. Pull yourself up 1 time, rest for 10 seconds; 2 times, 10 seconds rest, continue this until you reach your maximum and do three more with the maximum amount.

3rd day. Choose an amount that you can do 9 sets with 1 minute rest. If it was too easy for you, increase the number of repetitions; if you could not do all the approaches, reduce it.

4th day. The training is similar to the third day. Just do not do 9 approaches, but for as long as you have enough strength. This method will show whether you need to change the number of repetitions. If it's easy for you, then add one rep to each approach.

5th day. So that the muscles of your body do not get used to the load, the program of the fifth day will need to be changed. Perform weighted pull-ups, 5 sets as many times as possible.

Then you rest for two days, adjust your workouts and start doing new 5 days. If you take this method seriously, you can achieve impressive results.

Method "Rukokhod"

There are two types of handlebars: simply horizontal and at an angle. Climbing on it will help increase the strength and endurance of your arm muscles. This exercise is perfect for those who cannot move due to weak arms.

Timer method

The timer method is based on the fact that everything is done on time. 10 second approach, during which you do 5 pull-ups, 20 seconds rest, it turns out that every 30 seconds you will do new approach. You need to do 8 approaches, that is, 40 pull-ups.

With each subsequent workout, try to increase the number of approaches. For beginners, it is recommended to start with 3 times every 30 seconds, 20-30 approaches and increase to 60 so that the workout lasts 30 minutes.

Rubber band method

This method is similar to weighted pull-ups. If you learn to do 20 pull-ups with an elastic band, then without an elastic band you will get 25. A wall bars are suitable for this method. Attach the elastic to the bottom step of the stairs and to your feet. It will create resistance during the exercise and prevent you from swaying. Accordingly, it will be easier for you to do it technically correctly. With this method you can increase the number of pull-ups and the volume of your mass.

Remember, every person is different. A method that works for one may not necessarily work for another. If you have a desire, you need to try different methods and improve your body.

One of the most popular strength exercises are pull-ups on the bar. Once upon a time, before no one had heard of bodybuilding, powerlifting and fitness, and all training with iron was called athletic gymnastics, it was pull-ups on the bar that were, in a way, a measure sporting achievements young man. Then they asked not “How much do you bench?”, but “How many pull-ups do you do?”

If exercises with a barbell develop mainly strength, then pull-ups - strength endurance. The main load, again, falls not on the extensor muscles, but on the flexor muscles - the biceps, latissimus muscles backs. The deltoids are involved to a slightly lesser extent. The debate about which is better, training in the gym or street workout, has been going on for a long time. Everyone makes their own choice.

How to improve your pull-up results

How to increase the number of pull-ups on the horizontal bar? Of course, train. There are different opinions about which training system is better. Some people recommend training to failure. Pull yourself up until you feel at least some strength. Then rest. And the next approach, also to failure.


The main argument in favor is that those who don’t feel sorry for themselves are really cool and will go far. The main argument against it is that the body gets used to such monotony. Load cycling is required. To tell the truth, I'm not a fan of such methods either. By the way, this approach did not work in the gym on the bench press. Of course, when training according to this scheme, some improvement in results is possible. The question is how long this will take. All the same, sooner or later the body will need rest and a reasonable alternation of loads.

If you want to progress, alternate the load!

It must be said that in most pull-up programs, increasing the number of repetitions is both a goal and a means.

Let's look at the main methods.

"Staircase"

This method suggests distributing the load, as it were, along “steps”. For example, one repetition, pause (15 seconds), two repetitions, pause, three repetitions…. And so on up to five, up to seven, up to ten repetitions. As a result, you get one big set with a decent number of repetitions. The “ladder” can also be done backwards. Five repetitions, then four, three, two, one.

With extra weight

Another way is to use additional scales(backpack, belt with weights).


In this case, you should rest more between workouts, for example, train every other day. Or, not all training should be carried out at full strength. For example, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - weight training, for example, five sets of eight times. On Tuesday and Thursday - several approaches without weights and not to the limit, something like a warm-up. You can simply train every other day or three times a week, and do “staircase” exercises with weight, gradually trying to increase it.

As with most strength exercises, proper technique plays an important role in pull-ups.

Pull-up technique

The correct technique for pulling up on a horizontal bar looks something like this. First of all, the most comfortable grip. At the lowest point, you need to slightly swing your body forward, and from there stretch upward. You don’t need to go straight down, but again, to the same point where you started to rise, and immediately start a new repetition from there.

How to start doing pull-ups on the horizontal bar for those who don’t know how to do it?

Some methods allow you to learn how to do pull-ups on a horizontal bar “from scratch.” Anyone who does not know how to do pull-ups “normally” can start doing pull-ups with “lighter” versions. For example, on a low bar, resting your feet on the ground. Gradually increase the number of approaches and repetitions, and then move the bar up (or move to a higher one). Thus, the help of the legs becomes less.


Pull-ups can be performed on a wall bars, with support first with two legs, and then with only one. Again, as training progresses, the assistance of the legs should be gradually reduced to nothing. Having learned to pull yourself up several times, resting on a step Swedish wall foot, you can try to pull yourself up reverse grip. This is a little easier than straight. Well, then move on to the “classic” version of pull-ups, increasing the number of repetitions.

Previously, they asked not “How much do you bench?”, but “How many pull-ups do you do?”

By the way, many followers of workout believe that negative and partial repetitions are very effective in pull-ups. Well, perhaps there is some rational grain in this.

Program to increase pull-ups on the horizontal bar

Let's return to the methodology. The following program for pull-ups on the horizontal bar is designed to improve the results of those who can do pull-ups on the bar at least several times. This program designed for 3 workouts per week, and is a table of pull-ups, where the load is scheduled by week.

The program can be started not from the very beginning, but, for example, from 5-6 weeks, if you can do 12 pull-ups.

Table of pull-ups on the horizontal bar

Another, old and quite effective technique is to perform a large number of pull-ups with a small number of repetitions throughout the day. For example, a person whose record is 8 times hangs a horizontal bar in the yard (near the garage, in the hallway, in places where he often visits) and, every time he passes by, pulls himself up 3-4 times. It’s not difficult, but during the day you should do about 10 approaches.

After 2-3 months, you can carry out a control assessment and then adjust the number of repetitions in the approach, taking into account the new maximum. Thus, pull-ups allow you to maintain, and even improve, sports uniform in more than modest conditions.

Exercises to increase the number of times

A very useful exercise is hanging on a horizontal bar. If the number of your pull-ups does not exceed 10-15 times, then you need to start doing hanging exercises with your own weight. Over time, when you can do more pull-ups, you can try adding weights, increasing it within reasonable limits.

Pull-ups with one arm in a lower position will also help achieve results. To do this, you will need to hold the horizontal bar with one hand, while the other will be on the rack at approximately shoulder level. It is with this hand that you will need to help yourself during pull-ups, shifting the load to each of the hands separately.

You can also hang on the bar with one hand, thus training endurance and grip reliability. Regular hanging exercises will not only strengthen your muscles. Thanks to this, you will not so quickly feel the unpleasant numbness of your arms while doing pull-ups.


Just a great option to increase the number of pull-ups on the horizontal bar is to use a climbing frame. Both regular horizontal and angled monkey bars can easily be found in any yard.

We looked at the main so-called auxiliary exercises that can be safely used to increase the number of times you can do pull-ups on the bar.

How to exercise on the horizontal bar to improve results?

In addition to auxiliary exercises, naturally, you will need to continue to practice on the horizontal bar. To increase the number of times you do pull-ups, you can use additional weights. If you already do 10 pull-ups in one approach, then you can safely use a backpack with books weighing 5 kilograms as a weight. Train in this way until you can easily do 10 reps with weights.

An effective option is to alternate exercises with and without weights. So, for example, throughout the entire workout you use a backpack with books, and in the final part of it, do pull-ups only with your own weight as many times as possible.

Isometric delays during the lifting or lowering phase can also help many people improve their results. Start with a three-second pause, and then gradually try to increase this time.


And lastly, when training for results, try to perform 50 repetitions in a minimum number of approaches, forcing yourself to work to the limit in each of them. Between approaches you will need to pause for 30 seconds. You can train using this method in conjunction with parallel bars and push-ups.

Program to improve results in 10 days

There are many different schemes and algorithms by which you can increase the number of pull-ups over a certain period of time. Below is a program for increasing the number of times in 10 days.

The principle of the method is based on work with rest every 10 days so that interest in essentially monotonous exercises does not stop. The program will improve results by two, and in some cases even three times, and will be especially relevant for those who cannot do more than 10 pull-ups.

The program is divided into three different levels depending on the level of training of the athlete. So, the first level is for beginners, with the number of pull-ups less than five times. The second level is for those who can do more than 5 pull-ups, the third advanced is for everyone who can already do more than 10 pull-ups.

According to the first initial level, you will need to try to perform 30 pull-ups every day, breaking the workout into many approaches. Within the second level, the number of pull-ups for daily performance is close to 50 times, and the third level involves performing more than 50 pull-ups per day.


Do pull-ups the specified number of times during the day for the entire ten-day period, after which you rest for 3-4 days. After rest, you will be able to see a significant increase in the number of pull-ups, which will become more and more from workout to workout.

A lot has already been said about how to increase the number of pull-ups on the horizontal bar. There are a number of techniques to achieve this goal. Today we will look at several of the most effective of them.

Quality vs Quantity

Of course, you can increase the number of pull-ups at the cost of losing quality. For example, using rocking or jerking. But in terms of development physical qualities, this is not progress at all, but degradation. Because you do more repetitions not due to the fact that your muscles have become stronger or more resilient, but due to the help of physical laws. In most cases, such repetitions are not counted for the pull-up. The exception is CrossFitter competitions, where the athlete needs to complete as many repetitions as possible in any way possible. This is how kipping and butterfly pull-ups appeared.

To do more pull-ups with benefit own body, and not for the sake of a record, you should perform the exercise in pure technique.

There are a few points to note here:

  • When performing the movement, you do not sway.
  • Pull-ups are carried out smoothly without jerking.
  • The chin is above the bar not due to neck stretching or other manipulations, but due to the work of the latissimus dorsi muscles and biceps.

These are the three main postulates that define technology.

Learn to do pull-ups correctly. If you do 50 pull-ups, but at random, what's the point? Yes, some exercises on the bar are done in jerks specifically to pump up explosive force certain muscles. But they are not suitable for training pull-ups.

Speed ​​of achieving results

So, we have dealt with the technical side of the issue. But there is one more point that is very important for any business - willpower and patience.

Increasing the number of pull-ups is not a quick process. You need to constantly overcome yourself, force yourself to go to the crossbar.

No technique will help you quickly increase the number of pull-ups. Strength is not a parameter that can be pumped up in a short time.

Therefore, take the process seriously and do not rush to panic if your results do not improve after a week. Muscle development occurs gradually; it is important not to quit halfway.

Training methods

So, the following techniques will help you increase the number of pull-ups.

Ladder

An increase in the number of pull-ups on the horizontal bar can be achieved by performing the exercise with a ladder.

In this case we will talk about the reverse staircase:

  • First, you warm up and perform the first set as many times as possible.
  • Then you rest for 30 seconds and pull yourself up again to the maximum.
  • Then you rest for the same amount of time and repeat the approaches until you can’t do any more pull-ups.

This method is designed to fatigue the muscles. With each workout, your fatigue limit will increase slightly. As a result, in a couple of weeks you will be able to gain some additional pull-ups.

Straight stairs require a longer rest. And it starts with a small number of times - for example, with 5:

  • Do 5 pull-ups, rest until you feel ready for the next set.
  • Add 1 or 2 reps per set until you reach your limit.
  • Rest well and do your final set to the max.

Practice this training every other day, not more often.

The program for increasing pull-ups should be recorded on a piece of paper. Practice has shown that this way the brain perceives information better, and it will be more convenient for you to control your progress. I have never harmed anyone before.

Don't forget about correct breathing when pulling up. If you inhale and exhale air haphazardly, you will not succeed in a harmonious training system. Experienced athletes understand this well, but beginners should pay attention to this point.

So, once again about how to breathe correctly when doing pull-ups:

  1. We do not hold the air - breathe continuously throughout the entire exercise.
  2. As you exhale, we tense our muscles and lift ourselves up.
  3. As we inhale, we lower ourselves back down.

If you try to breathe in reverse, breathing will not help you lift your body to the bar. On the contrary, this method of breathing interferes with the proper coordinated functioning of the lungs and muscles.

Train yourself to exhale as hard as possible to help yourself. Then everything will become a little easier. With proper pull-up breathing, as you pull your elbows toward your body, your body contracts as you exhale. And when lowering the body down, it becomes wider again due to inhalation. There is no need to interfere with the natural process and torment your respiratory system.

Weight training

You can also achieve an increase in pull-ups on the horizontal bar through weight training. The easiest option is to take a comfortable backpack and put a dumbbell plate or any other weighty object in it.

Now you can forget about the number of repetitions for a while and focus on the working weight. It is likely that in a month you will find that without weight you can do one and a half times more pull-ups than before.

In this technique, it is also very important to create a program to increase the number of pull-ups and record it in your diary. It’s better to immediately schedule your working weights for a month in advance.

After each workout, the plan will need to be edited. For example, you inadequately assessed your strength and a month later you wrote yourself pull-ups with a weight of 45 kg. Of course, in a month you will be doing 5-6 pull-ups with only 10 kg (possibly).

First you need to do a trial workout:

  • Put 5 kg in your backpack and pull yourself up to the max using clean technique.
  • Now you know how much you can do with this weight.
  • Based on this, gradually increase the working weights.

I warn you that the process of your growth strength indicators will take a long time.

Doing maximum pull-ups will give you a general idea of ​​what you can do. Do not feel sorry for yourself, squeeze out of your body everything it is capable of.

When you work with weights, warming up before doing pull-ups will become doubly necessary. To avoid damaging anything on the crossbar, you need to warm up well. You can warm up by running, doing joint gymnastics and other exercises. You shouldn't do maximum pull-ups as a warm-up - you'll get tired.

Here is an approximate training scheme for quantity with additional weight:

  1. We start with pull-ups with a medium grip for 5 reps. You can take a weight of 5 kg for testing. Slowly move up and down. If you cannot pull yourself up normally, reduce the weight and rest as much as you need. Forget about stereotypes about 60 seconds and other nonsense.
  2. We do 3-4 such trips. Then we finish the session by pulling up without weight to the maximum until the strength of the back and biceps is completely exhausted in 2-3 approaches.
  3. After a couple of workouts, try combining the ladder with weights - the first 5 times, do pull-ups with 5 kg. The next ones are also with 5. And for the last approach, add as many as you see fit to complete 5 repetitions. If you couldn’t do it, don’t despair, try the same thing in your next workout.

Add a little to each workout. If you have small quarter kg pancakes, they will be very useful. Because for many, a 1 kg step in pull-ups is too big.

Increasing pull-ups through weights is a resource-intensive process. You need to rest well between workouts - at least 2-3 days. There is no need to exercise every other day - this will not give you any improvement in results. You'll become overworked and your rep max won't start to increase.

The main problem with pull-ups

Sometimes people who exercise for a long time reach a plateau. Something is preventing them from improving their results. To increase their pull-ups, they train every day, but in vain.

It is important to understand the following point. Pull-up training targets multiple muscle groups. These are the biceps and back. You may have strong biceps but a weak back, or vice versa. In general, one of the muscle groups may simply lag behind in development. And now, when you get to a certain number of repetitions, this difference can become critical.

Perhaps all the time up to this point you have been pulling yourself up using arm strength. In this case, you need to increase the volume of back training. You can find a lot of information on our website about how to train your back and what exercises will help you develop your latissimus muscles.

And the opposite situation. If your back is strong but your arms are weak, how can you increase the number of pull-ups? That's right, you need to focus on your hands.

The key to increasing the number of pull-ups in this case is to train your biceps. It’s quite simple to do them on the horizontal bar – in an incomplete amplitude. You can also additionally perform exercises with dumbbells or a barbell.

It is very good when you feel all the target muscles during any exercise. Then you can easily understand what works and what doesn’t, and direct the situation in the right direction.

Genetics and persistence

You shouldn't be equal to others. All people are different, especially in terms of physiology. Someone went from 2 pull-ups to 15 in a month. Someone from 10 to 12. And someone never learned how to do pull-ups (the regimen was built incorrectly or they simply didn’t have the patience).

Any personal record you have is a celebration, an achievement. If a friend does 15 pull-ups, and you only do 5 so far, you have no problem. You just need to work a little more and the result will definitely appear. Ideally, you should not care how much your neighbor on the horizontal bar does. Compare yourself only with yourself yesterday, as they say.

Even at school, many people do pull-ups with jerks and swings, often stretching their necks so that they get a repetition. It makes no sense to raise your head above the bar - you are underloading the latissimus muscles. And no matter how quickly you progress in terms of repetitions, the result in terms of muscle development will be zero if these repetitions are not clean.

Regarding pure repetitions and the rate of progress in their number: the limit of endurance greatly depends on the genetic characteristics of your body. You may have noticed that with the same load, someone recovers much faster and reaches new physical records faster.

But in fairness, it should be said that diligence and patience play a significant role in this difference, but physiology also decides a lot. Respect the results of others. Perhaps those 15 pull-ups your friend did cost him a lot of effort. It's easy to judge without knowing the details.

Look at the record holders, they perform 60 pull-ups per minute, thousands of pull-ups per set. It has to do with the peculiarities of their physiology. Their muscles fatigue less quickly than others. But important role dedicated to the training system. That is, the characteristics of the body are complemented by hard training, which ultimately results in fantastic results.

Therefore, even if by nature you are not the most resilient person, genetic characteristics can be compensated for by perseverance and competent training. In particular, in the section on working with weights, it is proposed to finish off the muscles with the maximum number of “light” pull-ups. This allows you to develop endurance and experience that incredible feeling when you can’t do it anymore, but still do it. Go for it!

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