Pulling strength exercise choice

Hi!

I've just finished a program called Armstrong pull-up program:

http://www.lamarineofficerprograms.com/ ... orkout.pdf

Did it for 7 weeks, results, none! I could do 11 pull-ups before and during the program I gained rep by rep, but it was because of swinging and fast reps. Now I tried to max out with controlled reps as I did in the start and I could just do 11, so that didn't work for me...

However, now I need to adjust my program but I don't know what exercises I should do, my pulling goals are:

• Be able to do more pull-ups

• Be able to do more muscle ups in rings (2 atm)

• Be able to do bar muscle up

• Also I want to be able to do Front lever rows in the future

My program looks like this, only the dynamic exercises showed, I do FL, BL and PL progressions before and L-sit, HS and Support holds on off days:

Workout A

Pistol squats - 3 x 5 / 75s

Glute-Ham raises bent hips - 3 x 8 / 60s

Ankle jumps - 3 x 15 / 45s

Ring dips - 3 x 5 / 90s

1 or 2 Pulling exercises needed here

Hanging leg raises - 3 x 5 / 60s

Workout B

Bulgarian split squat - 3 x 12 / 30s+60s

Single leg hip thrust - 3 x 8 / 60s

Ankle jumps - 3 x 15 / 45s

Pseudo planche pushups - 3 x 5 / 90s

1 or 2 Pulling exercises needed here

Hanging leg raises - 3 x 5 / 60s

Workout C

FBE

Deadlifts - 3 x 5 / 90s

Single leg calf raises - 3 x 12 / 45s

Pike press feet elevated - 3 x 8 / 60s

1 or 2 Pulling exercises needed here

Hanging leg raises - 3 x max / 60s

And I could do pulling exercises on off days too if you recommend that. But please include reps/sets/rest and if they should be weighted, I suck at those things. I can do 11 good form pull-ups and 2 ring muscle ups.

I got an idea from another forum, I have some postural issues. And I thought that doing this maybe would help me get pulling program + fix postural issues.

Inverted rows every day for a month, then 5 days of rest and then test max.

Day 1, start with 25 reps in total

Day 2, 26 reps in total

And continue adding 1 rep each workout.

I'd stay away from failure and do perfect rep focusing on scapula retraction at top.

Upon that I was thinking of doing some other pulling exercises like ring muscle ups and weighted pull-ups, but just a few time a week MAX!

How do you think about that?

Cappe said:

I got an idea from another forum, I have some postural issues. And I thought that doing this maybe would help me get pulling program + fix postural issues.

Inverted rows every day for a month, then 5 days of rest and then test max.

Day 1, start with 25 reps in total

Day 2, 26 reps in total

And continue adding 1 rep each workout.

I'd stay away from failure and do perfect rep focusing on scapula retraction at top.

Upon that I was thinking of doing some other pulling exercises like ring muscle ups and weighted pull-ups, but just a few time a week MAX!

How do you think about that?

It seems you focus on the legs quite a bit. The GB wod and killroy routine both have a good balance of pulling. If you use these types of schemes and follow the various pulling progressions in the book I think you will find that pulling strength is no problem.

Im not sure how doing high rep rows would really help. Postural is usually a mix of flexibility problems with relearning how to keep muscles activated. I have been correcting my kyphosis for over a year now and its a struggle. I stretch everyday and have even taped my back so I felt it rounding.

Cappe said:

I got an idea from another forum, I have some postural issues. And I thought that doing this maybe would help me get pulling program + fix postural issues.

Inverted rows every day for a month, then 5 days of rest and then test max.

Day 1, start with 25 reps in total

Day 2, 26 reps in total

And continue adding 1 rep each workout.

I'd stay away from failure and do perfect rep focusing on scapula retraction at top.

Upon that I was thinking of doing some other pulling exercises like ring muscle ups and weighted pull-ups, but just a few time a week MAX!

How do you think about that?

I don't want to sound like an ass here but if you want thoughts on something from another forum then you should ask there. If you would like to try the GB way and see how it works for you then we can help. Daniel gave you a couple of good starting places. Would be worth your time to take a look at them and then ask your questions.

I need more reps because I heard that if you have 20 good pull-ups it helps a lot to your FL and muscle up building.

This is pretty much total crap. Your pullup endurance has nothing to do with MUs (unless you want to do some CF amounts of MUs) and only little to do with FL. And even with FL it mainly helps in the start when you are training to hold minute of tuck/adv tuck. Later when you train just 15s holds, you can pretty much throw that endurance part out right away.

I'd really just focus on doing max strength with your pullups. Your FL training should give you the endurance you need. Although I have always had strong pulling, my max pullups were at 11 about 8 weeks ago. One cycle of tucked FL holds 3x week and 5x3 pullups once a week took my pullups to 18!

It's also very much a possibility that it is grip strength holding you back somewhat. I know all the ring training I did during this cycle boosted my grip a lot. Even though you don't feel your grip giving up during the pullups, it still takes lots of "neural energy" if your grip isn't really strong.

Also one of the best ways to add pullup endurance is just to do hangs at the top and at the bottom.

The reason I focus on legs is because I like running and I play football 3-4 times a week, so I really need a powerful lower body!

Anyway I made some changes and got pulling exercises there, how does it look?

Workout A

FSP

Adv. Tuck front lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 7 x 8s

Planche leans 3 x 30s

Adv. Tuck back lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 4 x 13s

FBE

Pistol squats - 3 x 5 / 75s

Glute-Ham raises bent hips - 3 x 8 / 60s

Ankle jumps - 3 x 15 / 45s

A1. Ring dips - 5x5 supersetted with chinups

A2. Chin-ups 5x5 weighted

Hanging leg raises - 3 x 5 / 60s

Workout B

FSP

Adv. Tuck front lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 7 x 8s

Tuck planche (pushup handles) about 1 min in total; 6 x 9s

Adv. Tuck back lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 4 x 13s

FBE

Bulgarian split squat - 3 x 8 / 30s+60s

Single leg hip thrust - 3 x 8 / 60s

Ankle jumps - 3 x 15 / 45s

A1. Pseudo planche pushups - 5 x 5 superset with inverted rows

A2. Inverted rows 5 x 5-12

Hanging leg raises - 3 x 5 / 60s

Workout C

FSP

Adv. Tuck front lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 7 x 8s

Planche leans 3 x 30s

Adv. Tuck back lever (rings) about 1 min in total; 4 x 13s

FBE

Deadlifts - 3 x 5 / 90s

Single leg calf raises - 3 x 8 / 45s lower volume

A1. Pike press feet elevated - 5 x 5-8 / 60s

A2. Weighted pullups 5 x 5

Hanging leg raises - 3 x max / 60s

Off days work

Pull-ups or Inverted rows done in maybe "the ladder" as Pavel suggests or something else, maybe just get many reps to increase endurance? I need more reps because I heard that if you have 20 good pull-ups it helps a lot to your FL and muscle up building.

L-sit 3 x 19s

Wall Handstand 3x30s hands very close to wall and back against wall

Support holds rings 3 x 30s

What do you think, would you guys make any changes? How would they look like then?

If you're working out hard and not gaining strenght, eat more. Chances are you're just eating at maintenance, hence not gaining any significant strenght due to "spinning your wheels".

Try upping your kcals for a couple of weeks.

That's what I've just started, a slow clean bulking period.

my pulling goals are:

• Be able to do more pull-ups

• Be able to do more muscle ups in rings (2 atm)

• Be able to do bar muscle up

• Also I want to be able to do Front lever rows in the future

So then train this exercises.

more pull-ups: Weighted pullups, Motre pullups:

muscle ups in rings: Russian Dips, Inverse Muscle-Up, More Muscleups

do bar muscle up: This will come when you can du more mu on rings.

do Front lever rows : Train Frontlever in the different variations and the Rows in the variations

Thanks!

Lindahl said:

If you're working out hard and not gaining strenght, eat more. Chances are you're just eating at maintenance, hence not gaining any significant strenght due to "spinning your wheels".

Try upping your kcals for a couple of weeks.

Bazinga. Edit: apparently this is the wrong term, but it sounded good in my head. Pretty dead on analysis. OP could also be doing too much work, but usually it is just not enough food for the work being done.

Cappe said:

That's what I've just started, a slow clean bulking period.

Make sure the extra kcals are coming in IMMEDIATELY after the workout. Don't wait any minutes that you don't have to, slam food immediately and drink a lot of water. A lot of water means at least 1 liter, and it will be best if either the food is salted with 1/4 teaspoon of salt or you put the salt in that liter of water. Don't salt food that already has salt in it. I prefer the salt in my water, you don't really taste it much and it is strange but it actually feels GOOD.

I just did a workout and went here, read what you said, shut the computer and run to the kitchen, put a mini pizza (400kcals and 20g protein I think) in the microwave, cooked some broccoli and threw it in my mouth, then I took some half sandwiches with ham, cheese and butter and it was probably slightly less than 1k calories in total, but no idea about protein. Bulking up period started haha love it!

Anyway I think I've got the pulling exercises together in my program. Do you think it look good?

It a upper/lower body split with 1 extra day for pulling and pushing exercises, done like this

A(upper body), X(rest, football), B (lower body), C (extra)

X A X B C B A

Upper body workout, done twice a week on non-constructive days:

A1. Hollow body hold - 3 x 60s No rest btw exercises in superset but after both exercises I take 60s rest

A2. Arch body hold - 3 x 60s

B. Adv. tuck front lever in rings - 7 x 8s

C. Planche leans on floor - 3 x 20 secs

D1. Weighted pull-ups - 5 x 5 / 60s Rest after exercises and whole superset to get much rest, because it's strength work

D2. PPP - 5 x 5 / 60s

E. Inverted rows feet elevated - 3 x 5 / 60s

F. Russian dips half reps, stop while leaning back about halfway - 3 x 3 / 60s

Comment about the workout:

First, I start off with some prereq exercises, then I move on to FL work and PL work.

After that I do the my main focus pushing and pulling exercises 5 x 3-5 reps.

Then if I have extra energy left I do another push and pull movement. What do you think about that? They're low priority, and not main focus, I don't care how I progress in those two because now the focus is on pull-ups and PPP.

Lower body workout, done twice a week on non-constructive days:

A. L-sit - 3 x 19s / 60s

B. HS stomach against to wall - 4 x 15s / 60s I can't hold very long here, but my wrists are 4-6" close to wall

C. German hang on a bar - 3 x 30s / 60s

D. Single leg squats, weighted - 5 x 5 / 75 s

E. GHR (bent hips) - 5 x 5 / 60s

F. Single leg ankle jumps - 3 x 15 each leg / 45s

Comments:

First I start off with some FSP and then I move on to leg work!

Extra workout, variety:

A. Partial HeSPU reps (half) - 5 x 3-5 /60s

B. Pulling variation - 5 x 5 / 60 maybe wide grip pull-ups, inverted curl or something, any suggestions would be appreciated

Comment:

Just to get some HeSPU work and to get a little bit more pulling work.

Joshua Naterman said:

Lindahl said:

If you're working out hard and not gaining strenght, eat more. Chances are you're just eating at maintenance, hence not gaining any significant strenght due to "spinning your wheels".

Try upping your kcals for a couple of weeks.

Bazinga.

I think you're using "bazinga" wrong. It's when you fool someone.

Rik de Kort said:

Joshua Naterman said:

Lindahl said:

If you're working out hard and not gaining strenght, eat more. Chances are you're just eating at maintenance, hence not gaining any significant strenght due to "spinning your wheels".

Try upping your kcals for a couple of weeks.

Bazinga.

I think you're using "bazinga" wrong. It's when you fool someone.

Drats! Well, there goes my mastery of pop culture

Yeah sorry, but you have totally miss understood it ;D

This is a great example when to use it: