Wide Grip Pull-ups: how far? [Forum Archive]

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Wide Grip Pull-ups: how far?

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Posted by: rock4832

Alright, when doing Wide Grip Pull-ups, do you come up to chin level and squeeze or go up and touch bar to chest like Lat pull-down. All the BB's I see do it go to chin level.

Posted by: heeholler

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Posted by: gr81

as far as you can get them IMO the better they are at widening the lats.

Posted by: DeadBolt

What if you can't do a normal one and you need to use the weighted machine one? I admit it I'm to heavy for my back to pull my own weight up so I need the assistance heh. But should I make it heavier so I can go higher and tense my back more or try and do as much of my body weight as possible even though
I don't get all the way up all the time?

Posted by: gr81

just start with half reps and work your way up. don't use teh machine, just get as many as you can naturally, even if that means halves. eventually you will adapt and start to bang them out.

Posted by: rock4832

I agree with Gr81. I started with the machine and used it for over a year and never seemed to get any closer to doing one by myself. Then I said screw it, I'm sticking with heavy Lat pulldowns and trying pull-ups on my own. Great way to do it!

Posted by: MeatheadSam

Try and go through the fullest range of motion you can so you involve all the muscles as much as possible.

I used to be a chin up addict while in the military and at my best (years ago, 1990) could do over 40 chins (wide pronated grip pulled to front) in one set. I weighed 180 lbs at the time. I had worked my way up to doing weighted chins with an additional 100lbs for several reps.

The first thing I would do on back day is chin until I had done 100 total reps. I would vary the grip and use both pronated and supinated grips. Work in rowing and lower back movements also to get complete back work.

I have found that most people even in good shape have difficulty doing more than 10-12 proper chins.

I get disgusted at myself when I cannot jump up and knock out at least 20 chins. It is a personal thing.

Posted by: Darkkmind

yeah chin ups are hard as hell. I can usually only get in 8 good ones and like 2 half ass ones. Keep at it bro it'll come. I'm still can't add any weights to my sets yet.

Posted by: rock4832

Good ones I can't do more than 8 probably.

Posted by: Chad Cena III

I like pull-ups even though I can do only six full ones. Where I workout I use our squat rack which has a thick bar high enough to do pull ups. Since we dont have a regular chin bar, I use the thick bar attached to the squat rack. Maybe best of both worlds, I can build a decent back ( when I can finally get over 15 reps ) and work on my grip. Just curious, does n e body else in here do chins/pulls like this ( w/ a thick bar ) ?

Posted by: MeatheadSam

Quote:

Originally posted by Chad Cena III
I like pull-ups even though I can do only six full ones. Where I workout I use our squat rack which has a thick bar high enough to do pull ups. Since we dont have a regular chin bar, I use the thick bar attached to the squat rack. Maybe best of both worlds, I can build a decent back ( when I can finally get over 15 reps ) and work on my grip. Just curious, does n e body else in here do chins/pulls like this ( w/ a thick bar ) ?

I find a thicker bar, say 1.25 inches, is easier to get a proper grip and will yeild better results. It must be knurled though, slick bars are almost impossible to hang onto if they are larger.

Posted by: rock4832

Do you all use straps?

Posted by: MeatheadSam

I have no real grip issues so straps are not necessary for me. My back fails before my grip dies.

I probably owe this to many years of rock climbing. My grip has waned here of late but still has enough to do the chins.

Posted by: rock4832

My grip doesn't fail either, but I find more emphasis on back and less on arms when I use straps.

Posted by: DeadBolt

Well I guess its time to do them the old fashioned way. O man I can already see the guys in my gym making fun of me now heh. I guess my time will come when I can do something they can't but for now I'll just go to the gym when there is no one there heh. Thanks guys

Posted by: gr81

who cares what others think about you, it shouldn't matter bro. Think about all the guys that are curling weight way too heavy for them, but they do it b/c they want others to think they are strong. Those guys are clowns, not weight lifters. Just do you thugg thang and fuck what people think about you. We will see what they think when you are bangin out 70 wg pullups throughout your WO, right! The real lifters will see that you are workin hard and they won't care, it will only be the guys that I mentioned above that are thinking, but let them think, ya feel me?

Posted by: DeadBolt

got ya bro, thanks man.

Posted by: gr81

Posted by: rock4832

I'm with Gr81 Deadbolt! You can't worry about what other people are thinking about you! Go to the gym and bust your ass the way you know how. You'll make the gains, not them.

Posted by: MeatheadSam

Gr81 has it all figured out my friend. It does not matter what anyone thinks of you or your program.

In my opinion only real serious lifters do chins. It is much easier to do pulldowns unless you are in an overload cycle and you want to pile on extra weight beyond your body weight.

But if you get to the point you add weight to yourself and knock out 10-15 chins then everyone will take a step back. By then your ratio of power to weight will have surpassed many of the so called "big guys" in the back department.

When I was capable of doing 4 full chins with a 100lb plate hanging on the chain belt people would come up and ask how the hell my upper back got that strong. Commitment and hard work my friend. Right now I'd be doing good to do 60-70 lbs extra for a 4-5 full reps but still not bad.

Use a spotter for chins to overload and do forced reps. The best spot is for your partner to push up in the lowest region of your lower back just above your butt. Just a slight assist will push you through several added reps.

Negatives are an excellent way to help build chinning power also. The eccentric portion of a movement can benefit your power more than concentric anyway. You can really overload this way. But do not get caried away and do many sets of eccentrics. Just one good one per workout is about all you need if you really gut it out.

Posted by: Darkkmind

I've never tried the straps maybe I'll buy some and give it a shot.

Posted by: rock4832

Give it a try man!

Posted by: gr81

forget the straps to man, they will only act as a crutch. Let you body adapt to teh stress by itself and then, when you are doing pullups with plates hangin down, then use straps, when you really need it. Thinks about it, do you use a powerlifting belt when squattign or deadlifting very light weight? no, there it is counterproductive. Your body needs to adapt and IMO people are too quick to jump to straps and such, where a build up of reliance can become a hinderance quickly! happy chinning bro

Posted by: DeadBolt

Sorry I know this is a stupid question but chin ups are like close grip reverse pull downs rite? Meaning your hands are close and your palms are facing you rather then the weights. Sorry as a kid when I was suppose to be doing these for gym I was eating candy heh.

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