pull up technique

**JAja04** · 12-12-2009, 11:16 AM

I can grab the bar and bang out a bunch of pull ups with no problem.. but i'm trying to get more focus on best form possible.

When i do lat pull downs.. i depress my scapula right before bringing the bar to my chest and squeezing.. and works fine.. However ive been trying to incorporate that same technique on pull ups.. i just cant. Can someone give me advice on how to mentally approach this lift. Last night in the gym.. I just pulled myself up by pulling through my elbows and trying to focus on my lats... Touching the bar to my sternum and squeezing my shoulder blades at the top of the movement.. and then slowly descending. I could do 2 of those.

Any advice or comments are appreciated.

**Built** · 12-12-2009, 01:16 PM

Add weight and do 'em with a close, neutral grip.

Try lat pulldowns done one arm at a time. Pull the elbow into the lat as much as possible.

**JAja04** · 12-12-2009, 01:48 PM

When your coming down from the peak contraction position of the pull up.. the lowering phase.. do you go all the way down.. or most all the way and then start back up?

**PushAndPull** · 12-12-2009, 02:33 PM

For pull-up form, try to have as little lower body movement as possible, no swinging, lifting the knees ect...
Adding weight to your pull-ups is the best option when bodyweight pull-ups become to easy.

**Built** · 12-12-2009, 03:20 PM

JAja04, ALMOST all the way down. No need to dislocate your shoulders at the bottom, but you want to have a full range of motion, while keeping SOME tension on the lat at the bottom of the lift so it's activated for the next rep. That's how it feels best when I do 'em anyway.

**urbanski** · 12-12-2009, 04:19 PM

rack chins activate my lats way more than chinups and pullups; however, i still do medium grip pullups on heavy pull day, and rack chins on moderate pull day.

**BigBackGrips** · 12-13-2009, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Built

JAja04, ALMOST all the way down. No need to dislocate your shoulders at the bottom, but you want to have a full range of motion, while keeping SOME tension on the lat at the bottom of the lift so it's activated for the next rep. That's how it feels best when I do 'em anyway.

That "ALMOST" that Built mentioned is really important. It keeps you in control at the bottom and doesn't let you take that split-second "hanging break" at the bottom. That's actually something I apply to most exercises -- the "almost" to the end with no break between reps.

(I hope people like the new banner.)

**juggernaut** · 12-13-2009, 08:46 PM

(sigh.....)
this is definitely a feel the ROM of motion as Built describes it, especially at the bottom of the lockout.

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