Thread: How many chins can u do?

a couple of weeks ago i was able to do at least 15 chinups with good form at 165+ lbs .. now after bad nutrition and no training for a month i'm not sure how much but i could still do plenty ...

16 good ones at 205. As in my signature, after 7 months of training I can still only do 6 Behind-the-Neck Pullups at 34" in width. I'd feel pretty silly going into a gym cranking out only 6 of those - screaming, whinning, bitching, moaning and groaning the epic and tragic set. I do lots of negs on those. Anybody over 200 that can crank out siginificantly more than that?

Originally Posted by viet_jon

some techniques i found.



Rule number one: in accordance with Pavel's logic, forget about training to failure. You can train close, within a rep or two, and occasionally (perhaps once or twice a month) push a set all out (read: A SET), but if you train to failure often, forget about achieving true pullup power, and start worrying about your frayed and shattered nerves.

Rule number two: Vary your grip . I know that Pavel believes in overhand pullups first and foremost, and I do too. However, if you are not a member of SWAT personnel, and do not have to climb walls and ledges on a regular basis, go ahead and vary your grip. Doing so will ward off boredom, and train your neural pathways to a wider degree. Grips worth using are: 1) Overhand or underhand, with or without thumbs. 2) Neutral grip--the best way to do these would be to drape a thick towel over the bar for maximum grip work.

Worthless techniques 1) Wide grip pullups and 2) Pullups behind the neck. For some reason, boobybuilders think that a very wide grip makes for very wide lats! Ha! This is bogus for a few reasons, the first being the greatly reduced range of motion, the second being the greatly reduced leverage, and the third being the extreme stress on your rotator cuffs. Optimal leverage is extremely important in strength training.

Question: would you try to pull a heavy deadlift on your toes with a rounded back? I didn't think so. As for pullups behind the neck, the same reasons apply. Do yourself and your shoulders a favor--keep your grip slightly wider than shoulder width or less, and pull to your chest, not to the back of your neck. And no grip aids please! (chalk is o.k.)

Rule number three: You can vary the number of reps you use, just don't do it excessively. Pick a training goal. If it is maximum muscular endurance, stick primarily to high reps. If it is maximum pullup power, stick with five reps or less ( I prefer lower reps and use high rep DBell or KBell quick lifts for muscular endurance. Just a matter of preference).

Every so often, do the exact opposite of your current routine. If you are training low reps go high one workout, and if you are doing high reps try for some heavy sets of 3-5. That being said, there seems to be a fair degree of carryover either way, so don't sweat it if you are in a situation where you can only train high reps.

There really aren't any "tricks" to training pullups. In my training, there are only two things I do that I suppose one could consider "tricks". The first, and I have been doing this for as long as I can remember, is to alternate sets of overhead presses with my pullups. Not superset, but alternate. Do a set of presses ( whether they be handstand pushups, barbell or dumbbell presses, or kettlebell presses). Rest about a minute, then do a set of pullups. Rest another minute and go back to presses, and so on and so forth. This method not only saves time, but also allows the antagonist muscle groups to relax as the other muscle groups are working.


article

nice article makes big sense thnx

Thanks for the article!

Originally Posted by JimSnow

16 good ones at 205. As in my signature, after 7 months of training I can still only do 6 Behind-the-Neck Pullups at 34" in width. I'd feel pretty silly going into a gym cranking out only 6 of those - screaming, whinning, bitching, moaning and groaning the epic and tragic set. I do lots of negs on those. Anybody over 200 that can crank out siginificantly more than that?

dont do any behind the neck exercises, dangerous for the shoulders, no reason to use them

Originally Posted by KelJu

I'll tell you what buddy, you and I have the same goal. I can do about 10 to 12, and my goal is to do 20 in the next 2 months. I have been training chin-ups 2 days a week, and I am getting better. I use an alternating periodization scheme.

That is my goal as well. May I ask why you are aiming for 20? Just a good benchmark?
I'm currently doing them 3 times a week, but I think I am going to lower the intensity to attempt to raise the numbers. Might drop to 2 if progression doesn't come.

Originally Posted by Focus

That is my goal as well. May I ask why you are aiming for 20? Just a good benchmark?
I'm currently doing them 3 times a week, but I think I am going to lower the intensity to attempt to raise the numbers. Might drop to 2 if progression doesn't come.

I hope you are not doing them to faiure, intensity/frequency are 2 different things.

Well, I am no expert, but I can do a lot. see my sig.
I did wide grip behind the neck because you had to do that to
get on the old show American Gladiator. Never went on, but
I wanted to try to see if I could make it.
Thankfully, my shoulders are still nice to me.

I varied my routine. But to build up endurance, I did 3 or 4
sets a day with about 2 min rest break. Just shy of failure.
Short rest breaks seemed to help my endurance, rather than
waiting 4 or 5 minutes until I was fully recovered. Sure, my
reps decreased on the next sets, but the body seemed to
respond better to the shorter rest break.

Other times I would add weight or my kids would hang on my waist.
Rug rats grew up so I can't do that anymore.

It is fun watching people stare when you get done doing so many.

well in a recent trip to japan i reckon i did about 8 in one night,,love those little japaneese girls

Originally Posted by aceshigh

well in a recent trip to japan i reckon i did about 8 in one night,,love those little japaneese girls

dips, not nips!!! retard!

Originally Posted by MyK

dips, not nips!!! retard!

its chins not dips

Originally Posted by aceshigh

its chins not dips

oh, my bad! I just thought you banged alot of nips!




p.s. I do not have my yellow belt!

Originally Posted by MyK

oh, my bad! I just thought you banged alot of nips!




p.s. I do not have my yellow belt!

doesnt scare me at all i have a get up to blue belt dvd,,,,,,,havnt looked at it yet but when i do look out

Originally Posted by aceshigh

doesnt scare me at all i have a get up to blue belt dvd,,,,,,,havnt looked at it yet but when i do look out

what!?!??!?!?

Originally Posted by MyK

what!?!??!?!?

sorry ill rephrase
i have a cd eh! its about karate eh! if u watch it u can be a blue belt in karate eh! because it teaches u what to do eh!
i forgot u were a canadian sorry eh!