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traineo Community / Training Routines / Concentrated Workout vs Pull-ups - HELP!
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Karan Puri
traineo Newbie
Posts: 1
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 # Posted: 19 May 2008 04:25


Hey everyone, I'm relatively new to gymming - been doing it on and off for a couple of years, but i want to start taking it seriously and doing it on a regular basis.

Here in Singapore we have fitness tests where pull-ups are included in the equation. At the start of the year i could only do two, but after practising as often as i could in school i can do 8 now. I know that pull-ups are all about practice and consistent training will yield results, i'm aiming to hit 15 for my fitness test in august.

The thing is i want to build up my biceps, triceps, shoulders and chest as well, and this is my problem: i dont know if i should focus on weight training in the gym, or just doing pull-ups. I know both of them will work those areas but i dont know which is the more effective between the two, and i dont think i should be doing both weight training and pullups, i dont want to overwork my muscles. And at the same time i want to hit my target for august.

Can i have some advice over this? Cheers!
Luke A
traineo Newbie
Posts: 8
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 # Posted: 19 May 2008 05:14


Hi, I'm by no means a body builder but from what I understand it would probably be more effective for you to train each muscle involved in a pullup individually with isolation exercises.
The reason behind that is that you can work each muscle individually much harder than working them together in a compound exercise. If you have one muscle lagging behind the others then it will be the first to fail in a compound exercise, meaning you won't effectively work the other muscles at the point where you can't do any more pullups. Going by this theory, you would be better to individually work the muscles through exercises like bicep curls, tricep pulldowns, bench press and so on.

Having said that I also believe nothing prepares you for an exercise like doing it. Maybe you could try doing as many pullups as you can, and then using an assisted pullup machine if you have one available at the gym, just to squeeze out a few more exercises. Doing this you'll be a lot more sore in the morning, but you should also make some more progress.

Hope this is helpful [and accurate]!
Dave Nicholson
The Master
Posts: 2089
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 # Posted: 19 May 2008 16:24


Quoting: Xonman
Hi, I'm by no means a body builder but from what I understand it would probably be more effective for you to train each muscle involved in a pullup individually with isolation exercises.


I try not to make blanket statements, but unless you are specifically a body builder (ie, lifting only for aesthetics), I will say this is unilaterally incorrect.

Weight training, in and of itself, is very beneficial and you would benefit from regularly doing compound exercises, progressively increasing the weight as you get stronger. Examples: Squat, Dead Lift, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Bent Row, dips, pull-ups.

Keep doing your pull-ups; to get better at them that is the best thing you can do. When you can no longer do a pull-up, switch to 'negatives' - where you jump up to get the pull-up in, and very slowly lower yourself back down. To ad a little fun to it, get a pull-up bar for home and put it in a doorway so that whenever you pass through that door you make yourself do x number of pull-ups. You'll get better at them pretty quick!
Mark A
traineo Newbie
Posts: 19
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 # Posted: 19 May 2008 18:28 - Edited by: DAPUNISHER


Here is a great guide to everything pull-ups and chin-ups. URL

I just started doing these a couple months ago myself. I use the plan of 75 total pull-ups 75 total chin-ups every week. Seems it is ok to do the 75 reps any way you need to, but that the Strong Lifts 5x5 i.e. 5 sets of 5 reps, 3 days a week is the preferable method.

I'm almost ready to add weight for chin-ups 5x5, but my pull-ups are still sloppy so I have a ways to go on those yet.

BTW, good luck with your goal! I think if you use that guide, and get in the pull-ups every week, you will be able to do one set of 15 reps by August for certain!

Here is a direct link to the pull-up strength building plan URL

Take care.
Shawn W.
Fitness Guru
Posts: 435
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 # Posted: 20 May 2008 04:39


Pull ups are tuff. Chin ups are usually easier due to how we can incorporate our biceps more.

here's a good program for helping to build ones ability to do chinups.

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=460273

its a long read but it focuses on alot of the parts of chin ups.
Luke A
traineo Newbie
Posts: 8
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 # Posted: 21 May 2008 23:19


Quoting: nicholman
I try not to make blanket statements, but unless you are specifically a body builder (ie, lifting only for aesthetics), I will say this is unilaterally incorrect.


Fair enough, that was just what I had heard about compound exercises vs isolation exercises. I stand corrected.
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