Pull-ups on the bar are one of the most effective exercises for creating an athletic figure, a wide back, powerful biceps and strong wrists. However, unfortunately, it is pull-ups that are most difficult for beginner athletes – especially girls.
There are a number of methods for quickly learning the technique of pull-ups on the crossbar from scratch – from using a counterweight to pulling the upper block in the simulator. But in order to learn how to pull up correctly, it is important to understand how to feel the back muscles at work.
How to learn to pull up?
In order to learn how to pull yourself up on the horizontal bar, you first need to learn how to feel the involvement of the latissimus dorsi muscles in the work. Otherwise, the beginner will face the problem of developing the habit of pulling the body up due to the strength of the arm muscles.
The best exercise for learning to pull up on the bar is the row of the upper block to the chest while sitting, performed in the simulator. Moderate working weight, slow exercise speed and attention to technique will help you quickly learn to pull up.
In addition, since pull-ups actively involve the muscles of the entire upper body (back, shoulders, arms, and even the core), beginners need to develop these muscles through regular strength training. First of all, we are talking about various exercises on the back – both with a barbell and dumbbells, and in simulators.
Methods for training pull-ups:
- with rubber band
- with the support of a coach/training partner
- pull-ups in the gravitron
- using the upper pull in the simulator
Gravitron pull-up training
Gravitron is a special machine with a system of counterweights that makes it easier to perform pull-ups. When using a gravitron for exercise, the legs are bent at the knees and placed on a stand to compensate for the load. If in normal pull-ups it is necessary to lift the entire body weight, then the gravitron reduces the load – which is useful for beginners.
In order to learn how to pull yourself up with the help of a gravitron, you need to start by doing the exercise with 30-50% of your body weight. By bringing the number of repetitions to 7-8, you can increase the weight (more precisely, reduce the counterweight). However, the key focus should not be the number of repetitions at all, but the ability to feel the work of the back muscles – first of all, the latissimus dorsi.
Pull-ups from scratch with a tourniquet
Rubber bands (or fitness bands) are another way to quickly learn how to pull up from scratch. In fact, in this case, the exercise is performed with support – the multi-layered rubber creates resistance and helps to pull the body up. The advantage of this technique is its accessibility – you can use a fitness elastic band with any horizontal bar.
When performing pull-ups with a tourniquet, ensure that you make the movement smoothly – for this, observe the rhythm of breathing. As you inhale, go down, and as you exhale, stretch your body up by activating the latissimus dorsi.
Top block pull
The latissimus dorsi muscles are the key muscles involved in pull-ups and seated pull-ups. They are located on the left and right parts of the body, fanning out from the shoulder joint. In order to use them during the exercise, the entire palm, including the thumb, must lie on top of the horizontal bar.
The logic of pull-ups is that with the help of the latissimus dorsi, you seem to be pushing the body up – and not at all trying to lift the weight due to the strength of the hands. At the top of the movement, you should almost touch the chest with the bar or bar, and slightly bring the shoulder blades together. At the bottom of the exercise, your arms still support the load – it is not recommended to completely relax the muscles.
How to pull up correctly:
- the palm should completely cover the crossbar
- upward movement due to the involvement of the latissimus dorsi muscles
- movement mechanics – pushing the body weight up
- at the bottom point, the muscles of the hands do not relax
Top pull technique
The correct execution of the upper block row to the chest involves several phases. First, you must pull the bar down with the strength of your shoulders and triceps, without bending your elbows; then, when the bar is just above your head, you should feel the activation of the latissimus dorsi muscles and consciously engage them in the exercise. It is better to do this on the exhale.
In order to learn how to pull yourself up with this exercise, it is important to pull exactly to the chest, and not behind the head. Pulling the block behind the head is an isolating exercise for the trapezium. This variation is suitable for professionals who are specifically working on these particular muscles – but not for beginners who are learning to pull themselves up.
Exercises on the horizontal bar
Pull-ups are one of the six basic functional exercises. By modifying and changing pull-ups, you can ensure the study of various muscle groups. Both the width of the grip on the crossbar and the type of grip (palm above or below) play a role. With only a horizontal bar at your disposal, you can create a complete exercise program for the key muscles of the body.
In turn, the advantage of functional bodyweight exercises is that they teach the athlete to maximize the potential of the muscles and improve neuromuscular communication. This is useful not only for the development of muscle symmetry, but also allows you to achieve a high level of relief. When performed in adolescence, such exercises can help increase height by 5-10 cm .
The benefits of exercises on the horizontal bar:
- do not require training equipment
- suitable for teenagers, positively affecting growth
- develop muscle symmetry
- significantly increase the strength
Press leg pull-ups
A good functional exercise on the horizontal bar is pulling up the legs on the press. The exercise comprehensively strengthens the muscles of the body – both the front and back of it. Indirectly, the muscles of the buttocks are involved in the work – they turn on in a static mode, helping to maintain weight, when pulling the legs to the stomach.
Pull-ups on the horizontal bar at home
The problem with most home pull-up bars is that their compact size often does not provide a sufficient level of stability. A horizontal bar attached to a doorway makes the task of learning the correct pull-up technique much more difficult. In addition, at home it is extremely difficult to imagine a full-fledged upper traction simulator.
If you want to learn how to pull yourself up at home, you will need a fairly wide crossbar, fixed as stable as possible. Among other things, the space above the horizontal bar must be free – otherwise you will constantly think not about the correct exercise technique at all, but about how not to accidentally hit the ceiling or doorway with your head.
Learning to pull up 10 times
To learn how to pull up correctly for the first 10 reps, first do two technically perfect sets of upper pulldowns using the above technique (medium weight, 12-15 reps), then two to three sets of gravitron pull-ups. Incorporate this group of exercises into your back training program and do them 1-2 times a week until you can do at least 10 pull-ups.
At the first stages, try to control the phases of movement in the exercise, consciously involving the latissimus dorsi. The first phase – pull the crossbar down to the middle of the trajectory with the strength of your hands (the crossbar is just above the head); the second phase – the back muscles turn on, you reach the weight to the chin, while bringing the shoulder blades together; the third phase – slowly and with complete control, the crossbar returns up.
How to learn to pull up from scratch?
The help of a personal trainer or training partner will greatly facilitate the training of pull-ups on the horizontal bar. The trainer will correct your exercise technique and support your legs to help lift your body using the back muscles. Most pull-up mistakes are obvious when viewed from the side.
That said, the worst method of learning pull-ups from scratch is to try to do 30 pull-ups at all costs, with the wrong technique and the fastest rep rate possible. The result will only be the consolidation of erroneous mechanics. In addition, if your neck hurts after pull-ups , then you are definitely doing the exercise incorrectly.
To learn how to pull yourself up correctly on the horizontal bar, carefully study the mechanics of the pull of the upper block to the chest and the key phases of the movement. This will ensure the involvement of the latissimus dorsi muscles in the work. Also, beginners can carry out pull-up training from scratch using the gravitron simulator, which has a system of counterweights.