How To Increase Pull-Up Reps & Sets: Definitive Guide To Bodyweight Progression

The pull-up bar is a daunting apparatus—it can quickly bring even the most seasoned of gymgoers to their knees. But with a little bit of extra strength and grip work you can conquer the dreaded exercise, and Fitness Fahrenheit wants to help you do that!

The fitness and nutrition expert has recommended some exercises you can do to improve the body parts used in the pull-up movement. Some of these exercises include dead hangs, assisted pull-ups, and bodyweight rows.

Go to https://www.fitnessfahrenheit.com/how-to-get-better-at-pull-ups to find out more.

A pull-up is a difficult exercise to execute. It involves hanging from a bar fully extended, pulling your body up so your chin is above your hands, and then lowering your body back down to the starting position. When done correctly, it works out your biceps brachii, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, brachialis, and teres major. However, most people when they start doing pull-ups can only complete one rep.

According to Fitness Fahrenheit, there are a few exercises you can do to increase your pull-up rep count. One simple exercise is the dead hang, which is effectively the starting position for a pull-up. This exercise trains your grip by getting you used to holding up your body's weight. Fitness Fahrenheit recommends trying to hang for 10 seconds with minimal swinging to start and then increasing the time hanging in intervals from there.

Grip strength is crucial to pull-up bar success. Unlike chin-ups, which involve a supinated grip (your palms facing toward you), pull-ups use a double overhand grip (your palms facing away from you). This can cause the bar to roll in your hands if not gripped properly. As a result, pull-ups require a much greater amount of grip strength than chin-ups

To further fortify your grip strength, Fitness Fahrenheit suggests trying a hand gripper. “Hand grippers work a lot of the vital body parts involved in a pull-up, such as the fingers, palms, wrists, and forearms,” said a spokesperson for the website. “They are also much more accessible and affordable than other gym equipment. Deadlifts and farmer’s walks can also help develop grip strength."

Because a pull-up relies heavily on your back, arms, and core, Fitness Fahrenheit also recommends you work these areas out at least twice every week. Machine seated rows, barbell and dumbbell rows, machine lat pull downs, back extensions, and reverse machine flies are all effective exercises for building these areas.

Lastly, Fitness Fahrenheit notes that you can ease yourself into doing a pull-up by trying an assisted pull-up first. This exercise is intended to simulate a pull-up while removing the strain of your body’s weight. It can be completed with the help of a machine or a resistance band.

“Pull-ups have always been the bane of my exercise existence,” said a satisfied reader. “When I started I couldn’t even do one. Now, after some targeted development, I can do 10 with relative ease, and I’m hoping to keep that number increasing. Fitness Fahrenheit’s tips really helped me out a lot.”

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Fitness Fahrenheit is an online resource providing exercise, nutrition, and equipment tips and information. It was started by former Marine and current fitness coach Koji Lopez, who is also a contributing writer.

Visit https://www.fitnessfahrenheit.com/how-to-get-better-at-pull-ups today and you'll have yourself over the bar in no time!