Pull Ups For Beginners! 8 Easy Tips to Perform Your First Pull Up
We're all guilty of doing it & sometimes been caught doing it... Staring at the individuals doing pullups in the gym!😂
Stared in envy or inspiration and thought I'd love to give them a try but have no idea how to even hang on a bar?😂 we promise you, you're not the only one! In this blog we start from the very beginning and go through 8 tips which could help you get your first pull up & feel confident doing it!
Let's start with an inspirational video of our Peak Supps® ambassador doing pull ups confidently in the gym. Who was unable to do them and challenged herself during lockdown to learn how to pull up! - Reminder* we all start somewhere "do something today that your future self will thank you for"
1. Learn the motion of a pull up
The movement or motion of a pull up must be understood before performing. Understanding which muscle, joint and body part to use for each part of the pull up is key.
There are also a few different variations of pull ups and methods so watch as many videos you can (and keep checking out peoples form in the gym😂) Get familiar of the movement of a pull up (you'll notice CrossFit do kipping pullups which are different and more jerky to strict pull ups). Get to know all the different variations of a pull up this can include grip, arm width and type of pullup.
You must be able to imagine yourself doing the pullup. Close your eyes and picture yourself in your gym, on that certain bar doing the full movement of a pull up, using the correct muscle... Sometimes "your only limit is your mind" we can eliminate this by letting our mind imagine us doing pullups! (Take this tip throughout life)
2. Strengthen your entire upper body
We're not going to lie to you... Pull ups require a fair bit of strength. Building your upper body strength is another important factor you must carry out to achieve those pullups. This includes:
- Arms (biceps, triceps, forearms, wrists & grip)
- Shoulders
- Back
- Chest
- & core
Here are a few exercises you can perform to increase your upper body strength:
|
Arms Exercises: |
Shoulders Exercises: |
Back Exercises: |
Chest Exercises: |
Core Exercises: |
| Press Ups | Overhead Shoulder Press | Lat Pull Downs | Incline push up | Forearm Plank |
| Bicep Curls | Seated Shoulder Press | Bent-Over Row | Flat bench press | Dead Bug |
| Tricep Dips |
Front Raise
|
Deadlift
|
Cable crossover
|
Russian Twist
|
| Dead hang | Side Raises | Single-Arm Row | Inclined bench press | Full Sit up |
Adding and continuously increasing weights to each exercise is a very effective way to improve strength.
Click here to view our full range of weights
3. Start with assisted pull ups
Assisted pull ups are a great way to learn the movement of a pullup without the body weight.
How to do an assisted pullup:
- Place a chair/bench or boxing jump underneath the pullup bar.
- Stand on the platform you have and position yourself on the pullup bar (knees bent and arms are straight, using an overhand grip).
- Lift your body as high as you can.
- Once you can’t go any further, press off the platform using your right leg.
- Lift your body so your chin is slightly higher than the bar and hold.
- Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- Then do the opposite side.
4. Use a machine or resistance bands
Once confident with all the above, move onto full range assisted pull ups either using a machine (can be found in most gyms) or resistance band.
We have a huge range of resistance bands perfect for assisted pullups.
5. Always lower weight/resistance
Just like increasing weight for strength is important, when it comes to practicing assisted pull ups lowering the weight is just as important. Make sure you are always lowering the weight and resistance every time to increase difficulty and getting one step closer to full body weight pull-up.
6. Do negative pull ups
Negative pull ups/ reverse pull ups are considered eccentric exercises, meaning that the muscle is lengthening during the movement rather than shortening or contracting. Negatives also give you a chance to increase your grip strength.
7. Have confidence
Through this entire process you must be confident. On those bad days be even more confident! You've stepped out of your comfort zone, challenged yourself - this is a huge achievement. Build confidence with every exercise you do!
8. Don't give up!
At any point of this challenge, DO NOT GIVE UP! Get motivation from other people, in the gym, friends, family, or fitness influencers and most importantly get motivation from yourself by looking at how far you've come, and how far you are going.
