We’ve all heard the old adage “You’ve got to learn how to crawl before you can learn how to walk.”<\/i>\u00a0Nothing could be more accurate in the gym.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, when it comes to their training and exercise selection,\u00a0most people suffer through workouts that don’t deliver the best results because they perform exercises beyond their ability.<\/p>\n
Performing exercise variations that\u00a0are too advanced for your current level of fitness, or attempting to progress towards these variations too quickly\u00a0sets of a disastrous sequence of events:\u00a0poor body alignment, a lack of control and a reduced range of motion, limited muscle tension, and ultimately lackluster progress and results.<\/p>\n
Your goal is\u00a0to perform the right<\/i> exercises for your current level of fitness–not the most advanced–and work up slowly and progressively over time with proper\u00a0technique.<\/p>\n
As part of an ongoing series, you’ll learn how to become better at any exercise. This guide will teach you to master the pullup.<\/p>\n
Choose the appropriate exercise variation based on your current level of fitness, and then build your way to a stronger body.<\/p>\n
How to do it<\/strong><\/p>\n Hang from an overhead bar, palms facing you, with a shoulder width grip. From a dead hang, flex your elbows and pull yourself up until upper chest contacts the bar. Pause for a full second in the contracted position, pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets, before lowering yourself under control back to the starting position. That\u2019s one rep.<\/p>\n Where to Begin<\/strong><\/p>\n Begin by performing 5 sets of one half your current chin-up maximum. (For example: if you can perform 6 full chin-ups, start with sets of 3 reps), resting 2 minutes between sets.<\/p>\n