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• Chin-ups... talk about humbling!

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Chin-ups... talk about humbling!

yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/01, 09:38 AM So there I am.. in the gym yesterday... working the back and forearms... time comes for chinups... now I heard these aren't as easy as one might think. Correct. I had three sets in my FT program 12/10/8... I did 3/2/2... holy cow... will there ever be the day I can do 12/10/8? t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
	2004/04/01, 10:09 AM Tim, I couldn't do but 2 when I first tried 6 months ago. BB1 told me to do them after every workout. No excuses. He said do them with a 10 lb weight in a knapsack and without. 3 sets each time. I have gotten up to sets of 9,8,7. It works. He also told me not to worry that I was doing them 4 or 5 times a week. I usually don't completely understand what he tells me to do but I always do it anyway. It works!! Hope this helps. -------------- A problem ceases to be such when you can laugh about it. Charlie
hecdarec Posts: 2,457 Joined: 2003/12/16	2004/04/01, 10:11 AM There will be a day when you can do them. The key is to keep doing them. Yes they are humbling. My program calls for me to do 3 sets of 10 today. Lets see how I fair. -------------- My gym dues are not paid with money.
hecdarec Posts: 2,457 Joined: 2003/12/16	2004/04/01, 10:12 AM I used to do 50 every other day. Not in 1 set ofcourse. We are required to do pull ups in the Corps. I was doing 20 no problem. -------------- My gym dues are not paid with money.
jsvez Posts: 112 Joined: 2003/09/23	2004/04/01, 10:14 AM It is my weakest exercise at present. I will follow the advice in Charlie's post and do them every workout. :dumbbell:
borpillicus Posts: 454 Joined: 2003/03/13	2004/04/01, 10:52 AM Hec is right, like any exercise it just requires practice! I used to have a tough time doing them as well, but as time went on I got better at them. -------------- - Its never about how much you can lift, or how many reps you do. Its just about doing it, and doing it right. - If your hungry all the time, your not eating enough. And anyways, being hungry sucks. ~Brad~
jsom85 Posts: 316 Joined: 2004/01/16	2004/04/01, 11:16 AM i used to not be able to do pull ups and chin ups for my life about a year ago. then after a while of intense back work i can do them with no problem. but until you get into them they will humble you quite well. because you think you're strong, then you think these seem simple enough and then when you try them you just go up 2 reps with some kicking to help you up. -------------- Get your weight up, kid
hecdarec Posts: 2,457 Joined: 2003/12/16	2004/04/01, 12:44 PM Did them at the gym today 10, 10, and 5. Was shooting for 3 sets of 10. Damn they hurt! -------------- My gym dues are not paid with money.
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2004/04/01, 03:47 PM Those are tough good work Hec..I remember when I first started pull-ups, 2 were as much as I could handle! BTW HEC..How do you pay your gym dues?? -------------- "A will finds a way, failure is not an option" Ivan carivan@freetrainers.com Montreal Canada
hecdarec Posts: 2,457 Joined: 2003/12/16	2004/04/01, 05:52 PM SWEAT!!!! -------------- My gym dues are not paid with money.
Hellscream Posts: 272 Joined: 2004/02/25	2004/04/01, 06:31 PM i always found them quite easy, prolly cos im light. What are the main muscles the chin up uses btw?
Shane123 Posts: 148 Joined: 2003/11/27	2004/04/01, 08:04 PM When I first started doing them, I was sore for days, and I don't get sore. I didn't get sore from them after that, just started getting a good pump. They quickly became one of my favorites. You can try doing them on an assisted machine if there's one at your gym. Just keep lowering the assistance and don't use it as a crutch for never getting anywhere. They mainly work lats and bis, but as a compound movement, they get the bulk of the upper body involved.
Librarycat513 Posts: 12 Joined: 2004/03/30	2004/04/02, 11:44 AM I have never, ever been able to do a chinup, not even when the Navy whipped me into shape. I have no idea what I was doing wrong. -------------- Go to the library, check out a book. It keeps me in a job, and you might learn something new. :)
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/02, 12:04 PM I did some today... I've seen an improvement... I did 3/2/2 the first time, and the last couple were laughable.. same today, but with a bit more ease... t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2004/04/02, 12:41 PM Gets easier each time. Keep going Tim. -------------- "A will finds a way, failure is not an option" Ivan carivan@freetrainers.com Montreal Canada
erirvine Posts: 196 Joined: 2002/11/20	2004/04/05, 07:39 AM If you want humbling the easiest routine in Gov. Arnold’s book recommends doing “50 in as many sets as necessary” (great book though the workouts would kill a horse). As was said above it will get easier with time, try doing them at the start of routine when you are fresh. Also remember how much weight you’re lifting – for a big guy pull-ups are real power exercises.
hecdarec Posts: 2,457 Joined: 2003/12/16	2004/04/05, 09:04 AM That is what I was doing erirvine. I was supersetting the pull ups with the bench. Man that was killer. -------------- My gym dues are not paid with money.
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/05, 09:17 AM Got this from e-fitness this morning... by Raphael Calzadilla ACE, RTS1, APEX Special for eFitness Walk through any gym and you’ll see guys blasting out set after set of bench presses, dumbbell curls and military presses. However, how often do you see someone performing a pull-up or a chin-up? Not too often! Most people love to see a “V” shaped physique that spreads wide at the shoulders and back and tapers at the waist. Asssuming your body fat is not excessive, what major muscle group do you think is required to achieve this look? The back! The back is one of the most under-developed muscle groups for most people. When I do see people performing back exercises it's usually with atrocious form. This week’s exercise is the pull-up. It works the latissumus (lats), teres major, rear deltoids, rhomboids, the lower trapezius as well as the elbow flexors (biceps, brachialis). The pull-up should be a core exercise for complete back development. Substituting lat pull-downs for pull-ups will not achieve optimal back development. If you have a difficult time performing pull-ups, use a spotter and have them spot you from the ankles. Have them get you all the way to the top of the movement and then focus on only a slow negative movement. If you don’t have a spotter, you can place a stool underneath yourself and then kick yourself up and then lower your body. Try for six to eight negatives per workout. Within a very short period you will be performing a pull-up! This applies to women as well. I've trained many females to perform a pull-up while men watch in disbelief. For purposes of definition, a pull-up uses a pronated grip (palms face away from body). While a chin-up uses a supinated grip (palms face toward body). THE PULL-UP Step onto a footstool underneath a pull-up bar. Grasp the handles shoulder-width apart. Contracting the upper back muscles, pull your body up and attempt to have the bar and upper chest meet. They will not actually meet, but I use this example to make sure you contract your lats. Attempt to pull up with the back and shoulders, not just the arms. Contract the shoulder blades at the top part of the position (you should feel your lats tighten). Slowly return to the starting position stopping just short of your arms fully extending. Advanced trainees can fully extend and briefly feel the lats stretch. Exhale while pulling up. Inhale while returning to the starting position. Do not allow your lower body to hyperextend. You may also perform the same movement as a chin-up with palms facing the body. This is simply one variation of a pull-up! There are several upper back exercises such as narrow parallel grip chin-ups, sternum chin-ups, one-armed eccentric chin-ups and subscapularis pull-ups. Just thought I'd pass it along... t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
	2004/04/05, 10:33 AM This just reinforces that there is no absolute best way to train. BB1 told me to do them at the end of my routine. One day I wrote in my journal that I was to trashed to do my chins at the end of the workout. BB1 wrote me to "do them anyway" no excuses. I will mix it up now and do them before and or after and switch it up. The main thing is DO THEM. I want to get to 3 sets of 10 with 10 lbs in my backpack Thanks erivine. ============ Quoting from erirvine: If you want humbling the easiest routine in Gov. Arnold’s book recommends doing “50 in as many sets as necessary” (great book though the workouts would kill a horse). As was said above it will get easier with time, try doing them at the start of routine when you are fresh. Also remember how much weight you’re lifting – for a big guy pull-ups are real power exercises. ============= -------------- A problem ceases to be such when you can laugh about it. Charlie
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/05, 12:16 PM I did them before my workout today... 4/3/3... upped it by one in each set.... damn, who would have thought they would be so friggin' hard? t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
tedmcnamara Posts: 1 Joined: 2003/05/28	2004/04/07, 08:05 PM At 72 years of age I do 10 palms forward chin ups with 35lbs. around my waist and sets of 5 with 70 lbs. But I've been doin chin ups regularly since I was a Kid. Keep at it! -------------- The Old Man.
jplatz Posts: 196 Joined: 2002/10/08	2004/04/07, 08:38 PM Ok, now I'm really embarassed. I can barely get 6 close grip chins. No way I could do them with additional weight! Ted, you are the man. At at 72, you are an awesome man!:cool: -------------- Pain is but a threshold to greater strength.
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/07, 09:09 PM I upped it today! 5/4/3...! Getting there! t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
I_Am-aZon Posts: 893 Joined: 2003/02/18	2004/04/08, 02:44 PM OK, I was totally humbled - after reading this post I thought I'd like to see what I can do.....well, the darn chin-up machine-thing just happens to be in the middle of the weight room, so needless to say, when I pulled off my mighty, pathetic little set of 3 chinups, well didn't I feel mighty...NOt!!! :angry::angry: I was just worried someone was watching me struggle for the third rep! lol I think I am going to have to follow the advice here, and do them - every time.
yadmit Posts: 4,670 Joined: 2003/10/05	2004/04/08, 02:45 PM I did the very same thing the first time.... quickly looked around... thinking 'is anyone watching me?' hahaha.... I got over that pretty quick... if anybody would have poked some fun I would have challenged them to do it.... :laugh: t -------------- Tim "I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is over self." Aristotle TimDay@freetrainers.com
Valrash Posts: 155 Joined: 2004/03/16	2004/04/08, 03:07 PM I agree with everyone, I'm lucky to get 1 set of 3 let alone 3 set's, lol. Gonna have to start doing them more often now, the same with dips (have a workout stature that you hold your self up on to do dips with) there not the easiest things to do either, your body weight seems to be its own workout tool as well.