Catapult Fitness Blog newsletter subscribers were treated last week to a special free 10-Minute Workout last week courtesy of my friend and mentor, Craig Ballantyne, founder of Turbulence Training.
I want to kick off this week off by sharing with you one of Craig’s newest YouTube videos – The Evolution Of Pull Ups:
This video couldn’t be timelier for me. The pull-up is an exercise that I have struggled with and one I very much want to tackle in 2009. I recently purchased an IRON GYM XTREME EDITION - TOTAL BODY WORKOUT BAR
- Inverted rows
- Assisted pull-ups
- Negatives
So that I can train at home, in addition the Iron Gym, I purchased the Lebert Equalizer which enables me to execute 13 different inverted row exercises. This is truly an awesome piece of equipment for working the latissimus dorsi, the primary muscles engaged in a pronated grip pull-up.
If you’re hitting the gym, other exercises you can focus on for strengthening your lats include:
- Lat pull downs
- Seated cable rows
- Bent over dumbbell or barbell rows
If being able to execute un-assisted pull-ups has been something you’ve struggled with in the past, hopefully you’ll join me in making 2009 the year for tackling this exercise!
Train hard; stay strong.
Peace.
Susan
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comments
6 Responses to "Susan’s Pull-Up Challenge"I managed to do my first unassisted pull-ups (ok, chin ups.. I have a bum shoulder.. but they count the same for women).. this past September.
Not only did I 1, my first try I did first 4.5! And had it documented on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIj0RoiCrBs
Not bad for 56, I think.
Deb, that's huge! Congratulations!! Knocking out 4 1/2 chin-ups your first try is a great accomplishment.
I can do chin-ups (a supinated grip), as they employ more of the biceps. My issues with pull-ups (a pronated grip) is that they rely on the lats, which is definitely a weak point of mine.
Being that they employ different muscles, chin-ups and pull-ups are two different exercises.
This is no way diminishes your success in regards to the chin-ups; but don't give up on being able to execute pull-ups!!
I'm on board. I'm already doing the suggested exercises (including assisted pull-ups, down to sets using 35lbs...), as well as rows, and push-ups, etc.
This has been a goal of mine for awhile, so I'm excited to be able to cross this one off:)
I'll let you know how it goes!
Nicole ... I'm not going to let you off that easy! You live too close!! You'll have to come on over and crank them out in person :)
A very happy and healthy New Year to you and the family!!!
I have the regular iron gym hanging in my kitchen. It's made a huge difference for me! I just started doing some negatives when I was waiting for something to finish cooking. Then I could do one chin-up, and on Christmas day I did two in a row for the first time!
I am not nearly strong enough in my lats to do pull-ups yet, but now that I can do chin-ups, I'm excited to start working towards a pull-up too!
Hopefully, we'll both get there in 2009.
I love it Liz! I have min in my kitchen doorway so I can crank out some exercises while cooking :)
My lats aren't nearly strong enough (yet) either, but we'll get there! Negatives are great!!
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