Thursday, March 22, 2012

Pull-ups

Pull-ups are one of, if not THE best upper body exercise. It works almost every upper body muscle, including your core. The major issue of course, is that most people can’t do a pull-up. There was even a point just a couple years ago, when I couldn’t lift my own body weight. Here are a few things that helped me to progress.

1.      Lat Pulldowns. No, this isn’t the same thing, but for beginners, it will help to increase strength in your arms and back.

2.      Planks (see picture below). You have to have a strong core. Keep increasing your time. You can also start off on your knees.

3.      Hangs. Just hang from the bar. Get your hands use to gripping the bar and supporting your weight. Work up to doing this for 2-3 min.

4.      Assisted pull-ups. This is one of the best ways to get better. If you workout at a gym, they probably have a machine. If not, get a chair and push off as much as needed.

5.      Just keep trying. Just the act of trying to pull yourself up will strengthen your muscles and core.
Enjoy Life - Workout!
Mandy