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Pull-up Challenge


EricMilfeld

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Don't mean to disappoint -- I've tried filming again, but whether it's the size of the room, the lighting or the angles ... I just can't seem to capture the top clearly. Even when I'm resting my chin on the bar at the top, you can't see it properly on video. I'll try training the top part for the next few weeks and see if I can get better clearance at the top.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've broadened the spectrum of the challenge to include chin-ups, as well. Same "club" format. I personally have always liked the feel of the underhand grip better.

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I hope that brings more participation in this challenge. Now that nationals has past, I'm looking at taking another run at upping my numbers over the next few months.

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I hope that brings more participation in this challenge. Now that nationals has past, I'm looking at taking another run at upping my numbers over the next few months.

Indeed. As soon as I'm back to over 300 pounds I'll capture some video. I don't want to retroactively use the last video of me doing 300+ before I included chinups in the cert list.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Since I stopped doing it years ago and need to work up to it again, I was up to 50lbs attached to me and I weighed over 200lbs. The exact number, I have no idea and don't want to BS you. The reason for it was I couldn't seem to get to 10 reps w/out weight attached so I decided to try a theory that I developed plus with things I read and decided to attach weight. At first the plan was to start at 5lbs and test myself at 20lb. But somewhere between adding weight (5lbs every two weeks and 50lbs later) it started to be just fun to see how much more I can pull attached to me. Several months later my back and arms blew up to a crazy size, and I was doing 3x3 with 60 to 120-second breaks in between sets and tested myself to see if I could reach my goal for 10 pull-ups from a dead hang with no weight attached. Well I am proud to say I reached that goal. But stupid me just stopped the whole thing since then and I am back to square one. So this will be my goal again soon since now I have a gorgeous power rack in my GF's garage and plenty of weights plus a Ironmind Dip Belt and Loading Pin. Bring on the pain baby!!!

Shamelessly copying Josh's Curl Wars idea, I got the idea for a pull-up war. Bigger guys will probably have a bit of an advantage with this format, but here's my idea: how much total weight (you, plus any additional weight hung from your waist) can you perform a dead-hang pull-up (palms away) with? Like the Curl Wars, this could be an on-going thread. Who can make the 200 club, the 250, the 300, and yikes, the 350 club?

Yesterday was the first day since July, when I hurt my left bicep picking up an atlas stone, that I've been able to perform a pull-up with no pain. So, I should be able to make some decent progress over the next couple of months. I'll make a video after I get a few workouts under my belt.

For the video, the easiest way to record the weight would probably be to simply stand on the "zeroed" scale with the weight already attached to your waist, either before or after you perform the pull-up/chin-up. And make sure the bottom of your chin clears the top of the bar.

Following the list of "Clubs" is a ranking of the performances calculated by dividing the total amount of weight performed for a pull-up/chin-up by the person's body weight.

Pull Ups

175 Club

Yori Skutt: 190

200 Club

225 Club

250 Club

275 Club

steveO: 281

300 Club

325 Club

bwwm: 338

350 Club

375 Club

400 Club

1) Yori Skutt: 150% @ 127 lbs.
2) steveO: 140% @ 201 lbs.
3) bwwm: 135 % @ 250 lbs.

Chin Ups

175 Club

200 Club

225 Club

250 Club

275 Club

300 Club

325 Club

350 Club

375 Club

400 Club

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  • 2 months later...

Had a pretty good run this past couple months. If Wednesday's workout goes well, then I'm going to test on Saturday. Also have to work that whole scale issue out, so I can get the weight on film as well, and not have it weigh prematurely.

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Eric is the judge for this thread - so I'll let him comment on the chin, etc. But it looked to me like you did that pretty easily. I think you got another 5-10#'s in you.

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Today was a hectic day for a number of reasons, but at least this is progress:

Lessons learned:

1.) it's not a bad thing to make attempts at a PR even if you're not feeling great

2.) make sure you figure out how to get the scale to read in pounds before you do one of these things

3.) get a better camera angle next time

Anyways, let me know what you think Eric. Next time I'll leave my keys in my pocket or throw on a 2 1/2# plate to get into the 350# club.

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Today was a hectic day for a number of reasons, but at least this is progress:

Lessons learned:

1.) it's not a bad thing to make attempts at a PR even if you're not feeling great

2.) make sure you figure out how to get the scale to read in pounds before you do one of these things

3.) get a better camera angle next time

Anyways, let me know what you think Eric. Next time I'll leave my keys in my pocket or throw on a 2 1/2# plate to get into the 350# club.

Strong pull, if you ask me, so well done! And that jungle gym should hold up pretty well for the kids :)

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Strong pull, if you ask me, so well done! And that jungle gym should hold up pretty well for the kids :)

Thanks! Yeah, the jungle gym has taken quite a beating between the kids playing on it, and me doing pull-ups on it for 3 years. I'm thinking of putting up a free standing pull-up bar though, so I can do muscle ups, behind the neck pull-ups, etc.

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I somehow haven't paid any attention to this thread for a while. Anyway about the only variation of a chin/pull up I can do without elbow problems is neutral grip - acceptable? No bar to put the chin over is a problem, I can see that but I'll give it a go here anyway before long. I did 90 and missed 100# at 207 BW the other day but form was not very strict - I didn't even remember this thread before trying that. I may try for the 300 club - time will tell.

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Eric is judge/jury, etc. of the thread. I think neutral grip would count as a chin-up. I had a similar problem with elbow tendonitis issues from pull-ups this past winter. I went about 6" wider, and now my elbows are fine. It requires more strength in the middle of the range of motion, but I think that it's easier at the finish to go wider. Just my opinion, other's may have a different opinion. I do need to do more chin-ups to mix it up, and stimulate more progress I think.

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Congrats to Morgan, Tom, and Martin!

Martin, rounding off to the nearest whole pound places you in the 350 Club.

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Congrats to Morgan, Tom, and Martin!

Martin, rounding off to the nearest whole pound places you in the 350 Club.

Eric - you are most gracious!

Time to focus on 375! :shuriken:

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Chin peaked over the bar at 328lbs tonight. I'm really trying to get my chin completely over the bar - very hard. I think I've been cheating a bit much in my training. Maybe some heavy negs will help with that.

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I'm a big fan of dumbbell rows, kettlebell rows and inverted rows for building the finishing power.

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Oink! Oink!

So I did a deload this week, and have been quite generous with the calorie intake lately. I up'd the attached weight and the body weight for an attempt at 359.5# total. I'll let Eric be the judge. I also tried for a better camera angle as well.

Time to start losing a few pounds. If I get back down into the 240's, I could easily pull up 106#+ with me.

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Nice work, Martin! Coincidentally, your body weight percentage stayed the same, but I updated your performance at your heavier body weight, as that makes it even more impressive.

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Nice work, Martin! Coincidentally, your body weight percentage stayed the same, but I updated your performance at your heavier body weight, as that makes it even more impressive.

Thanks!!!

Yeah, I know the percentage didn't move. Time to lose some weight!

Edited by bwwm
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Here's my first submission. Managed a 5 kilo PR in the pull-up: BW + 45 kilos in plates for a total of 137.1 kilos. What says the judge? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE3Jp6UG7Do

Excellent control!!! I can see why with the ceiling being that low. Nice job!!!

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Here's my first submission. Managed a 5 kilo PR in the pull-up: BW + 45 kilos in plates for a total of 137.1 kilos. What says the judge? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE3Jp6UG7Do

Excellent control!!! I can see why with the ceiling being that low. Nice job!!!

Thanks Martin, happy with it myself, too. I wish the low ceiling would be the reason for getting the last few inches so slow :)

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