Bodybuilding With Pull Ups

A simple pull up bar  can be more effective than elaborate exercise machines for bodybuilding. In grade school, the person that can do a pull up is often revered as the strongest in the class. Pull ups are a great way to build muscle–and show off how awesome you are. It is often called the “upper body squat”. This is not a simple exercise that just anyone can do–even some of the strongest of men have difficulty doing a pull up.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Here are 7 ways to improve your pull ups–and to get the ladies to revel at your bulging muscles.

• Do as much as you can, then rest five minutes. Then, do as much as you can again, and rest another five minutes. Do as much as you can again a third time. Do this every other day. When you can do the same amount of pull ups all three times, increase our repetition by one the next time.
• Keep your form. The minutes that your rep does not look exactly like the last one, you are done. When you slow down, your set is over. As your form gets worse and worse, you become less effective, and you are done.
• Reduce excess body fat. This may be seen as an obvious, but if you have a lot of excess fat, doing a pull up is going to be a lot harder for you. Before you hop on the pull up bar, maybe hit the cardio a little bit harder.
• Start your pull up in the right position. If you don’t start in the right position, it is going to be a lot harder for you to do effective pull ups. When you get on the bar, put your shoulder blades down and lock them into the sockets. You will ensure that you won’t cause any injuries, and you will probably be able to do even more pull ups.
•  Bend your elbow only slightly during your set. Many people mistakenly believe that they need to bend their elbows to ensure a proper pullup–but it will only lead to injury.
• Pull with your lats. When you start to exert pressure, you want to make sure that your lats go off first–not your biceps. If you are having trouble with this, ask a friend tap your lats so you know what to flex.
• Chin goes over the bar. There are many fitness instructors that urge you to get your chest to clear the bar. You get the same benefit if your chin goes to the bar–so save yourself the energy and try to do more.