Pull ups

[brian]

Assuming one's objective was strength and strength endurance, can pull ups and push ups be performed almost daily?

If there is some soreness the following day, is it alright to do a less intensive training session?

I suppose common sense and "knowing your body" should be the determining factor. I'm just curious if body weight exercises are seen as less stressful on the body than external resistance training.

Thx,

Brian

[Master Trainer]

That kind of depends on how many push ups or pull ups you can do... If you can already do more than 15 pushups I can guarantee that doing only pushups (no matter how many) will not increase your "strength". It's kind of like saying, "Who is stronger?", a man that can press 10lbs. one hundred times or a man that can press 100lbs. ten times. Definitely the man that can press 100lbs. ten times. Same goes for pull ups using only your body weight. However, muscular endurance may definitely be increased by doing multiple high reps sets of either.

I typically like doing body weight exercises like push ups and pull ups because the body does seem to respond better to these exercies as compared to comparable free weight lifts. Assuming the load of both the free weight lifts and your body weight are comparable. Bottom line is : if your body doesn't provide an ample weight, heavy enough to "overload" your muscles you won't get any stronger or bigger/leaner for that matter.

Just my drop in the bucket!~

[Bill Hartman]

Strength and strength endurance are at opposite ends of the strength continuum, so here's a thought...

Prioritize your maximal strength training and you will improve both strength qualities.

Here's why...

Each time your maximal strength improves, prior weights become a lower percentage of your 1 rep max (1RM). You can usually do more reps with a lower percentage of your 1RM.

For instance, If you can do 10 reps with 75% of your 1RM...

1RM = 270, 75% = 202 x 10
1RM = 300, 75% = 225 x 10, 67% = 202 x 15 (?)

You just increased your strength endurance.

Start adding weight to your chins in the 3-6 rep range for 3-4 weeks and then retest your max reps on chins and you'll see what I mean.

Use push-ups as extra workouts to increase work capacity and to promote recovery from heavy pressing workouts. These workouts should be brief (10 minutes) and follow the main workout by about 4-6 hours.

You may also find this article helpful:

http://www.prperformance.com/maxing_...s_and_dips.htm

Hope that helps.

Bill Hartman, Level 371 HARTMAN certified

[Q.]

Originally posted by Bill Hartman:
Start adding weight to your chins in the 3-6 rep range for 3-4 weeks and then retest your max reps on chins and you'll see what I mean.

Bill Hartman, Level 371 HARTMAN certified

Whaaaaaa? Only Level 371??? You need to spend the $$$, take another class and get that up a notch! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Just wanted to say that I've been doing weighted chins the past two weeks (thanks to Bill!) and I've already noticed a difference! This has helped more than anything I previously tried.

Q

[mitsuman47]

Originally posted by Master Trainer:

Where have you been?! It's been like 3 months since you posted. Do you not like us here on the froum anymore?


POST MORE!

[brian]

Thx guys.

Bill:

Is the 10% rule applicable to weighted pull-ups?

I am 165 lbs. I was a little too exhuberant when I first used a weight vest. I think I tried to do pull-ups with 30 or 40 lbs. After 2 or 3, I thought my shoulders were going to pop out of their sockets.

I haven't used the vest since. My max w/o the vest is probably 10 to 12. It has been about six months since I did pull ups.

Guess I should begin at a safe external load.

[Bill Hartman]

Use just enough weight to keep you "comfortably" in the upper range for maximal strength development (5-6 reps) until you get used to it.

No sense in making your arms longer

You also don't need to add too much volume of heavies to make a big difference.

Bill Hartman

P.S. Vary your grip width by 1 or 2 inches on each set. It will stimulate a broader variety of motor units.

[Master Trainer]

Mitzuman47,


Yeah, sorry about my abscence dude! But JP's has been working ass off . Not that it's a bad thing- A guy's gotta put bread on the table right?!!