Here's an 'Easy' Workout to Build Strength for Pull-ups

There is always talk about military members having to do pull-ups, at least in the Marine Corps and the Special Ops side of the house. The pull-up is extremely important to any tactical profession. What follows are some workouts to take into the gym and build up to your first pull-up or even build up to double digits.

If you find yourself in a gym, unable to do a pull-up and are looking for a workout to get you there, I recommend  the super-set circuit. It is a simple program and goes as follows:

Repeat 4-5 times (Do every other day, three times a week)

• Pull-ups max*
• Pulldowns 10-15 (make it heavy and only do after failing at pull-ups)
• Grip work: Try some of these Operator grip options for one minute.
• Dumbbell rows 10/arm
• Biceps curls 10-15

If you need more of a rest between pulling exercises, you may want to "rest" with another exercise. Abdominal exercises, plank poses, leg exercises, running for 2-3 minutes or pushing exercises are great ideas for pull recovery exercises.

If you cannot do any pull-ups, this is where getting your arms used to your body weight is critical. In place of pull-ups, do:

Jumping pull-ups: Get up to the bar by jumping and pulling at the same time. Hold yourself there for a few seconds, then slowly lower yourself back to the ground. Do as many of those as you can in place of pull-ups.

Five-second negatives: Get up to the bar any way you can, even if this means stepping up on a chair or bench. Get into the flexed-arm hang position and slowly lower yourself to the slow count of five Mississippis. Repeat 1-2 times. Once this gets easier, try to stop the downward movement halfway for 1-2 seconds.

Other articles:

• Three-Phase Program on Pull-ups for USMC tests
• Pullup Push: Have a plateau on your pull-ups but still in single digits? Try this.

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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