Thread: How to increase number of pullups

I have been working out on a pull-up machine that has several different settings to lower the amount of weight I'm pulling up. Since I weigh almost 200 pounds, doing many pull-ups without any assistance at all is difficult for me. With the setting removing around 70 lbs, so that I'm pulling up around 130 pounds, I can do four sets of 10-12, but pulling my entire body weight up, I can only do 2-3 pull-ups (four sets). So what's the best way to be able to increase my strength level and do more of the pull-ups without assistance from the machine?

do real pullups and try to increase the reps every time you do them. To get better at pullups, then do pullups (if you can do them). Once you can do pullup there really is no need to do assisted pullups as they don't have nearly the same carryover to pullups as, well, pullups themselves.

Lower the resistance. If you're at 70, go to 60, then 50, and so on.

Just do what karky n Tony says n keep doing proper one's, and just do your usual other back exercises which will help assist.

Here is a sad admission:

I was a fat little kid. Back in 5th and 6th grade we had to do the 'Presidential Physical Fitness Challenge' (you know, how many situps, pushups, pullups you could do in 60 seconds). We had one pull up bar in the school gym, so when you were doing your pullups, the whole class was watching. I was able to do exactly 1/2 of a pull up. It was humiliating. I got home and told my father how I hated everybody for laughing at me. He just said "Let's fix it so next year you'll do much better".

He set up a pull up station in the basement and said "Try it". I failed miserably. So he put a chair under it, and basically had me use the chair so I could get into the top position of the pull up, but then I would use this to do negatives, lowering myself as slowly as I could. In little time at all, I was able to ditch the chair and start doing full pull ups on my own, and got progressively better.

So 'cheater-negatives' may work for you too.

Originally Posted by SXIPro

He set up a pull up station in the basement and said "Try it". I failed miserably. So he put a chair under it, and basically had me use the chair so I could get into the top position of the pull up, but then I would use this to do negatives, lowering myself as slowly as I could. In little time at all, I was able to ditch the chair and start doing full pull ups on my own, and got progressively better.

I've heard that on T-Nation too, your dad obviously knew what he was doing

Did you get the chance to show off the following year?

Originally Posted by CCR

I've heard that on T-Nation too, your dad obviously knew what he was doing

Did you get the chance to show off the following year?

Funny you should ask. I came in 3rd the next year. Who beat me? My brother took 1st and my best friend took 2nd. As you can see, the pull up station in my cellar got a lot of use, not only by me.

I've never incorporated pull ups in my routine ever. Are they effective as I'm considering in adding them?

Originally Posted by AnThHh

I've never incorporated pull ups in my routine ever. Are they effective as I'm considering in adding them?

I think you should definately do them, once a week at least. They a good compound exercise plus its a good bodyweight exercise.

Well, I think pullups are one of the finest sheer strength exercises there is, and I thank you all for your input.

One thing I do when i come across a pull up/chin up plateaeu is i would switch do weighted pull ups with much lower reps, higher sets. has helped me increase strength once i get back to BW pull ups.

Originally Posted by Wasatch Rebel

I have been working out on a pull-up machine that has several different settings to lower the amount of weight I'm pulling up. Since I weigh almost 200 pounds, doing many pull-ups without any assistance at all is difficult for me. With the setting removing around 70 lbs, so that I'm pulling up around 130 pounds, I can do four sets of 10-12, but pulling my entire body weight up, I can only do 2-3 pull-ups (four sets). So what's the best way to be able to increase my strength level and do more of the pull-ups without assistance from the machine?

I've had the same problem and this is what I do. I workout my back once per week, and I do around 4 sets of pull-ups that day. I have a spotter which helps me squeeze few more reps, the last few reps he gets a pretty good workout . So you should have a spotter to help you out. That's the first thing.
The second thing is
Do one set of pullups each workout, meaning even if you don't have to do pull-ups on that day, do one unassisted set, and that's it. That's how I got my reps up. This helps get your reps up, and because it's only one set it wont affect your workout

thanks. I'll give that a try.