Pull-Ups – 008

About five weeks ago, I started the Recon Ron pull-up program. I had considered at least five (probably around eight) other programs, including the Armstrong pull-up program. I chose the Recon Ron program for its simplicity. You just read the number of pull-ups to be done per set and do them. The other programs require you to do things like determining the maximum pull-ups you can currently do or determining how many sets you are going to do in a day, or keeping track of when to increase the number of pull-ups and so on. The Recon Ron program simply has five sets of pull-ups to be done in each day’s workout, with the number of pull-ups in each set already specified for you. So you simply read and do. And of course remember where you are on the program. Ideally, each step is to be done for one week, then you go to the next step, that has a slight increase in the number of pull-ups.

At first, I was doing the pull-ups on a climbing frame in a children’s playground in the place where I live. The most comfortable grip I could get on the frame was a neutral-grip (with my palms more or less facing each other. I say more or less because the bars I was holding are not quite parallel). I searched the Internet and found that those were considered chin-ups, which are supposedly slightly easier than pull-ups. All the same, I used the playground for about three weeks. At first, I was unable to do the number of pull-ups required in each set, so I simply did what I could in each set, but still did the total number of pull-ups required for each day. I was pleasantly surprised after about two weeks to find that I could complete the number of pull-ups required in each set, though I increased the rest period between sets from two minutes to three. Maybe that is too much rest.

Last week, I bought a door-frame pull-up bar and fixed it on the bathroom door. This bar allows me to use various grips as I choose – palms facing away (proper pull-ups), palms facing me (chin-ups), palms facing each other, or a combination. I can also do wide-grip or narrow-grip pullups. I was pleased to find that despite having been using the neutral-grip, I could still do the required number of proper pull-ups in each set.

So now I can follow the program in the comfort and privacy of my home, without having to go outside (sometimes at night) to do pull-ups as neighbours look at me. We will see how it goes. I should be able to do twenty pull-ups in one set in about four months from now (Week 19 of the program).

The program has no further details on how it should be followed, so generally it is up to you to decide how often to do the pull-ups. I am currently trying to do them four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday).

While on the subject of pull-ups, if you are unable to do one, you may want to consider doing push-ups (also known as press-ups). I started doing pull-ups maybe six or so months ago (not counting any done randomly in my younger days) and I do not remember trying to do assisted pull-ups or negatives (doing only the lowering part of the pull-up). I had been doing pushups with some regularity, and when I tried to do pull-ups, I think I did maybe four or so. So, I think if you can get yourself to do pushups, you will probably find that you will be able to do more than one pull-up when you try.