Results tagged “chin-up”



Nice one.





NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

We also discuss a number of training-related books. If you're looking for the full list of the ones I recommend personally, swing by Goodreads. Great site.





Very interesting ideas.





NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

We also discuss a number of training-related books. If you're looking for the full list of the ones I recommend personally, swing by Goodreads. Great site.





Nice one.





NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

Although I have a tendency to do pull-ups outdoors (there's a park not far from my house), I was chatting to someone yesterday who's keen on the indoor variety. Seems like he gets a fair bit of snow.

With that in mind, I pointed him towards the Bodyweight Master™ Free Standing Pull Up Bar on Dragon Door. Looks good.




NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

We also discuss a number of training-related books. If you're looking for the full list of the ones I recommend personally, swing by Goodreads. Great site.


Shoulder Rehab Work - SttB Articles




Nice one.


NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

The Pullup & Dip - SttB Articles

Finally saw someone (a personal trainer with a large group of clients, outdoors) using one of these - a Pullup & Dip (portable outdoor chinning bar & dip station). Works extremely well.

And if you're not quite sure what I mean by 'portable outdoor chinning bar & dip station', here's a bit of video :



The Pullup & Dip. Great idea.




NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

We also discuss a number of training-related books. If you're looking for the full list of the ones I recommend personally, swing by Goodreads. Great site.





Wonderful combinations.



NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

Push-Away Pull-Ups - SttB Articles



Interesting variation Nick.



NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.

Muscle-Ups For Reps - SttB Articles


Nice one. btw, if you're currently unable to do them, here's the basic progression.


NB : We first looked at this one in the weekly Strength & Fitness Newsletter (part of the Strength Kit). If you'd like to have it sent to you automatically (free!) each week, just add your email here.
There are certainly many, many varieties of chin-ups and pull-ups. Fantastic exercises.
This week we're taking a detailed look at these amazing exercises, and discussing how to increase both their quality and quantity. Whether you can already knock them out by the dozen, or are gearing up for your first.

Helping us tackle this one - as well as your questions (just post them on the Event page, or use the Q&A tool during the discussion itself) is Strength Coach Frank DiMeo, joined by Personal Trainer (and Strength Athlete) Josh Hewett. Fantastic.

NB : We'd love to hear your questions and comments. If there's a particular subject you'd like Frank and Josh to address, just swing by the event page for this Gymchat and leave a comment or jump in the Q&A (during the discussion itself).

And if you'd like to point your friends/colleagues to the discussion, just use the 'share' button at the top of that page. The more the merrier.

Building a Salmon Ladder - SttB Articles

A Salmon Ladder is one of those things I'd almost forgotten about until I saw the ads for the television series Arrow, where he's putting one to work. I'd love to build one for the home gym here (or more likely, the backyard) - but how? There are a couple of basic approaches.

I'll detail those in a minute, but first, a spot of history :

What is a Salmon Ladder? How Did It Come About?

Think of a Salmon Ladder as an extra challenging pull-up variation, with a little kipping and plyometrics thrown in. The video below will show you exactly what it is.

As for the origin : as far as I can tell, the first time a Salmon Ladder was shown to the world was in competition 18 of Sasuke (shown in many countries as 'Ninja Warrior'); held in Spring 2007. The course was greatly modified following competition 17 (which was considered 'too easy' by some), and a number of new obstacles - notably the Salmon Ladder - were introduced.

To give you a taste, here's the Salmon Ladder being tackled admirably in a later Sasuke competition (Sasuke 27) :

As you can see, it's a fairly simple idea; though certainly a challenging obstacle. In fact, the first time it appeared in a Sasuke competition, only 50% of the entrants succeeded in negotiating it.

Straight to the Bar
Yes, I love the deadlift.
This site - Straight to the Bar - has been around for an incredible 7 years (the first post was on Jan 17th, 2004), and to say I'm grateful is a gross understatement.

Thank you.


There have been some superb articles in that time (my favourites are listed below), as well as training logs, product reviews, forum discussions and of course the twitterchats. It's really been (and continues to be) an incredible ride.

Before we dive in to the list itself, a quick word on the content : while it's quality stuff, there's a lot of it. Feel free to pick out your favourites, bookmark them, add them to Instapaper/Evernote/Pinboard; Stumble them and share them with your friends. Dive in.

Kipping Pull-ups - SttB Articles

Kipping.
Sometimes a straight line isn't the fastest way to get from point A to point B.
While Pull-ups are typically performed by going straight up and down, the kipping pull-up creates an arc, rather than a straight line, as a means to quickly propel the body upward.

In sports, there are rarely slow controlled movements like conventional pull-ups; real life activities typically involve using the body as a whole. Kipping pull-ups are an explosive, dynamic exercise, turning the pull-up into more of a full-body exercise as opposed to just working the upper body.

Utilizing the kipping technique for pull-ups usually allows for more total reps, which is why some gym rats have referred to it as "cheating." But I think that's somewhat of a juvenile attitude.

Ed Zercher
St Louis Strongman Ed Zercher demonstrating an Unsupported Leg Press.
Over the past six years this site's amassed an enormous amount of content. To help you find the highlights, I'll be taking a wander through the archives from time to time.
This week - The Forgotten Lifts III.

As you're probably well aware, I absolutely love sampling some of the older, less common exercises on a regular basis.

Some of these are still ideally suited to my training, and get used frequently; others are just fun to challenge yourself with. Whichever way they're used, here are a few more of The Forgotten Lifts :

Animal Strength's Darren Flagg at it again. Love the OAC from a 2" PVC pipe.

Over the past five years this site's amassed an enormous amount of content. To help you find the highlights, I'll be taking a wander through the archives each Sunday.
This week - Suspension Training.

As I mentioned yesterday, I love incorporating suspension training into my bodyweight workouts - particularly when travelling. Just hook it up and go.

Here's a sample of the many varieties of suspension work we've looked at over the years :

Opportunistic Chin-Ups - SttB Articles


Looks like I'm not the only one who sees chin-up bars everywhere. Good stuff.

Weighted Chin
Serious weighted chins. Superb.
Over the past five years this site's amassed an enormous amount of content. To help you find the highlights, I'll be taking a wander through the archives each Sunday.
This week - Getting Over It - Chin-ups & Pull-ups.

For as long as I can remember, I've loved doing chin-ups. Monkey Bars in the school playground, the backs of doors and of course the power rack. Here are just a few of the many varieties of chins and pull-ups we've looked at over the years :
Human Rack Lift
The Human Rack Pull.
Many of you reading this might be thinking "What in the world is a Human Rack Lift"? This is a very fair question and I will do my best to answer it for you. But first we must take a few steps back to my beginning and it all starts in The Rack.

Around 2002 I became very familiar with a piece of equipement that is often found way in the back of most commercial gyms. On the rare occasion you find the piece being used it will usually be some young noob performing barbell curls with 10# on each side.

For a true Iron-head like myself I find this very disturbing and fight the urge of picking the noob up and moving him down to the curl machines where he belongs.

This piece is called the Power Rack and it is all you need to get as BIG and STRONG as you yearn for.

On this rack you can perform Squats, Chin-ups, Shrugs, Heavy Floor Presses, Shoulder work, Heavy Rowing, Dips, Everything you need to forge yourself into a piece of Steel.

And then there is the exercise that has become synonomous with myself:

The Partial Rack Pull.

There are different ways to do this exercise but the version I prefer and that I'm known for is pulling the bar at a height just above the knees.

To do this take a measuring tape and measure 24" from the floor to the bar. This is the height that I pulled 1,500# from @ a 202# bodyweight in Florida at the Strongerman compound. If the height is correct when you step up to the bar it will sit right above your knees.

I use lifting straps when going this heavy from APT prowrist straps.

This is not an instructional on how to rack pull but rather, how I came to picking up humans instead of weight. To learn about rack pulling you can find some great articles on the web or go to my website www.mikethemachine.com and watch my promo video.

So just how did I start lifting Human beings?

When I speak and perform I would always finish my program with a 1,000# rack pull. It was actually 1,043# when all was said and done.

The problem with this was that as I became a better speaker and more bookings came in I was faced a problem. How in the heck am I going to transport 24-45# plates to different places?

I had to do something as this was a very original feat and the crowds loved it. My manager the great Dennis Rogers suggested why don't you lift people?

I was like Yes, Great idea! But how? So we started throwing around some ideas. I called my friend Mark Strickland and told him about the whole idea. Mark being the creative genius that he is wrote up some plans that day.

The next morning he called me and said he wants to show me something. That morning he gave me this paper with my exact vision of what I wanted. After much thanks and praise to Mark I then had to think ok, who can make this for me?

That is when I called my brother in iron Ryan Pitts from www.strongergrip.com I explained on the phone what the idea was and then sent him out the plans.

PRESTO!!! A few months later I had my Human Rack piece in my hands and ready to go.

Now I had a way to still do my 1,000# lift and needed no extra weight, I could use people from the audience to pick up.

Jason Kirby
Jason Kirby.
OK so lets face it, the bodyweight crowd out there doesn't really need to purchase any equipment that couldn't either be made or found, but presuming you're one of those people who wants all the latest and greatest gear, or just someone looking to add a few more tools to the toolbox and try something new. Here are a few pieces of equipment definitely worth looking into, and can add almost an unlimited amount of ideas and variation to your training regime.
So skipping the obvious tools like gloves, belts, straps, ipods, and nonsense of that nature lets choose to look at some of the best ideas out there that require little space, a small budget, and a bit of creativity. Going in no particular order I will give the pros and cons of some of the best equipment I have found out there, broken up into categories.

Suspension Equipment

This comes in all shapes and sizes but there are about 3 really decent pieces of equipment and after trying them all I will have to put my vote on two of them.
TRX
TRX.
TRX Suspension Trainer- this is essentially a webbing system with some foam hand grips, and foot cradles that can be hung on almost anything sturdy enough to hold you, and an optional doorway mount can be purchased if you have no choices left but your door.

Pros: The sky is the limit with this piece and while not everything that can be done with this is difficult you can make up your own exercises or opt to intertwine the straps together and go from two grips to just one. The difference can be huge. I will say that bulgarian split squats, leg curls, flys, power pulls, and t's are personal favorites that can be made more or less challenging depending on the angle you are standing or leaning.

Cons: The price is a bit high for a piece of webbing and all the claims about it being created by a Navy Seal are extremely annoying. If you need ideas you can purchase DVDs, posters, or a virtual trainer, but again you are paying way more than you should be.

EXF Rings- this brings us to the next nifty piece and that is a set of gymnastic rings. Simple and effective, they come in two colors, red and black, and can be hung in similar nature as the TRX although I recommend using something like a truss, pull up bar, power rack, or cable crossover station.

Pros: if you think bodyweight training isn't difficult try holding an iron cross or doing a one arm chin (OAC). The rings add an element of instability that just can't be replicated with free weights. Looking to shore on some size to your shoulders, chest, and back, then flys, push ups, dips, chin ups, and even levers can do just that.

Cons- while not as expensive as the TRX these are not cheap given their simple nature, they are also a bit harder to set up if you're indoors and do not have a sturdy object to attach them too.

Jungle Gym
Jungle Gym.
Jungle Gym- this is essentially a cheaper version of the TRX and an affordable alternative too. Virtually all of the same exercises can be used as well.

Pros- its almost half the price and is even lighter and more portable.

Cons- with price reflects quality, these things aren't as sturdy or as comfortable, but hey, who said exercising had to be comfortable.


Regeneration Tools


There are as many variations as the foam roller, myo ball or massage stick as there are colors in a paint store, but keeping it simple there are a few brands that are worth delving into. The beauty of self-myofascial release is that apart from the speedy recovery time in between workouts, it also loosens up scar tissue, connective tissue, and kneads the muscles, sort of like a sport massage, except its' just you.

PB Elite
PB Elite.
Foam Roller- K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple Stupid! You don't need anything fancy, but what you buy is what you get. I prefer Perform Better's PB Elite Molded Foam rollers, since they last much longer and are a bit stiffer.

Pros- They feel great, they loosen up sore areas, can help with thoracic mobility and they can be used for additional balance training.

Cons- For a piece of foam they aren't that cheap, but unless you want to buy a 6 inch PVC pipe which can be much less forgiving, or go the tennis ball route this is not a bad choice at all.

Myo Ball- essentially a mini, foam, gel, or air ball that may or may not have spikes that does essentially the same job as a foam roller. I like Perform Better's Spikey Ball.

Pros- the spikes get you even deeper, and feel amazing on tired feet.

Cons- the small ball takes longer to get your whole body.

STS Bar
STS Bar.
Massage Stick- I've used tons of these things and I prefer Perform Better's Tiger Tail or the Core Performance STS Bar. They essentially both do the same thing but the STS bar can be attached to elastic band or a cable pulley and used for torso training.

Pros- the stick is much more portable than the previous tools, and can hit places that the ball and roller just plain can't.

Cons- couldn't really think of any, this isn't really necessary, if money is an issue stick with the foam roller.

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