Fitness Tips Archives | Pull Up Professors

Upper Body Stretches

Do you love the way it feels when you stretch after waking up in the morning? There are several reasons why it feels so good to stretch. Our bodies can greatly benefit from stretching, and everyone should include stretching exercises into their daily routines, and as part of their workout plans. Stretching can relieve a lot of soreness that comes from working out, but it can also do so much more for your body. It helps you to remain flexible and have a good range of motion, improves the posture, and helps to reduce the risk of injuries, especially during workouts or sports activities.

Stretching for Mobility, Flexibility, and Strength

These common upper body stretches are all easy to do, and you can include them in your workout routine, do them in the morning, or any other time when you feel like you need to stretch those muscles. It is a good idea to get into the habit of taking regular five-minute stretch breaks while you are at work. Taking these breaks will make you feel refreshed, and you will actually get more work done.

Triceps Stretches

Let’s start off with triceps stretches. It is important to include stretches for these muscles in your routine. A good stretching exercise for the triceps is to stand straight, with your feet at shoulder-width. Reach your left arm over your head, with the palm facing the center of your back. Grab your left elbow with your right hand, and press down on the elbow until you feel a mild stretch in the triceps muscle. Hold for 30 seconds, and then repeat with the other arm.

Biceps Stretches

The next muscle we are going to work on is the biceps muscle. One of the best ways to stretch this muscle is to do a doorway biceps stretch. This is easy. All you have to do is stand in a door way, making sure that your left side is facing the doorway. Rest your palm and forearm against the front of the wall. With your arm against the wall, slowly twist your torso to the right. When you begin to feel a slight stretching in your arm, stop, and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

Upper Arm Stretches

Now we are going to take a look at stretching the upper arms. This is actually another biceps stretch. Stand a couple of feet away from a wall, with your legs close together. Face away from the wall, and bend over a bit, so your arms are extended straight in back of you. Place your palms against the wall, fingers pointing upwards. Slowly begin to squat, keeping your hands on the wall the entire time. Continue squatting until you feel the stretch in your upper arms, and hold this position for 30 seconds.

Abdominal Muscle Stretches

When stretching the upper body, you also need to stretch the abdominal muscles. The cobra stretch is ideal, because it not only stretches the abdominal muscles, but also the muscles in your lower back. To do this stretch, lie on the floor, flat on your stomach, with your legs straight behind you, feet together, and toes pointed. Place the palms of your hands flat on the floor, beside your chest. Exhale, and use your hands to push your torso upwards, keeping the rest of your body flat on the floor. Hold the shoulders back, and then hold the position for 30 seconds before lowering your torso back to the floor.

Ab Stretches

Finally, we get to the abs muscles. To do this stretch, begin in a kneeling position, with your torso straight and your hands placed on the back of your hips. Keeping the lower part of the body in place, begin to lean the torso back (arch your back) until you feel the abs beginning to stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds and release.

Benefits of Upper Body Stretches and Stretching in General

It is so important to make sure that you incorporate stretching into your daily routine, and even more important that you do stretching exercises before working out, in order to avoid muscle strain and other injuries. It is also important to stretch following a workout, for the same reasons. There are several health benefits that come from stretching, including the following:

Better Flexibility – The more you stretch, the more flexible you are going to be. Think about yoga. Most people who practice yoga are extremely flexible. What is yoga? It is basically a series of stretching exercises that help to keep the body strong and flexible.
Better Range of Motion – When your joints are well-stretched, you will have a better range of motion. This is going to help to reduce the risk of falls, and of being injured if you do fall. The older you get, the more important it is to keep up with your stretching exercises.
Relieve Stress – Another reason why people do yoga is because it can help them to relieve stress. This is because stretching is a great stress reliever, helping to relax the tense muscles in your body that often are caused by stress.
Better Circulation – When you are doing regular stretching exercises, you are helping to increase the flow of blood to your muscles. This in turn helps to improve your circulation, and reduces the healing time for muscle injuries.
Better Posture – Stretching keeps the muscles nice and loose, and keeps them from tightening up. This is going to help you to have better posture, because you will be standing straighter. It will also reduce a lot of aches and pains, especially in the neck and lower back.

Conclusion

There are few things that feel better than stretching, and the more you do it, the more your body is going to thank you for it. Stretching can help to prevent a lot of health problems, as well as help to heal injuries faster. Make sure that you do stretching exercises each morning, before and after every workout, and before going to bed at night.

Chin-Ups vs Pull-Ups

A lot of people think that chin-ups and pull-ups are the same thing. This couldn’t be any farther from the truth. While both exercises look similar, there are actually a lot of differences. Today, we are going to discuss these differences, and then take a look at some of our favorite chin-up/pull-up bars that can be used at home, or anywhere else.

What are the Differences between Chin-Ups and Pull-Ups?

While they do look similar, chin-ups and pull-ups work different muscle groups, so both exercises should be added to your routine for a complete workout. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between these two exercises.

Muscles – When you are doing chin-ups, you are really concentrating on the biceps. Pull-ups work a completely different set of muscles, concentrating on the shoulders to the mid-back area, and helping you to achieve that swimmers’ V-shape.
Grip – With chin-ups, your hands are facing you, and you will use a shoulder-width grip. With pull-ups, your hands are facing outwards, and a wider shoulder-width is used. There is also a neutral grip, where the palms are facing each other, and this is used for both types of exercises.
Movement – With pull-ups, shoulder adduction is used, meaning that the elbows press into the body. With chin-ups, the shoulders are extended, and the elbows come down and back from the front of the body.
Strength – You will use less strength for chin-ups than pull-ups, so many beginners start out with chin-ups and then work their way into pull-ups later. This is because chin-ups put the biceps in a line of pull that is stronger, so you have more strength for this exercise.
Safety – Both chin-ups and pull-ups are completely safe exercises, provided that you are doing them correctly. The biggest concern with both is the neck, and the shoulders can be injured if you are using too wide of a grip.

If you ask a trainer which exercise they recommend, they are likely going to recommend both, unless of course you just want to focus on a certain area. Both types of exercises are beneficial in many ways, and should be a part of your total body workout.

A great way to take advantage of this workout even if you don’t have a gym membership is to use some kind of home-based pull up bar, like a wall mounted bar or a doorway bar.

Here are a few examples:

ProSource Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar

The ProSource Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar is a heavy-duty bar that you can put in any doorway, making any room in your home your own personal home gym. This is a multifunctional piece of equipment, with 12 grips and several of handles so you can do a variety of exercises without ever having to leave the comfort of your home.

Features

If you are looking for exercises to increase upper body strength, you need to start doing pull-ups and chin-ups. You also need to have a safe and well-constructed bar to work with, and that is just what you get with is chin-up/pull-up bar. Features include:

Construction – This bar is made from high-grade steel, so it is built to last. It can easily hold up to 300 pounds of weight.
Warranty – This product comes with a limited lifetime warranty. If there are any issues due to manufacturer defects, you can have it replaced with no hassles.
Many Uses – You can perform a variety of exercises with this bar, including wide, hammer, and close-grip exercises such as pull-ups, sit-ups, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy to Assemble – This bar can easily fit into any standard doorway. It is quick to install, and there is an assembly guide included, so you can set it up in just a few minutes.
Home Workouts – This is a great piece of gear for your home gym, and it is going to help to intensify your workouts and increase your upper body strength.

Cons

Sturdiness – Some users have reported that this bar doesn’t stay in most doorways unless it is attached to a ledge above the door.

Heavy Duty Doorway Pull-Up/Chin-Up Bar

If you want a chin-up/pull-up bar that is easy to install and use, check out this heavy-duty bar for home gyms. It can easily be installed in a standard doorway, and it only takes a few minutes to set up, so you can start using it right away to intensify your workouts. There are three grip positions, narrow, wide, and neutral, so you can increase the level of difficulty and get more results from your workouts.

Features

You might think that all pull-up bars are pretty much the same. The truth is, they all have different features, weight capacities, etc. This bar is great for use in your home, and you can get a full upper body workout with just one piece of gear. Features include:

Portability – Not only is this bar easy to set up and use, you can move it around. This means that you can even bring it into the office if you want to do a quick workout on your break.
Variety of Exercises – Use this bar for many different exercises, including pull-ups, triceps dips, push-ups, sit-ups, dips, crunches, and more.
Installation – All you need is a door frame, and you can install this bar. It uses no screws, and it won’t cause any damage to your door. It installs in just a couple of minutes and is ready to use.

Pros & Cons

Pros

All-in-One Workout – You can get complete upper body workout without having to use a lot of different machines and spend a lot of money.
Price – When you can spend less than $50 on a piece of workout gear that will let you do a variety of exercises, you can’t really beat it.

Cons

Construction – Some users have reported that this bar is not as easy to install as the manufacturer claims, and that they were unable to use it without screwing it into the door frame.

Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar

The Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar is perfect for a variety of exercises that are going to build the muscles in your back, neck, and shoulders. It can be used in any standard doorway, and there are no screws that are going to cause any damage to your door or frame. You can set it up in seconds and start working out right away.

Features

Weight Capacity – This bar can hold up to 300 pounds of weight. So, you will be able to easily add weights to your routine to really intensify your workouts.
Fits Most Doorways – You can set this bar up in just about any doorway that is 24 to 32 inches wide, with molding up to three and a half inches wide.
Durability – This bar is made from durable, heavy-duty steel. It is not going to bend in half as long as you don’t exceed the maximum weight capacity.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Multiple Uses – You can do a variety of exercises with this bar, including pull-ups, chin-ups, push-ups, dips, and crunches.
Installation – This chin-up/pull-up bar is easy to install. It only takes a few seconds to fit it into place, and you can start using it right away.

Cons

Assembly – While the manufacturer claims that no screws are needed, there are screws that come with the package, and some users have reported that they are missing and they are unable to install the bar.

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Bar & Portable Gym System

The Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Doorway Pull-Up Bar and Portable Gym System is a complete gym that you can take with you anywhere. It is easy to install, and you can be working out almost as soon as you take it out of the box. This is a great bar for a complete workout, because you can work your back, shoulders, neck, abs, arms, and legs.

Features

One of the things that we love the most about this bar is the fact that it is so portable. Unlike other workout stations that require a fair amount of assembly, this one can be set up in just about any doorway, in just a few seconds. Features include:

Weight Capacity – This bar can easily hold up to 300 pounds of weight, allowing you to add more and more weights to really intensify your workouts and build your back muscles.
Door Frame Guard – Unlike other bars, this one comes with a rubberized door frame guard, so there will be absolutely no damage to any door frame you use it in.
Paddle Handles – The paddle handles allow you to use three different grip positions: normal, closed, and hammer.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy to Store – Because this is small and doesn’t come with a lot of hardware, this bar is easy to store in just about any closet, and it will even fit into a drawer when you are not using it.
Floor Exercises – You can also place this bar on the floor for a variety of floor exercises, including sit-ups and push-ups.

Cons

Weight Capacity – The manufacturer claims that this bar will hold up to 300 pounds of weight, but some users say that it has broken with less than 150 pounds of weight.

Yes4All Deluxe Chin-Up Bar

The Yes4All Deluxe Chin-Up Bar is your all-in-one piece of workout gear that no home gym should be without. It is made from solid stainless steel, and it has a one-piece construction for extra stability and durability. It can support up to 300 pounds of weight, and it is ideal for anyone to use, no matter what their fitness level is.

Features

If you want a home gym, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money on gym equipment, this bar is the answer to your prayers. It can be used for a variety of exercises, including floor exercises, so one piece of gear that costs less than $100 can give you a total body workout. Features include:

Grip Positions – This bar has five thickly padded grip positions that are made from comfortable, soft foam and will help to protect your hands from slipping.
Fits Most Doorways – This bar will fit into most standard doorways measuring 33 inches to 37 inches. The door thickness should be 4.75 to 6.25 inches, including trim.
Warranty – This chin-up/pull-up bar comes with a one year warranty, and a 60-day return policy. If you are not happy, return it within 60 days for a full refund.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Construction – This is a bar that is made from heavy-gauge steel that is 1.6 mm thick. It is not solid steel, but it has plenty of strength and can support up to 300 pounds of weight.
Multiple Exercises – As we mentioned you can get a total body workout when you use this bar. You can use it for chin-ups, pull-ups, triceps dips, and a variety of floor exercises.

Cons

Safety – Some users have reported that the hardware is of low quality, and that they will come right out of the wall, making this bar unsafe, even for weights below 200 pounds.

Wear Pull-Up Gloves for a Safer Workout

Since we are talking about gear for pull-up and chin-up workouts, we feel that we should mention pull-up gloves, also known as cross-fit gloves. Basically, they are the same gloves that you would wear for any type of weight training, and they are going to help protect your hands from blistering and calluses. They will help you to get a better grip on your chin-up/pull-up bar, so you are not going to slip and injure yourself.

Conclusion

If you want to really get a great workout, you need to start doing exercises with a chin-up/pull-up bar. Any trainer will tell you that if you want to build strength, using a bar is one of the best ways to do it, because it will make any workout a lot more intense, and you will be working those muscles much harder. Any of these bars will be great for your workouts, and you will never be limited to where you can work out, because you can take them with you anywhere.

Which Muscles are Used when Doing Pull-Ups?

We all know that certain muscles are used when performing certain exercises. But, do you know which muscles are used for each exercise? For instance, do you know which muscles are used when doing pull-ups? If you are not used to doing pullups, you are probably thinking that they work all of the muscles, because they are so difficult to do. Actually, they do work several muscles, but not all of them.

Obviously, this is an extremely challenging exercise, and one that you likely are not going to be able to do right away. It is going to take some practice. Let’s take a look at the muscles that are used when doing pull-ups, and how the muscles are used. We are also going to take a look at how to avoid making certain mistakes when doing pull-ups.

How are Pull-Ups Done?

We’ve all seen people doing pull-ups, but there is a lot more to it than just grabbing the bag and pulling yourself up. A lot of people think that in order to get the most out of pull-ups that they have to do many, and quickly. Actually, you can benefit a lot more by doing fewer of this exercise, and doing it slowly.

Start out by hanging from the bar. You will then need to use your upper body muscles to bring your body up to the bar. Once you are in this position, slowly begin to lower your body. Doing this exercise, and most other types of exercises, slowly is going to require a lot more muscle control, which is obviously going to give those muscles a better workout. This is an exercise that is going to help tone your entire upper body, particularly your arms. It will also give you that V-shape on your back that is common for swimmers to have.

Now let’s talk about the muscles that are used when doing pull-ups.

Are Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups the Same?

Many people mistakenly believe that pull-ups and chin-ups are the same thing. These are actually two completely different exercises, although they do look similar. Both of these exercises do work the back muscles, but they do different things. When doing pull-ups, your palms are facing away from you. You are using a grip that is wider than the width of the shoulders. When doing chin-ups, your palms will be facing toward you, and the grip is just at shoulder level or even closer. Actually, this exercise is also often referred to as a reverse grip pull-up, but technically, it is not a pull-up.

Which is More Difficult, Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups?

Pull-ups are actually the more difficult of the two exercises. Because of the positioning of the biceps, chin-ups are easier to do. The biceps are facing each other, whereas with pull-ups, the biceps are facing away from each other, which means that they are working harder. Also, the wider grip makes the exercise more difficult. The upper and outer back area is worked harder when doing pull-ups, but the middle back is worked harder when doing chin-ups.

Have You been Avoiding Adding Pull-Ups to Your Workout?

A lot of people avoid adding pull-ups to their workout routines because they think that they are too difficult. Yes, they are difficult, at least at first. Once you get used to doing pull-ups, they will be a regular part of your workout routine that you won’t even think about. You will just do them. The more you do them, the more you are going to be able to do, and you are going to end up with the back that you have always wanted. There are very few exercises that are going to give you these same results.

You might not believe it right now, but once you get used to doing pull-ups, you will actually start to find them too easy, and you will start adding weight. This is going to give you an even better workout, and the more you do it, the more weight you will end up adding. You are going to have a back that is wide, sexy, and strong. Sure, you may have difficulties at first, but so does everyone else. You know those guys who look like they were born doing pull-ups? They certainly didn’t master the exercise overnight. They worked at it, and if you work at it too, you are going to make the exercise look easy as well. Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at the main muscles that are used when doing pull-ups.

What Exact Muscle Groups are Targeted?

Once you know how to do a pull-up and the differences between similar excises, it’s good to know what exact muscles get the most benefits from them. As they are a compound exercise, you target quite a few regions.

Latissimus Dorsi

The shoulders are used the most when you do pull-ups, and this action is known as shoulder adduction, or in other words, moving the upper arm bone so it presses into the body. The muscle that causes this to happen is called the latissimus dorsi. This muscle is triangular in shape, with the base of the triangle being the starting point of the muscle, between the middle and lower parts of the spine. The top part of the muscle represents how the latissimus dorsi stretches out to the upper arm bone. When you are doing a pull-up, this muscle pulls at the arm bone, thereby adducting it into your body, causing the body to rise up to the bar.

Teres Major, Teres Minor, and Infraspinatus

The muscle that goes from the back of your shoulder blade and out to the upper arm bone is known as the infraspinatus. Below this area is the teres, and below that is the teres major. Both start on the shoulder blade, and then work their way out to the upper arm bone. These muscles work together to help the latissimus dorsi do its job with the shoulders adduction while doing pull-ups. Basically, this is the movement that is going to move the upper arm bones closer to the body and lift it up to the bar, thereby helping the latissimus dorsi.

Pectoralis Major and Coracobrachialis

Now let’s look at the muscles that span out into the shape of a fan at a 90-degree angle. The top part of the fan is the beginning of the pectoralis major. This muscle spans the entire length of the breastbone. The bottom part of the fan is the insertion of the pectoralis major, and it stretches to the upper arm bone. Working with this muscle is the coracobrachialis muscle. This muscle starts at the front of the shoulder joint. It stretches to the upper arm bone, and the two muscles work together to help the latissimus dorsi when doing pull-ups. Basically, it is the action that moves your body upwards.

Triceps

Next we move on to the triceps muscle, which consists of three heads. These heads are referred to as the lateral, long, and medial. All three of these heads are used at the elbow to straighten the arm, going down the arm bone and to the elbow joint. But, the only head that actually starts right at the shoulder blade is the long head, and it is the part that is used when doing pull-ups, and it is used in shoulder adduction. The long head also helps in how the upper arm bone moves into the body, along with the lifting action.

Summing Them All Up

So, now you know that pull-ups are a compound exercise that works several muscles in the upper body. The main muscle this exercise targets is the latissimus dorsi, also referred to as the lats, which determine the width of the back and give you that V shape. If you want to have this shape, one of the only ways that you are going to get it is by doing pull-ups. Other exercises will work different areas in your back, but the only thing that comes close to pull-ups is swimming, which is why you see so many swimmers with that V shape in their backs.

There are also other muscles that are put to work when doing pull-ups, although not nearly as much as the muscles we have already discussed. These additional muscles are the traps, teres major, infraspinatus, erector spinae, pecs, rhomboid, and external oblique muscles. So, you can basically consider pull-ups to be a complete upper body exercise that really focuses on the lats and biceps.

This exercise is also going to make your shoulders look broader, because it helps to widen the back, which lends to the appearance of wider shoulders. In addition to having wider looking shoulders, pull-ups are also going to help you to have stronger biceps and forearms, and this exercise also helps to work the upper back. So, you don’t necessarily have to do a lot of shoulder exercises to get wider shoulders. All you need to do is add pull-ups to your workout routine.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When doing any type of exercise, including pull-ups, it is important to do it properly. If you do not know what you are doing and you aren’t doing the exercises the right way, you could end up doing a lot more harm than good, and you could even end up with an injury. Unless they are taught how to do pull-ups properly right from the start, most people tend to do them the wrong way. They will hold onto the bar and then use their momentum to lift themselves up, causing the body to swing. There is no control when the exercise is done in this manner, and it isn’t going to do a whole lot of good. Other mistakes to avoid when doing pull-ups include:

Not Controlling Downwards Movement – Many people think that you have to do exercises quickly to benefit from them, including pull-ups. Actually, the slower you do this and other exercises, the more the muscles are going to have to work.
Doing Kipping Pull-Ups – There is a pull-up variation used in crossfit training known as the kipping pull-up, which is done by swinging the body up and down. Not only is this not very beneficial, it can actually damage your joints.
Doing Behind the Neck Movements – You are not going to benefit from doing behind the neck pull-ups, and this can even cause a lot of damage to your shoulders. It might look cool, but all you will be accomplishing is showing off, and possibly an injury.
Using too Wide of a Grip – Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will get wider lats if you use a wider grip. Again, this can lead to shoulder injuries, because it reduces your range of motion. The best grip when doing pull-ups is just slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. It causes the muscles to work harder without injuring them, and it lets you add more weight.

Conclusion

Taking on physical challenges is one of the best way to get your body into great shape, and keep it there. If you really want a challenge, pull-ups are definitely the way to go. This is probably one of the most challenging exercises you can do, and one of the most beneficial once you get the hang of it. There are so many benefits from doing pull-ups, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on exercise gear. In fact, you can get a pull-up bar for around $20. This is the idea exercise for anyone who wants to work out at home and avoid paying for expensive gym memberships, because you don’t have to spend a lot of money, and you can use the bar pretty much anywhere.

If you are beginning a new exercise routine with exercises you are not used to doing, such as pull-ups, it is a good idea to discuss it with your doctor prior to starting the new exercises. This is particularly important if you do have any current health issues that you are being treated for. Your doctor may okay this routine, or they may offer other exercises that are going to be safer for you to do instead, such as swimming.

Top 4 Exercises You MUST Add to your Routine

The majority of gym goers start off with basic bodyweight exercises before they learn anything else, bodyweight squats, press ups, burpees, planks etc … But once they learn how to bench press properly, or how to deadlift they tend to neglect these awesome moves.

But this could be a big mistake, as a lot of bodyweight exercises are actually better than the resistance alternative. In this article we are going to look at some of the more effective bodyweight exercises and compare them to a common resistance or free weight exercise.

You may already have heard about some of these moves, but you may not have heard some of the expert tips in the videos we feature, so we strongly suggest that you watch the videos in addition to the written instructions to master your own bodyweight routine.

Calisthenics 101

So you’re into pull ups, great, but did you know they are only one part of a complete bodyweight arsenal you can deploy to build the physique you’ve always wanted? We break down the Top 4 Exercises you absolutely MUST be doing if you want a well-rounded full body workout. Seriously, this is not hyperbole, pull ups are great but you need to diversify to work other parts of your body as well.

Exercise #1. Pull Ups

Pull ups are a great exercise for the back. They work the Biceps, the Brachioradialis, Trapezius, Latissimus Dorsi, and the Teres major and Rhomboids. This makes them great for improving posture as well.

The common exercise that is performed instead is the lat pulldown, but as Shaner et al proved free weight exercises (and yes pull ups count as a non-fixed exercise) are more effective than resistance machines [1].

Check out this awesome overview by natty phenom Omar Isuf explaining how to perfect your pullups. This video is Pullup Professor approved!

This is because the slight instability will result in more muscle fibre activation and more Testosterone and HGH produced. This means that devoting the same amount of energy to pull ups as you would lat pulldown would lead to improved strength gains.

Pull ups also give you so much more variety than lat pulldowns do, you can do overhand, underhand, close, wide, and even mixed grips. You can perform typewriter pull ups, or commando pull ups, or even just eccentric pull ups (which I guess is technically a pull down).

Exercise #2. Press Ups

Or push ups, whatever they’re called. This exercise hits the pecs, the anterior (front) deltoid, and the triceps. It’s also one of the first exercises that anyone remembers doing (badly) in high school. For many people that’s the last time they bother doing them too! But press ups are a fantastic way to build muscle and particularly increase their size.

Comparing press ups with another traditional gym exercise such as the chest press proves just how good they can be. You have regular press ups which most casual gym goers would struggle to hit 10 in a row, whereas the chest press can be as light as 5kg total weight.

Nobody knows how to do a proper press up better than a Navy Seal. Check out this official Navy Seal press up overview below:

Then there are plyometric press ups which increase power, this could be recreated with a chest press but not without getting a ticking off from the gym staff! Press ups can be performed pretty much anywhere too. Next time you want to win a bar bet it’s a lot easier to drop down and get started then it is to drag a chest press machine with you to bars.

Exercise #3. Dips

Bodyweight dips are a very difficult exercise that targets the chest, tricep, and shoulders. Unlike press ups you can’t perform them anywhere you need two parallel bars that are correctly spaced out. But they are a bodyweight exercise nonetheless.

As controversial as this might seem, some people believe that parallel bar dips are a more effective chest exercise than the bench press! There is a greater range of motion and it provides a better chest stretch.

Below natural bodybuilder and general “badass” Scott Herman explains how to SAFELY do dips for your chest and triceps.

The downside of dips is that they are incredibly hard to do, and are not for beginners. This issue can be solved with either a resistance band draped over the bars (takes away a lot of the resistance) or with a dip machine that uses a counterweight to make the exercise easier.

Exercise #4. Lunges

Lunges are an excellent lower body exercise that work the glutes and the quadriceps, many people perform weighted lunges but a well executed bodyweight lunge (particularly walking lunges) can be just as effective.

Lunges; the only exercise hated more than the squat. When done regularly however, they can hit the glutes and hamstrings and outer quadriceps like no other exercise can.

Again there are also a large variety of lunges that you can perform, there are jumping lunges, walking lunges, reverse lunges, side lunges, split squats, front-foot elevated split squats, back foot elevated split squats. Plus many more. Compare this to the leg extension, which is fine but only works the quadriceps.

So there you have it the top four bodyweight exercises, try to find a way to fit each one into your training program. You may be surprised at how difficult they are to complete.

Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below!

References

[1] Shaner, A., Vingren, J., Hatfield, D., Budnar, R., Duplanty, A., Hill, D. 2014. The Acute Hormonal response to free weight and machine weight resistance exercise. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 28(4): 1032-40

Spice Up Your Pull Ups: Creative Exercises for the Bar

Pull Ups are among the most difficult and impressive exercises you can perform in the gym. Whilst nearly everyone can bench press/squat/deadlift after a few weeks training, it can take people months or even years to master even the basic pull up (none of that ‘kipping’ rubbish, and yes, sorry Crossfitters, they are rubbish as we explained here the other week).

But once you’ve managed to perform a regular pull up, what can you do next? This article will look at how to perform the basic pull up, how to step up the difficulty if required and how to make them slightly easier if you cannot manage a full pull up just yet. Ready to learn a thing from the Pull Up Professors? Good! Now sit down and take notes!

Exercise #1. The Pull Up

An exercise that works the lats and the Trapezius muscles, the pull up also works the biceps and brachialis. Grab a bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away from you) with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Don’t forget your dark sunglasses if you really want to look like a complete BAMF out there on the beach!

Keeping your elbows flared out throughout gradually pull yourself up until your clavicle (collar bone) is in line with the bar. Pause and then lower yourself back down again in a slow and controlled manner. For best results try pushing your chest out slightly so that there is a slight arch in your back, this will lead to greater lat activation.

Exercise #2. The Chin Up

If you are struggling to perform a full pull up then the chin up is a decent substitute as it is slightly easier to complete. It also works the biceps more directly so you could also use the chin up as an awesome addition to an arm workout.

Grab the bar with two hands in an underhand grip, make sure that your hands are relatively close to each other. Pull yourself up to the bar as you would with a regular pull up, pause, and then slowly lower yourself back down again.

Exercise #3. Eccentric Pull Up

Another regression from the standard pull up that is also an excellent exercise in its own right (aren’t pull up the gift that just keeps on giving?). The eccentric pull up involves only the lowering portion of the pull up.

So for starters you are going to need a box or step or something so that you can start at the top of the movement with your collar bone in line with the bar. The idea with an eccentric lift is to fight gravity as much as possible, so don’t drop down. Instead lower yourself as slowly as possible fighting to stay up as much as you can. Once you finally reach the bottom you can let go of the bar and climb back up to the top. Eccentric training has many benefits such as improved hypertrophic response (bigger muscles for all you bros out there!) [1][2].

Exercise #4. The Inverted Row

If even the eccentric pull up is a bit challenging (or if you’re looking to knock out a high-rep set) then the inverted row is the exercise for you. A smith machine is perfect for this, but any bar that is set at waist height is perfect.

Lie under the bar with your hands holding on to it in an overhand grip and shoulder-width apart. Keeping your heels touching the floor and leg straight raise your body off the ground. Then you can initiate the exercise by pulling yourself up until the bar touches your chest, pause, and then lower yourself back down until your arms are straight.

Exercise #5. Wide Grip Pull Up

This exercise is performed exactly the same as the regular pull up but with your hands much further apart. This makes the exercise much more difficult to perform but the benefit is that it will work your Latissimus Dorsi muscles much more than the regular pull up.

Exercise #6. The Typewriter Pull Up

Start in the usual pull up position and raise yourself up until your collar bone is level with the bar. Then you are going to slide your body to the left (keeping your hands in the same place) so that your right shoulder is now on the inside of your right hand and your left shoulder is on the outside of your left hand.

Pause and then slide along until your right shoulder is on the outside of your right hand. Move back into the central starting position and lower yourself down. That’s one rep. The movement is similar to how a typewriter moves as you write, hence the name.

Bonus #7. The Marine Pull Up Routine

Ok, so this is more of a series of pull ups and it does require you have some sort of jungle gym near your house, but the combinations are so awesome we thought we’d include it anyways. This Marine is absolutely jacked and you can bet your ass he got that way largely from high volume workouts featuring body weight exercises like the ones mentioned above.

Check him out for a little playground inspiration!

References

[1] Pope, Z., Willardson, J., Schoenfeld, B., Emmett, J., Owen, J. 2015. Hypertrophic and Strength Response to Eccentric Resistance Training with Blood Flow Restriction: A Pilot Study. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching 10(5): 919-931

[2] Armstrong, R., Warren, G., Warren, J. 1991. Mechanisms of exercise-induced muscle fibre injury. Sports Medicine 12(3):184-207

Why Kipping Pull Ups Suck!

Kipping Pull Ups are either seen as a harmless pull up variation or as the world’s most pathetic exercise … Depending on who you ask. The truth is more nuanced than that, but in a straight shoot out between proper pull ups and kipping pull ups there is only ever going to be one winner.

If you’re expecting a character assassination of your Crossfit loving buddy then you might be disappointed, but you should have some ammunition the next time you get into an argument about whether kipping pull ups count or not.

But before you do, if you’re not up on what Crossfit even is, this BroScience vid breaks down how much of a joke the whole organization is.

So what are kipping pull ups?

Essentially the kipping pull up is a pull up performed with abysmal form! You grab the bar with a shoulder-width (or slightly wider) stance. Hanging from the bar, you violently thrust your chest towards the bar whilst pulling your shoulders back, this brings you to the bar using the momentum of the thrust rather than the back and arm muscles.

The kipping pull up is a much more dynamic version of the pull up, you swing your legs to gain momentum and then use that momentum to throw yourself up towards the bar. When performed correctly the kipping pull up looks like something taken out of a gymnastics event.

The kipping pull up came to be used by Crossfit a few years ago and is an accepted version of a pull up in their competitions, so in that sense it is a legitimate exercise. It is however not a pull up. If you want a strong back then these aren’t the exercises you want to use.

You know how in the gym some people perform bicep curls by rocking back and forth to gain momentum? Nobody has ever seen that and gone “Wow great bicep curl buddy”, this is because they are terrible for isolating the biceps. If the guy responded by saying “this is my own exercise it’s called the ‘rocking bicep curl'” it wouldn’t suddenly make it a good exercise.

Are there any benefits to Kipping Pull Ups?

Sorta. Kipping pull ups could be used as a good finisher for pull ups, so let’s say you’ve performed 3 sets of 10 reps of strict pull ups but you want to do one last set. You manage 3 reps but can’t perform any more. Throwing in some kipping pull ups might be a good option to reach true muscular fatigue. Kind of like a drop set.

It’s the same principle that many fitness experts agree can be useful in resistance training. Perform the majority of your repetitions with excellent form, but towards the end you can let form drop off slightly so that you can grind out a couple extra reps.

As a standalone exercise the kipping pull up is only necessary for Crossfitters. The exercise has a higher injury rate than any other form of pull up and there are few strength training benefits. Quality over quantity should be the mantra that you follow whenever you step inside a gym, so lower reps of good pull ups would make much more sense.

Feel free to use kipping pull ups as a finisher if you want, but even then you could probably get similar if not better results from a lat pulldown machine. Or you could try inverted rows, or assisted pull ups. All would be great ways to add a finisher to your pull up workout.

The Bottom Line

Kipping Pull Ups are an exercise that have their place in Crossfit but are an unnecessary addition to your current training program. Doing them week-in week-out would not help you improve your strength nor will they help you get better at regular pull ups. At best there could be some hypertrophic gains, but concentrating on regular pull up form would eventually yield far superior results.

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