I have never been able to do pullups even when I was in HS. Can anyone tell mehow to improve that ? :?:

depending on how you hold your hands, you use either your biceps (palms toward you) or triceps (palms away). These are the muscle groups you need to focus on to do improve your pullups.

Like everything else, the best way to improve pullups, is to do pullups.

Muscle failure is key. Do what you can on your own and then have a buddie give you the minmum amount of assistance needed to continue. Do the negatives too.
Don't let your body lie to you; you can do more no matter what it says.

thanks

im on exodus from OSUT right now, were in the last week of white phase/ week 5... anyway since i've been there we have only done pullups once... we never do them and the time we did them we only did a five count set, so basically i've done a total of 5 pullups in 5 weeks... i would concentrate more on your pushup and situp form... get with ur recruiter and have them teach you the CORRECT way to do a pushup

I know I have already been through once and I am currently getting ready for OBC and Airborne school, when I recieve my commision.

I know this is an old message thread, but I'll reply anyway, as I know not everyone can easily do pullups.

I bought a cheap pullup bar from Wallyworld and installed it in a doorway. I have a routine where everytime I go upstairs in my house, I will automatically go over to the pullup bar. Initially I couldn't pull myself up, and I mostly hung from the bar. I then started adding exercises like legs lifts while hanging. As my muscles have slowly been building up, I'm finding that I able to finally do one pullup. I know if I keep at it, they will slowly increase. Persistence is the key. I feel pretty weak only being able to do one right now, but it's one more than I was able to do 2 weeks ago.

Everyone has trouble with pullups! There are PT stud guys who can still only do about 10-15 pullups. Take Daddy's advice about hte negatives. If you have a buddy helping you holding your feet, make sure you come back down as slowly as you possibly can. It should feel burning.

There is also a machine available at some gyms which will allow you to practice pullups. You can add weights which will assist in the effort (the weight will lift up the platform upon which you kneel). In lieu of having someone around to help, this would seem to be a gradual way to build them up.

Right now I'm reading Stewart Smith's "The Complete Guide to Navy SEAL Fitness". If the data in the book is current, even the Navy SEALs pullup minimum is 8, though the 'competitive range' is 20-30. There is advice given for those who have trouble with pullups:

"Do negatives to build upper body strength. A negative is half of a complete repetition. Simply put your chin above the pull-up bar by stepping up to the bar. Then, slowly let yourself down to the starting position counting to 5. By fighting gravity on the downward motion of the pull-up, you are getting your muscles used to lifting your body weight."

I Froogled a pull up bar. They are cheap and fit in most doorways.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?btnG=Search+Froogle&l...ull+up+bar&lnk=qsugt

I just bought one at the PX for $7.95

yeah but I want a free standing unit

Does anyone know if they do pullups as part of PT now? They are mentioned in the fitness guide that is issued to people in the DEP. When I was in basic back in 1997, the only time I saw people do pullups was in the chow line (there was a pullup bar then, and it was usually utilized by those caught talking).

It is part of one of gthe standardized PT routines.

We've only been doing them maybe once a week and you get assisted, so it's really not that bad.