How to Increase Pullups

Teammates, here's a great question from Michael G.

I keep reading about these incredibly difficult workouts prompting two questions on my part. One, what is the best way to increase my ability to do more pullups? I do about 20 to 30 perfect pushups every other day and 30 to 40 dips every three or four days and I am still having trouble doing more than 3 pullups in a row. I try to do a total of 10 pullups during the day in 2s or 3s.

Second, what is the best eating plan for recovery. I find that after my workouts it takes me at least two to three days to recover and even then I am pushing it a bit.

I am 50 years old so I presume that affects recovery time. Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. MG

Michael! Awesome question – thanks for writing in! I’m going to answer it in two parts – Part One – Increasing Pullups and Part Two – meal plans (and I’m going to assume you do NOT own the Perfect Pullup with rotating handles):

Part One – Increasing your pull-ups. Here’s the deal – and it’s all good news – you are more than strong enough to hammer out 10 Pullups in a row. Let's set that as your first goal. Here’s how you’re going to do it in 30 days or less:

a. Conduct your Push (pushups/dips/bench presses, etc) and Pull (pullups and chin-ups) exercises on the same day.

b. Give yourself a break every other day – do no more than 4 Push/Pull workouts in one week – when you’re just starting out try 3 times in a week and work up to 4 times a week.

c. Workout: Alternate a Push exercise with a Pull exercise – e.g. conduct 10 pushups then knockout 2 pullups; then do 10 dips followed by 2 chin-ups (FYI – pullups are with hands facing away from you; chin-ups are hands facing toward you).

d. Once you can’t do any more sets of 2 pullups and 2 chin-ups, then perform negatives of both pullups and chin-ups.

e. Performing a Negative Pullup/Chin-up: jump and pull yourself simultaneously to the top of the bar (inhaling as you do it) – once you have your chin above the bar lower yourself slowly (count to 5) ALL the way down.

f. Rep goals:
1. Week one – do 3 pullups and 3 chin-ups negatives (after you’ve done as many as you can unassisted)
2. Week two – do 5 pullups/ 5 chin-ups negatives
3. Week three – do 7 pullups/ 7 chin-ups negatives
4. Week four – take an extra day off and do a one set max of pullups and let me know how you did!

Again – LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES! Look for Part II, "the best eating plan for recovery", in a few days.

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN