Blast from the Past : Getting Over It - Chin-ups & Pull-ups
Making the most of the chinning bar.
by Scott Andrew Bird
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Filed in : Blast from the Past
Tags : assistance device, bands, bodyweight, chin-up, conditioning, grip, parkour, thick bar
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Serious weighted chins. Superb.
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 :
- Plyo Pull-up Progressions
Martin Rooney demonstrates a progression from standard chin-ups up to the clapping variation. Superb.
- Pull-up Progressions
If the clapping pull-ups aren't going to happen anytime soon, here's a simple progression up to the standard chin-up. Excellent.
- Rafter Pull-ups
Want a dose of grip work with your chins? Have a go at these.
- Jack Arnow's Assisted OAC Setup
When you're training for the One-Armed Chin-up (OAC), there are several ways to gradually increase the resistance (such as with a towel or rope). This is one of the better ones. Good stuff.
- Parkour conditioning for upper body and core
Finally, Glasgow Parkour's Zeno demonstrates several great chin variations (on thick bars) in this clip. Nice one.
Further reading
Want more? Take a look at these :
- Fattening up the chin-up bar
This is a great way to increase the grip component of any pull-up variety you perform. As a bonus, it often eliminates any elbow pain caused by your chinning work. - Gorilla Chins
I love these. Gorilla Chins are simply a combination of a Hanging Knee Raise and a standard chin-up, which certainly gets the blood pumping. Good fun. - Weighted Pull-ups on a Moving Bus
There are many ways to make your chins and pull-ups a little more challenging, including this : performing them on a moving bus. Great idea.
Equipment
Wondering what to use? How about these :
- Jungle Gym
As shown in the 'Pull-up Progressions' clip above, it's a perfect way to use any quantity of assistance. Just hook it up and go. - Iron Woody bands
Whether you use them for assistance or resistance, bands are fantastic things. And as you'll quickly discover, they're incredibly versatile. - Weight Belt
Looking to add a bit of weight to your chins and pull-ups? This is a great way to do it. Also ideal for weighted dips.
There's also an incredible array of articles and videos on this site. Use the search box at the top of each page, or get in touch directly.
Scott Andrew Bird is a writer, photographer and a guy who just loves this stuff. He's been at home in front of a computer for more years than he cares to remember (OK, 35) and is now making amends for years of many mistakes noted in the De-constructing Computer Guy articles (part 2) on T-Nation.
Find out what he's up to via Twitter, Google+, Facebook; and of course his online home. Enjoy.
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70 of the Best : 7 Years of Straight to the Bar.
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.
Glossary - Strength Training Equipment.
What does it all do?
Setting Up A Home Gym.
Ready to get started? Great.
DIY Equipment Ideas.
Stuck for ideas? Try these.
Muscle-Up Progressions.
Time for your first.
The Bodyweight Aficionado's Guide to Gear.
A few extras that can add a whole lot of possibilities.
Of course, if you enjoyed these, I'd highly recommend grabbing the Strength & Fitness Newsletter. Delivered weekly, and absolutely free.
(there's also a Daily Update, if you're looking for an even larger dose of training-related goodness.)
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Fantastic discussion.
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just joined us? try these
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DIY: How to Build an Olympic Weightlifting Platform
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Building A Neck Of Steel
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Straight to the Grip Contest
Jedd 'Napalm' Johnson
A Little Yoke Work : 10 Exercises for a Bigger Neck
Scott Andrew Bird
29 Things to do with a Barbell in the Corner
Jason Kirby
Get Mental! The Psychology of Strength
Josh Hewett
Small Victories
Josh Hanagarne
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ready to get in shape?
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top-form-fitness.com/online-coaching
Highly recommended. If you're looking to get serious about 'getting in shape', book some time with Josh. Fantastic guy.
setting up a home gym?
If you're getting ready to put together a solid Home Gym (fantastic thing), here's how.
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There are a number of articles that may help you in your quest. Specifically :
- Grrl's Valentine's Day Wishlist (Kat 'The Mighty Kat' Ricker)
- The Bodyweight Aficionado's Guide to Gear (Jason Kirby)
- Recommended Books and DVDs on Strength-Training & Nutrition (The Straight to the Bar Authors)
And there's also the full list of the fitness-focused books and DVDs we've looked at over the years : Reading
NB : if you're still not sure what to get, there's always the option of buying them a gift card. There are certainly plenty of options; Amazon
's still my favourite.
Now it's your turn. Let us know how you get on, and feel free to share any photographs of what you bought or how it's being used.
Look forward to hearing from you.
strength calendar
Looking for an upcoming competition, or know of one in your area? Why not add it to the spreadsheet.
reading : Ferocious Fitness (Phil Ross, Marty Gallagher)
Remember this? Great book. Ferocious Fitness : A Fighter's Proven Action Plan to Develop Blazing Power, Animalistic Strength and Killer Conditioning is a distillation of Phil Ross' training wisdom, in the form of a superbly comprehensive book. We took a look at the digital version recently, and you'll be pleased to know that the paperback version is now available. Definitely worthy of a place on the fitness shelf. Phil Ross' Ferocious Fitness.
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talking about If you tweet a lot about fitness and would love to be on this list, let me know.
giving
If you've been training for a while, gradually cleaning up your diet, no doubt you've experienced the amazing power of transformation. It's a tremendous feeling. If you're ready to give someone else a hand to transform their own lives - through education, sharing equipment, financial help - take a look at the full list of organisations on the Giving page. Cheers.
daily newsletter
For some people, this site's weekly newsletter (The Strength & Fitness Weekly - part of the Strength Kit) isn't quite frequent enough. For those I produce a daily version, which you can grab here. Absolutely free.
love your grip work?
Check out The Grip Authority. Fantastic site.
want to help out?
As you've doubtless noticed, in addition to the main site is a Community on Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Wherever you are, a daily dose of strength isn't all that far away.
To help run all of these sites, we're on the lookout for several additional Moderators. To welcome new community members, bring up new items to discuss and generally keep the conversations on track.
If you're already spending a bit of time at any of the above sites, and would like to offer your services as a Moderator, just drop us a line. And thanks for that, it really is appreciated.
in the wild
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the future of fitness
Over the years we’ve looked at the fitness industry from a number of angles - discussing the history, present approaches and potential future trends involved. Fascinating areas.
When it comes to the last part - discussing potential future trends - things get a little, well, unusual. If it’s an interest you share, or you just want to find out the types of things we think are likely, check out the posts tagged ‘Futurism’. And of course, Gymchat 224 (Roundtable) - The Future of Fitness. Superb discussion.
leave it in the ground
On Straight to the Bar we talk a lot about air pollution, primarily from a gym-owner's perspective. In the 'Leave it in the Ground' newsletter we look at the topic far more broadly - the gradual move away from the use of fossil fuels. Daily, and free.
elsewhere
As you can see, we love talking about training. In addition to the conversations on here, in the Google+ Community, Twitter and so on are discussions on several other great fitness-focussed sites.
Check out :
- Josh Hewett : Occlusion Training with BFR Straps – Blood Flow Restriction for Size & Recovery
- Al Kavadlo : Air Baby Tutorial
- Dictated Journeys Of A Personal Trainer : My caloric goal achieved using the s health app on my phone
- Gains & Aesthetics : In a rut with your routine? Tips to get motivated again
Of course, we're always on the lookout for new additions to this list. If you'd like to suggest a site you've come across personally (or perhaps one that you run), drop us a line.
checking out
TUWAN (Anti-Snoring Pillow Pad)Interesting idea.
The TUWAN is a pair of devices - one to detect snoring, the other to move the pillow slightly - shifting the snorer's head. Although I haven't tried this myself, I'm keen to give it a run.
Ever tried one - or anything similar - yourself?
In the meantime, a spot of video :
If you're new to the world of nail bending, this is the perfect book to get. It'll show you the exact techniques you'll need to get started right away. Written by world-class bender 'Napalm' Jedd Johnson.
The Diesel Crew's Card Tearing eBook
This is a fantastic book. If you've ever considered learning this incredible strength feat, the Card Tearing eBook is the perfect place to start. Love it.
Confused about what to eat, how much to eat; even when to eat? This book will help you get the most out of your food plan. Superb.
Mike Gillette explains the various ways to put the gymnastic rings to work - progressively - in Rings of Power. With clear emphases on both strength and rehabilitation, it's an ideal place to start.
Particularly those of us in the 'over 40' crowd.
When it comes to body transformation - whether that's an increase in strength, packing on a bit of muscle or losing a bit of excess fat - this is the perfect place to start. Dr Berardi's Precision Nutrition.
This is a fantastic book. As Josh explains, it superbly shows what's going on while you train. Love it.
The Art of Expressing the Human Body
If you've ever watched a Bruce Lee film and marveled at his strength, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility or muscularity, this book should take pride of place in your collection. Unlike many other writings covering everything from Lee's training methods to nutrition, this book is based not on the recollections of people around him; but on Lee's own notes. Brilliant.
For a full list of what we're reading at the moment (training-related and otherwise), join us on Goodreads. And for a cut-down list showing only the ones we recommend, swing by the Recommended Books & DVDs page. See you there.