Here's a fun video from Pittsburgh Fitness Project that my fellow weightlifter Ashley and I made! We try not to take ourselves too seriously.
A simple cue to help you engage more muscles in your back to improve your pull-ups. Your "scaps" or scapula is your shoulder blade! The surrounding muscles that support the shoulder are involved in protraction (think reaching and rounding your shoulder blades forward - like giving someone a hug!), retraction (pulling the shoulder blades back and together - think proud chest), elevation (raising shoulder blades up), and depression (lowering shoulder blades down).
Focus on pulling your shoulder blades back and down (squeeze together), engaging your lats (big back muscle!) and keeping the core nice and tight as you pull yourself up. Breathe out on the way up (exhale on the exertion portion!)
A few progressions if you're still working on your first pullup:
- Use a box to lift yourself up to the top of the bar and hold at the top then slowly lower down for 3-5 seconds (keep feet on box at first then progress to without!)
- Place a band under the foot to assist
- Practice TRX Rows (using straps and placing feet on the ground with body at an incline), dumbbell rows, supine (face up) rows, and lat pull downs!
- Lots of patience!!!
Email me with any questions :)
In strength and health,
Marisa