The pull-up is the ultimate marquee step when it comes to bragging rights. Many people, including professional athletes, believe it is difficult to master. It's almost as if they've won a badge of honor when they eventually arrive.
Yes, there's a sense of pride there. However, the physical advantages of the workout make it worthwhile to work up to: It works the entire upper body, including the heart, quads, and glutes. It's a true total-body workout.
This sequence of exercises improves every muscle used in a pull-up and teaches the body to learn how to do the exercise correctly. (In other words, don't swing like a pendulum or shimmy your chest toward the bar.) Perform 3 or 4 sets of each exercise in order twice a week.
1. Plank on the Knees:
How to do it:
* Place your hands under your shoulders and stretch your legs behind you in a push-up position.
Return to the starting point by bringing the right knee to the right elbow and then extending the right leg.
* Switch sides and put the left knee to the left elbow before returning to the starting spot.
Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, alternating legs.
2. Row with a 45-degree incline:
How to:
* Keep an EZ bar shoulder-width apart with palms facing away from you when lying facedown on an incline bench.
* Straighten your arms away from your shoulders.
* Bring the bar toward the bench by bending your elbows back.
* Return to the starting point by stretching your arms.
* Reps should be between 10 and 15 per set.
3. Vertical Row:
How to do it:
* Standing with feet slightly wider than knees, anchor the middle of a resistance band at waist height.
* Extend arms straight out in front of chest and squat until thighs are parallel to the floor, holding one end of the band in each hand with palms facing each other.
* Maintain a squat posture while bending your elbows and pushing the band toward your face.
Return to the starting point by stretching your arms.
* Reps should be between 10 and 15 per set.
Pulldown in a Kneeling Position:
How to do it:
* Kneel under a resistance band with your left knee on the floor and your right foot a stride in front of it and anchor it overhead.
* With arms spread overhead and palms facing forward, hold one end of the band in each hand.
* Bend your knees and raise your hands to your shoulders.
* Return to the starting point by stretching your arms.
* Reps should be between 10 and 15 per set.
* On the next set, turn legs (place right knee on the floor).
5. Knee Raise in the Air:
How to do it:
* Hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing behind you, grab a pull-up rope.
* Extend your limbs to the point that you're hanging from the bar with your legs straight.
* Bend your knees and lift them toward your chest while holding your upper body still.
* Return to the starting point by extending your legs.
* Reps should be between 10 and 15 per set.