When I was a teenager, I made it my goal to do a pull up. So I bought a pull up bar that attached to the doorframe of my bedroom. Whenever I walked by my room, I grabbed the bar with both hands and jumped up so my chin was just over the bar. I tried to keep my chin above the bar as long as possible. Then in a controlled manner, I slowly lowered myself back down. In personal training jargon, I was doing an isometric exercise (holding my chin above the bar for a few seconds) and also focusing on the eccentric or negative phase of the movement (slowly lowering myself back down). That’s one way to do a pull up.
My video below shows a progressive approach to doing a pull up. Using the LifelineUSA XT Jungle Gym
, I begin with Assisted Body Rows, progress to Squat Pull Ups, move to Jump Pull Ups and finish with regular Pull Ups. For the first exercise, to adjust the amount of body weight you pull, all you need to do is change your body angle or position. For the second and third exercises, you can adjust the amount you pull by incorporating more legs into the squat or jump portion of the pull up. For the final exercise, doing a pull up with full body weight is all you. Core strength, technique and good body mechanics are key. Here you go!