Incorporating pull ups

[Billy-Hunt]

I would be interested in finding out the best way to go about incorporating pull ups to tactical barbell strength template as my max pull up number is 7

This rules out WPU as I’ve not reached 10

Reading the book my numbers at the max percentage levels would be:

4 reps for 5 sets (20 total)
5 reps for 5 sets (25 total)
6 reps for 5 sets (30 total)

However my form goes after 3 sets of six and I’m fatigued ending up doing 4 sets of 6 (24 in total) that’s extending the rest period past the minimum of 2 minutes, so I feel as though my progression is stalling

Any advice in either:
1. How to program when you stall with body weight pull ups
2. Alternative that works to increase pull up numbers to 10

I use the Fighter program with 3 HIC sessions added on, realistically I have two gym strength sessions to train pull ups and possibly one more I could squeeze some in dependent on commitments

Have been training pull ups for over 12 months and can’t get past 7 as maximum

[CD51]

I’ve never been good at pull-ups, shoulder injuries and long arms. I have been working on pull-ups lately and seeing success. I am incorporating multiple low rep sets in between squat and press sets. I’m working up to 10x3. When I get there I’ll drop back to 6x4 and increase sets from there. Once I get to 10x5 I’ll be happy and retest my max. I know I went from 4 reps a few weeks ago to two sets of five the other day.

[Billy-Hunt]

Good call I’ve just done 2 blocks of Fighter (12 weeks) I’m due a 3 week SE I’ll therefore try:

5 LSS + 3 pull ups/10 KB Swings for 10 sets for three weeks

Following which I’ll test my one rep max then try and incorporate sets of pull ups in between my lifts so as you say try to build up to 5 pull ups for 10 sets then retest

[godjira1]

you are on the right path by not maxing every session. I cannot speak for how you will respond but I usually do the following ladder program every couple of months (an example from back in JUN18):
11 Jun 18: 2-2-3-4-5.
13 Jun 18: 2-3-3-4-5.
15 Jun 18: 2-3-4-4-5.
18 Jun 18: 5-5-4-3-2.
20 Jun 18: 6-5-4-3-2.
22 Jun 18: 6-5-4-3-3.
25 Jun 18: 6-5-4-4-3.
27 Jun 18: 6-5-5-4-3.
2 Jul 18: Max reps: 13. Bah.
I usually rest about 2mins between sets. And also, I tend to go a bit slow on the eccentric lowering portion, more to save my elbows, but I found that they also resulted in a better training effect. I come back to this program every couple of months, with 8-12 sessions before testing and quite reliably I can hit between 12-15 reps.

In a nutshell, you probably need less volume than you think to reach the 10 rep target.

[Billy-Hunt]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it, I will try the low volume across about 10 sets first then may try the ladder in my next block of SE in the summer to see whether it works for me

[grouchyjarhead]

I personally have had great success with the Recon Ron program. Pull-ups 6 days a week, 5 sets, comfortable volume. I went from a tough 6 breaking 10 easily in about two months. Once my bicep tear is healed, I plan on running it again.

[Billy-Hunt]

Thanks for that, looks similar to ladder approach out of intestest have you run this alongside one of the strength templates ?

[Stefano]

Recon Ron is a great program, I had great success with it...another successful approach I followed was the ladder method, you can accumulate a lot of good reps without burning out (as Pavel’s advice)

When you are able, definetely go with WPU, my BW reps increase as a result of my weighted pull ups strength

[Billy-Hunt]

Thanks for the advice it worked, managed 10 pull ups today after 2 months of ladders twice a week

Can move on to adding weight and using it within a strength template now