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Base Building - how to integrate Pullup Program

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:19 am
by Gr4f
Hello everybody!
After my presentation post i searched the forums for a bit wondered about how to best integrate a Pullup Progression into base building...

Age/sex - 34, male
Training Goal - Long term: balance Strength, Conditioning and Martial Arts
- Short term: Run Base building, increase Pullup / ChinUp Numbers so that i can start with weighted pull-ups
Strength Template - Base building
Conditioning Protocol - Base building
Lift numbers - calculated 1RMs in kilo (Squat: 100 / Bench 60 / Deadlift 130)
SE/Bodyweight numbers - My maxR for ChinUps is at 8 atm
Diet - Working on upping my protein intake, no special restrictions

So i started out reading TB 1 because of the challenge to integrate MS Training with Martial Arts / Conditioning and read through the forums, got intrigued by TB 2, read it and decided on running Base Building since i have not done any Cardio outside of the odd Boxing / Krav Maga Class for the last 4 months..

I will run Base Building (Endurance first) but i might have to tune it down a bit. For E (LSS) i am going with a Couch to 5 k program, alternatives being Rowing (Concept 2) or maybe a combination of Joel Jamiesons Roadwork 2.0: https://www.8weeksout.com/2012/02/23/ro ... -comeback/

The last two weeks i have been trying to improve my Chinups/ Pullups ygreasing the groove with submaximal sets (started with 3 reps for 6-8 sets last week and have been doing 4 reps for 6-8 sets per day this week.

Browsing site and forums i have basically found two options to continue the Pullups:

Option 1: Just integrate them in SE-sessions as described in the SE Options article from December
Option 2: Accompany BB by a Fighter Pullup Program https://www.strongfirst.com/the-fighter ... revisited/

Would i be better off doing just Standard BB with Pullups in my SE-Sessions atm, will this likely result in my pull-ups increasing to over 10?
Or would it be beneficial to do the Fighter Pullup - Program with BB, maybe just on Non-SE Days?

Thank you for your thoughts!

Alex

PS:
TL/DR:
As someone on the lower end of moderately fit running BB, would it be more efficient to incorporate Pullups in SE-Sessions or to do the Fighter Pullup Program with it with the goal of going over 10 reps at the end of the program and to hit weighted Pullups afterwards?

Re: Base Building - how to integrate Pullup Program

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:25 pm
by close_fox
TL;DR: You will gain two pull-ups easily by running standard basebuilding (BB) - either as written or using the method from the the SE Options article. The Fighter Pull-up Program is probably overkill for your BB goals and could be counterproductive to your E work. Consider doing the E/HIC work of BB as written rather than substituting another standalone running program. Bottom line - Make an educated choice and complete BB the way you deem necessary. Worst case scenario, you will be in much better shape in eight weeks!


Good decision to do Base Building (Standard Template). You won't regret it.

You mention potentially needing to reduce E volume. It wouldn't surprise me if you have the opposite issue (i.e., breeze through the E/HIC and feel a need to reduce SE volume).


Conditioning

The BB template incorporates E then HIC (and SE then MS) in a specific way to maximize adaptations (results).

Will you be sabotaging your progress by running a stand alone running program you describe? Maybe, maybe not. Why take the risk? Why not try the program as written first? You can always reduce to the lowest recommended volume if you hit the wall.


Pull-ups

You will definitely increase your max from eight to at least 10 reps if you include pull-ups in your SE cluster according to the guidance in "Programming Pull-ups/Chins" section of the SE Options article.

I bet you will also get to 10 reps if you simply run standard BB as written with some kind of bodyweight row in your cluster (TRX rows, "Australian pull-up," etc.). That would mean working up to 3x50 on the longest SE day. Then you could include full pull-ups in your cluster when you make the switch from SE to MS in Week 6.

I think either of the above options is better for your goals than running the Fighter Pull-up Program (FPP) in addition to your SE cluster. If your goal is to successfully complete BB and gain two pull-ups (from eight to 10) in the process, I don't see that you need FPP's five consecutive days per week of pull-ups. And it could be counterproductive - sapping energy you need for your other training sessions.

Re: Base Building - how to integrate Pullup Program

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:42 pm
by Gr4f
Thanks for the well articulated answer !
I have done the first SE Cluster including pull-ups yesterday - went well, I will stick with that one.

If anyone is interested this is the Cluster I am currently doing:

KB Swings (2h)
Goblet Squat
Renegade Rows
One Arm Dumbbell Press Up
Pull-ups