Re: Why can't I do a chin-up?
- From: "Baron" <pfisNGh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 21:15:59 -0500
"Jason" <swanson.jason@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1141397416.973274.123500@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I have been trying to do chin-ups for a couple of months now. I have a
chin-up bar mounted to the top of my bedroom door frame. Right now,
here's what I can do:
If I begin by hanging from the bar (with my feet off the ground), I can
pull myself up just a little bit, until my elbows make an angle of
about 135-150 degrees. But that's it. I simply can't get any higher.
But if I begin with my feet on the ground (so that my elbows make an
angle of about 120-135 degrees), then I can pull myself up completely.
So I can do both "halves" of the chin-up, but I can't do the whole
thing in one smooth motion. Why? I have thought of two possible
explanations. Do either of these make sense? Or is it likely something
else?
1. Maybe muscles in the shoulders and back play a larger role in the
beginning of the chin-up, and my shoulders and back are not yet strong
enough to complete the first half of the chin-up.
2. After I have pulled myself up a little from the hanging position,
maybe the orientation of my body (specifically, I think, my shoulders)
is not the same as it is when I am grasping the bar with my feet on the
floor. With my body/shoulders in the latter orientation, I can pull
myself up easily; but in the former orientation, I cannot. Sometimes,
when I start from hanging and pull myself up a little, I feel like if I
could just "twist" my shoulders a little, then I could complete the
chin-up.
Can anyone help me understand this? Does it sound like I'm doing
something wrong? Or does this sound normal?
It sounds like you just need more strength throughout the entire motion
of a chin up. Someone already mentioned doing negative chin ups. I suggest
that you might want to start even easier by doing assisted chin ups. Hang a
piece of pipe from the chin up bar such that you can get your hands around
it when you are sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of
you. When you do a chin up from this position, you are only lifting about
60% of your body weight. When you can do one set of twelve at least twice a
week, you can go onto negative chin ups.
By the way, a proper chin up means that from a complete hanging
position, you can "chin" yourself up high enough so that your chin is above
the bar. You must do this without swinging your body or lifting your legs.
You might also need more stength in your hands. I found that just by
increasing my grip strength, I can increase the number of pull ups I can do.
You might also need to increase your abs and back to keep you from swinging.
Finally, you might need stronger rotator-cuff muscles.
Once you get good at chin ups, meaning at least twelve in one set, you
might want to start on pull ups.
Good Luck.
.
- References:
- Why can't I do a chin-up?
- From: Jason
- Why can't I do a chin-up?
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