Help- I can't do a single pull-up

You can do assisted pullups by using a PT band and wrapping it around the bar and then putting your knee in the loop. Will take some serious weight off.

This thread has potential.

Lat pull downs

There's an exercise machine that you can find at a gym that assists with a pull-up with a platform that you stand on that has spring-type mechanism that effectively reduces your gravity (or weight). I think it's designed for this very purpose to allow people the exercise benefit of a pull-up(s) who cannot yet complete one.

Put your feet on a box or something, so that you're hanging from the chin-up bar in a posture vaguely similar to how you'd sit in a chair. Then use the legs as much as you need to, and as little as you can get away with, to perform six to eight pullups.

That's one set. Gradually add additional sets (with very good rests after each) until you reach a total of 20-30 reps for the whole workout. At that point you should be able to perform a strict, dead-hang pullup with no problem.

OR:

Go with negatives. Jump up to the top position, then slowly lower yourself, using your lats to resist gravity, to a dead-hang position. Jump back up and repeat. Six to ten of these every other day should leave you sore as hell after the first couple workouts, but then you'll be okay.

As a parent, you have to learn to accept that your kids will surpass you athletically, academically and professionally so long as you raise them right. That being said, do some push ups, some lat pull downs, some bench, some rows, etc. I usually do a push / pull upper body workout twice a week at lunch and lower body circuit twice a week as well. Add in some daily core work and some running, and you will be sitting pretty. I’m pushing 50 and can still knock out a dozen non-swinging pull ups.

Start trying them every other day. We had a health improvement project at work a couple of years ago and when it started I could only do like 6 pull ups and 20 push ups. I started alternating every other day and trying as many as I could. I worked my way up to 14 pull-ups and 40 push ups without stopping. It’s just a matter of being consistent.

Funny you should mention that because I've been working on this, too.

I can do about 6 at a shot now, but they fall a little short on the ascent (essentially about half-way)

Or only two if you are talking an honest pull-up.

I figure it's like all this stuff- just keep doing it and you'll get better.

The gym machine others have mentioned is probably the way to go.

Another thing i heard somewhere is to just hang for as long as you can, and even that starts strengthening you to do an actual pull-up. I was lucky enough when i resumed mine that I could skip that stage.

Get one of these....

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,,,,,now put your hands on the hands and push in rapidly. knock out 3 sets of 10. Also......boring old push ups 20 of you can. Do that every single day for a month, I guarantee you will see a big difference. Gets no quicker a workout than that.And you can do it any time. Keep the grips in yout car,

Genuinely curious: Do you believe any of that will improve strength in the lats (and biceps)?

Which are the prime movers in performing a pullup?

Bottom line is more strength, trust me give that routine a try and watch your strength improve in about a month.

i just did a quick search of them in conjunction with pull-ups and the sources I found implied that the grip strengther would only help in gripping the bar.

As I explained on the Centro thread to the ire of many, he's a shorty and shorties are good at pullups.

Since you are tall, I figure you'll understand. Just dunk a basketball and you're even.

Don't think I made this clear.

This has nothing to do with gripping anything, You push in with both hands on the grips, this works all those muscles in your chest and shoulders, push in on the grips a hand on each grip.

Thanks, Konga, I was Wronga.

I get my daughter to do bar rows. grab a smith machine and lower bar to a height you can get under to do pullups with feet on ground in front of you. similar muscles worked to pullups.

The higher the bar the easier it is. as you get stronger lower bar height. Try to get 3x8 with say 60 seconds rest.

Do not use the lat pull down or assisted pull-up machine at the gym neither will give you the strength to do a pull up.

Do two things every day.

1. Hang from the bar (it doesn't have to be a dead hang you can have your arms bent for more strength, dead hang is extremely hard)

2. Do negatives. Jump up and slowly lower yourself.

It may take up to half a year or more to gain the strength despite what the internet says. Pull-ups are an extremely hard exercise that looks easy.