I am wondering what the best pull up alternative is. I can't do a single pull up. I passed the rest of the fit test easily, but not one pull up, or chin up. I have been doing negatives....they seem to be working and I get sore but i was just wondering if anyone has had better results using another technique.

Also, I have a huge mental block when it comes to pull ups. I would love to hear from some people that could not do pull-ups, but can now. How you did it, how long it took etc....

Thanks!

Just use the chair, its what most of us had to do to get started. I can do 20+ pullups now in a row(except corncob and wide front)

I do about 3 wide pullups before i start swearing. I tried using the chair but felt like it was only working my arms. So now i do negatives. Is it working? Beats me but i sure feel it the next day. The only part of this program i hate is the chest and back exercises because mine are so weak. But i struggle through it

The Dude wrote:


And it will all come with time, if you give it your all eventually you will be able to do regular pullups and keep up with the kids. I try my hardest to keep up with superstar of the workout group(like domo in plyo)

The doorway I use to do pull ups isn't wide enough to do kipper pull ups, so I can do maybe 8 before I have to use the chair. The rest of the workout is all chair.

Kipper pull ups are where you use body momentum to swing yourself up and down. I'm sure you can find youtube results for it if you don't know what I mean. They're the style Marines use for their PT test. In the Army, we don't do pull ups for our PT test, but some schools require it, and Army pull ups are harder. They're froma dead hang. You can't use your legs to swing or kick yourself up. No kippers allowed. Basically, if your knees break the imaginary plane below the bar then you are doing kippers or some variation of it. If your knees never break the plane, then you are doing harder pull ups, and thusly better for you in the long run.

I do as many as I can without the chair (usually 5 or 6 the first set) and then use the chair after that. I do a total of 15 most of the time. Really pull when you use the chair. Pull hard. Try for an isometric hold at the top. You'll feel it in your back.

If you are feeling it in your arms, that means your arms are weaker (or more tired) than your back. Stick with it. When your arms "catch up", you'll start feeling it in your back.