Chin-up/Increase Flexibility combo thread.

[flipstah]

Hey everyone!

Since I have two questions, thought I'd smush it all up into one thread to save space.

- I've usually just been lifting free weights with the ones that I can do (27.5, 3 sets of 5 reps) but I've never conquered the chin-up. It has always intimidated me and I can never do one proper chin-up so I don't really bother with it. Things have changed.

I'm 164lbs. and I can do push-ups okay (20-25), but since chin-ups use different muscles (I think), my back muscles were totally useless. So what tips do you have for someone who's a chin-up n00b?

On a sidenote, what is the minimum pushups standard for someone who is 19 yrs. old, 164lbs., 5'6?

- I'm usually a runner and I always stretch before and after I run but I always get cramps in the back thigh muscle/calf area. What are some stretches that I can do to increase its' flexibility? I'm also interested in increasing my flexibility so that I don't do harm whenever I lift weights.

Thanks and hope you can help!

Oh and I am still a novice in the weightlifting department. I'm usually a runner but I want to be better, faster, stronger. (Sorry, couldn't resist :D)

[no_joke]

Do you mean pronated or supinated chin-up? Pronated is palms forward and the other backwards. Most people would say that palms backward is easier. Anyways, at your level, I would suggest starting small and building from there. So start with the supinated grip and get some assistance. Either on a chin-up machine or get someone to support your legs using a regular bar. Then go from there. Once you can get one on your own, go for two, and so on. Just stick to it.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by no_joke
Do you mean pronated or supinated chin-up? Pronated is palms forward and the other backwards. Most people would say that palms backward is easier. Anyways, at your level, I would suggest starting small and building from there. So start with the supinated grip and get some assistance. Either on a chin-up machine or get someone to support your legs using a regular bar. Then go from there. Once you can get one on your own, go for two, and so on. Just stick to it.

So if the chin-up is bolted towards the wall, then my palms are facing away from it (supinated.) Supinated I can do adequately (but not more than once) but it's the pronated one I can't do AT ALL. I just... hang and swing. :nut:

Nevertheless, I still need to get better on both.

[yue]

1)strengthen your back/bicep first with other exercises.
- palms toward you focuses on your bicep
- palms away focuses on your lats
do the motion and you will understand
they have machines at the gym that push you up to decrease the stress on your body.

2)google it, you can get pictures. better than descriptions

[toyboy88]

To work on/increase your ability to do supinated (palms forward) chinups...

Maybe start with on a lat bar pull down machine? Gradually increasing weight each workout/week/session etc.

http://weighttraining.about.com/od/toptenexercises/ss/pulldown.htm

Almost the same as a supinated chin up, except you have some "support" (help) because there is the one bar across the top of your thighs when you sit.

:dunno: :thumbsup:

[rockwolf2001]

almost every gym has a specific "Chin up machine"

its a machine where you can add weight resistance so that you're doing assisted chin ups and not chinning up your full weight
as you get stronger and gain proper form for chin ups, you can just switch over and not use any assisted weight

this is how i started, now i can do 3 sets of 15 chin-ups eazy peazy

[xcelr8]

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ThighWt.html#anchor1942303

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/CalfWt.html

Its best to do light stretching right after a warmup, then after your workout do some heavy stretching.
There are also different kinds of stretching too, static, dynamic, pnf, and all that other stuff.

[RT16V]

You can start by using some method of assistance, like the machines noted (Gravitron etc). You can also use some of the resistance band tubing if you don't have access to these machine. Loop the tubing around the bar so you can place one of your feet in the tube like stirrup. If you need more assistance, use more bands or bands with greater resistance. You could also try doing jumping pull-ups. It will seems like you are wasting your time with the jumping pull-ps, but try a few weeks of cranking out 100 in a row and you will see some strict pull ups in no time.

[ZorroAMG]

Want to get good at chin ups?

DO chin ups. :) Wide grip palms facing away are the most difficult but are the best excercise to give you that V-shape (lats). Use the weight assisted one, take as much weight off your body until you can do 10 reps with clean movement and full extension down and all the way up.

Then as you get stronger, add more weight back on until you no longer need the machine. Free bodyweight wide grip chins are baller! :D

Then eventually you will do them with a weight hanging around your waist, get rad lats and to to a bud light party and steal all the beeyotches.

PS all the above assumes you are a dude. Chicks have a much harder time with upper body work and may require other excercises to get them to the WGCU.

[flipstah]

Thanks for all the advices everyone!


Originally posted by toyboy88
To work on/increase your ability to do supinated (palms forward) chinups...

Maybe start with on a lat bar pull down machine? Gradually increasing weight each workout/week/session etc.

http://weighttraining.about.com/od/toptenexercises/ss/pulldown.htm

Almost the same as a supinated chin up, except you have some "support" (help) because there is the one bar across the top of your thighs when you sit.

:dunno: :thumbsup:

For this machine, I can do ~120lbs but not my actual weight. Should I gradually work on it to reach my weight in order to further help me in my chin-up quest?


Originally posted by xcelr8
http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ThighWt.html#anchor1942303

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/CalfWt.html

Its best to do light stretching right after a warmup, then after your workout do some heavy stretching.
There are also different kinds of stretching too, static, dynamic, pnf, and all that other stuff.

Thanks! That's a lot of stretches but that's what I was looking for! :thumbsup:


Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Want to get good at chin ups?

DO chin ups. :) ... Then eventually you will do them with a weight hanging around your waist, get rad lats and to to a bud light party and steal all the beeyotches.

PS all the above assumes you are a dude. Chicks have a much harder time with upper body work and may require other excercises to get them to the WGCU.

Hahaha I guess the best way to getting something done is actualy DOING IT. :) Hopefully, I lose this excess weight and have a good body for the summer. LONG WAYS TO GO!

And yup I'm a dude. Dissapointed?

[JMaj7]

I have the same issue. I can bench more than my body weight (195lbs) but I can't do palm forward chin ups. I can cheat with my biceps but I want to be able to use my lats more. I split my "back" day into two days. I do rows and bent over pull backs and lower back extensions one day and seated pull downs, the gravitron (sp?) thing and some other lat machine on the other. I think I'll do this until I can pull as much as I can push.

For stretching, you should try the PX90 Yoga Dvd. It's pretty good!