For some reason i can't seem to increase my reps for BW pullups.

Bent over rows, Push presses, Dips, DL, BP all increase either reps or weight every week. But for the life of me a can't get past 3 sets of 7 pullups. Its been this way for weeks now and it makes me feel pretty weak.

Any ideas? My body weight has been pretty consistent at 200lbs.

For some reason i can't seem to increase my reps for BW pullups.

Bent over rows, Push presses, Dips, DL, BP all increase either reps or weight every week. But for the life of me a can't get past 3 sets of 7 pullups. Its been this way for weeks now and it makes me feel pretty weak.

Any ideas? My body weight has been pretty consistent at 200lbs.

How are you breathing at the end of the set of 7?

How are you breathing at the end of the set of 7?

I'm a little winded, but nowhere near as much when i doing squats or DL's. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being after Squats, i'd say about 4-5.

Any ideas? My body weight has been pretty consistent at 200lbs.


I would add reps by doing them in the negative fashion. It should quickly correlate to more conventional reps.

I would add reps by doing them in the negative fashion. It should quickly correlate to more conventional reps.

Should i hold myself in the "up" position as long as i can and repeat or should decend very slowly and repeat? Or both? ;)

Should i hold myself in the "up" position as long as i can and repeat or should decend very slowly and repeat? Or both? ;)

After climbing to the top I pause and hold it just for a second and lower myself slowly. By slowly I mean it takes me about two seconds before I am at the bottom and my arms are straight. I'll ususlly do that until I can't control myself on the way down any more. After doing a few pullups it is usually only 5 or so additional reps.

Hve you tried doing some weighted pull ups?

I'll try the negatives and see how that works. The weighted pullups is a good idea, maybe i need a little strength increase.

I'll try the negatives and see how that works. The weighted pullups is a good idea, maybe i need a little strength increase.

I have found that doing multiple sets to momentary failure to be pretty effective, and then incorporate drop sets, then sets of singles (9,7,7,6,4,3,2,1,1,1,1,0) Make sure you are giving enough time to recover between sets as well.

Hve you tried doing some weighted pull ups?

Good suggestion -- I think this is definately the way to increase your pull-up strength. I was having the same issues awhile back, but then it occurred to me that I needed to treat pull-ups like any other lift, by varying the sets/rep range, and in particular going heavy and low rep. So, I started doing weighted pull-ups and doing multiple sets of 2-4 reps. After doing that for a few weeks, I felt like I practically shot up when doing bodyweight pull-ups.

You don’t even need a dip belt or anything – I just hold a dumbbell between my feet.

So maybe give weighted pull-ups a shot … make sure you give every set your all, and your pull-up strength WILL increase.

:gl:

Thanks for the replies! Hopefully i'll come back in a few weeks with good results. :)