Homework For Muscle-Up /Pull-Ups

by CrossFit RX Stars

Tactic:

Consistency: Do Pull/Push Program 3x a Week

4 Rep Loads Each time/ 90 Sec Break between Sets

* Max Attempt once a week (Document Results)

Standards of movements

• No kipping on pull-ups- Dead Hang- use band if you can not perform consecutive pull-ups/ Ring Dips- Full Depth – No kipping

• Add weight if needed to allow repetition difficulty

• Accomplish the reps un-broken no matter what

Key Notes:

• Make sure reps are completed but are extremely challenging.

• Load is used for advance students to reach 8-12 reps just as beginner students use a band in order to achieve the reps

• Weighted dips are fine for advanced as is

push-ups for beginners

Personal Notes:

Pull-up & Chin-up Technique. Start each rep from a dead hang with straight elbows. Clear the bar with your chin on every rep.

• Squeeze The Bar. And put the bar close to your fingers, not in the palm of your hand. It minimize callus formation.
• Breathe at The Bottom. It’s easier to breathe at the bottom. Take a big breath before pulling yourself up.
• Chest Up. Don’t let your shoulders go forward: it’s unhealthy for your shoulders. Lead with your chest up & keep your shoulders back.
• Look Up. Never look down during Pull-ups & Chin-ups. Look at the bar. Look where you’re pulling yourself up to.
• Elbows to The Floor. Drive with your elbows to the floor. This involves your stronger back muscles more.
• Bend Your Legs. And cross your feet. Letting your legs hang means less strength in my experience. Squeeze your glutes on the way up.

Common Errors. Most common error on Pull-ups & Chin-ups is cheating the range of motion by not going low or high enough on each rep.

• Not Straightening the Arms. Start from a dead hang with straight elbows, like on the picture above. No partial Pull-ups/Chin-ups.
• Shoulders Going Forward. It’s bad posture & bad technique. Lead with your chest up while driving your elbows to the floor.
• Using The Hips. Keep your legs inline with your torso, unless you’re doing Kipping Pull-ups.
• Chin Over Bar. Nose or forehead against the bar is a partial Pull-up/Chin-up. Chin over bar unless you’re not strong enough yet.

Dip Technique. You might not be able to lean forward & go as deep as James on the picture above. If your shoulders or sternum hurts, stay more upright with your chest up. But always apply the following rules on Dips.

• Squeeze The Bar. Put your thumbs around the bar & squeeze it hard. The more force you apply to the bar, the stronger you are.
• Look Forward. Don’t look straight forward, don’t look the floor. Look to a point slightly in front of you.
• Breathing. Take a big breathe while hanging with locked elbows & hold it. Lower yourself & come back up. Breathe at the top, not during reps.
• Chest Up. Don’t let your shoulders roll forward. Keep your chest up & shoulders back. It’s easier on your shoulders.
• Bend Your Legs. And cross your feet. Letting your legs hang means less strength in my experience. Squeeze your glutes on the way up.
• Break Parallel. Your shoulders must go lower than your elbows. Deeper stretches your chest more, but your shoulders might not agree with it.
• Lock Elbows. Drive out of the bottom until your elbows are locked. Squeeze your triceps. No partial Dips.

Common Problems. Break parallel on each rep just like with Squats. Use a complete range of motion from start to finish.

• Not Hitting Parallel. Don’t cheat by doing partial Dips. Your shoulders must go lower than your elbows on each rep.
• Not Locking the Elbows. Lock your elbows at the top. Squeeze your triceps & keep your chest up.
• Shoulder Issues. Don’t go too low. Stop when you break parallel, keep your chest up & torso upright. Try shoulder dislocations.
• Torso Pain. Don’t let your shoulders roll forward & don’t let your torso shift forward too much. Keep your chest up.

# = Load if needed ---------- + = Max rep effort