Increasini pullups and dips while doing Starting Strength

[JerseyTrash]

I started SS a while ago, and do pullups after one of the workouts. I used to be in the Marines, where we did tons of pullups. It bothers the shit out of me that I've dropped from being able to do 20 or so pullups down to like 8. If I incorporate pullups 3 or so times per week, is this too much?

 

[redbeard]

I also found that the amount of pullups I could do was a direct result of how frequently I trained them. Every/every other day gave me the best gains.

 

[Clam Section]

It depends. If you can recover from increased frequency, go for it. You could do them every day really, but I don't think most people here would recommend it and you wouldn't be doing Starting Strength anymore.

Technique is also an issue. For example, are you doing Kipping pullups? Do you start all the way at the bottom and pull your chin over the bar?

 

[JerseyTrash]

It depends. If you can recover from increased frequency, go for it. You could do them every day really, but I don't think most people here would recommend it and you wouldn't be doing Starting Strength anymore.

Technique is also an issue. For example, are you doing Kipping pullups? Do you start all the way at the bottom and pull your chin over the bar?

No kipping. I do them strictly.

 

[Clam Section]

No kipping. I do them strictly.

That's good. There's nothing wrong with increasing the frequency, just try to auto regulate and be mindful of your shoulders (even doing them strict). I've played around with different frequencies and different volume and had no problems, i.e. some days body weight with high reps and other days heavy and low reps.

 

[toonie]

There's a variation of SS that will have you doing chins 1-2 times a week.

Practical Programming Novice Program

Monday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

Wednesday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Press / Bench Press (Alternating)
1x5 Deadlift

Friday
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press / Press (Alternating)
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure or add weight if completing more than 15 reps

 

[JerseyTrash]

Thanks. I think I may do them 2 or 3 days a week.

 

[GracieStriking]

needs more steroids.

 

[maDKient]

^^^ Lol.

No matter what condition I'm in or how frequently I trained them or my fitness levels, I could never do more than 8 pull ups in one given set. Dips and other bodyweight exercises i could always improve. Or any back exercises with weights I could always improve.

Why is improving pullups so friggin difficult?

 

[RukshawM4st3r]

The SS version im doing (the one posted above), I do chin ups on Monday's and Pull ups on Fridays. I've definetly seen gains with added weight but I havent tested my bw repetition max in a long time. It always sucked anyways.

 

[JauntyAngle]

The SS version im doing (the one posted above), I do chin ups on Monday's and Pull ups on Fridays. I've definetly seen gains with added weight but I havent tested my bw repetition max in a long time. It always sucked anyways.

I did Practical Programming-flavour SS for my first 2.5 months of lifting. I did it almost exactly by the book and it worked really well, except my chins and pullups never went up that much. I think my pullups went from failing at 7ish to failing at 11ish, and my chins went from failing at 6ish to 10ish (I always used to be better at pullups because I never did chins before). I got much better results by (i) concentrating on one exercise (chins), and (ii) using the 'do a bunch every day but stay away from failure' method.

 

[RukshawM4st3r]

I did Practical Programming-flavour SS for my first 2.5 months of lifting. I did it almost exactly by the book and it worked really well, except my chins and pullups never went up that much. I think my pullups went from failing at 7ish to failing at 11ish, and my chins went from failing at 6ish to 10ish (I always used to be better at pullups because I never did chins before). I got much better results by (i) concentrating on one exercise (chins), and (ii) using the 'do a bunch every day but stay away from failure' method.

I just do 3 sets of 5 (3x5) just like you would with bench, squat, deads. I have a dip belt:

and just started by hanging a 5lb off it. Tried going up by 2.5lb each time for chins and pull ups seperately and its worked pretty welll.

 

[JauntyAngle]

I just do 3 sets of 5 (3x5) just like you would with bench, squat, deads. I have a dip belt:

and just started by hanging a 5lb off it. Tried going up by 2.5lb each time for chins and pull ups seperately and its worked pretty welll.

The programme that I have seen says 'to failure, and then add weight once you can do 15'. I probably should have moved to doing weighted ones sooner. It is more fun, and anyway I think getting to 15 when you are only doing each exercise once a week, three sets to failure, is actually really hard. Anyway, I started weighted chins recently and plan to keep them in my programme for a while.

 

[JerseyTrash]

I may be getting a little off topic here, but if you're really looking to improve your pullups, then there's no better way to do it than the Recon Ron pullup program.

The Recon Ron Pullup Program - GUARANTEED to have you doing 20 pullups - Marine Corps Community for USMC Marine Veterans

 

[JauntyAngle]

I may be getting a little off topic here, but if you're really looking to improve your pullups, then there's no better way to do it than the Recon Ron pullup program.

The Recon Ron Pullup Program - GUARANTEED to have you doing 20 pullups - Marine Corps Community for USMC Marine Veterans

I've seen that programme. It looks good. But personally, my main interest is using chins (or pullups) as a heavy upper-body pull. So that means sets of 5 or fewer, weighted, progressive. At least for now, anyway.

 

[JerseyTrash]

I've seen that programme. It looks good. But personally, my main interest is using chins (or pullups) as a heavy upper-body pull. So that means sets of 5 or fewer, weighted, progressive. At least for now, anyway.

Sounds good. Just putting it out there.

 

[redaxe]

Well the thing about pullups and Starting Strength is that your body mass is supposed to be increasing pretty quickly so even if you just maintain the # of pullups you can do, you are getting a lot stronger. Just keep that in mind.

And it's kind of going to depend on how many pullups you can do without making your shoulders sore to the point where it affects your bench and OHP. For me 1-2 times a week is about all the pullups I can handle but for you it might be more.

As for dips, if you do close grip bench it will work your triceps more which should also help with your ability to do dips. I recently started doing bench with my pinky fingers on the smooth rings, which is a pretty close grip for my long arms, and I can tell it's making my arms a lot stronger already.

 

[JerseyTrash]

I think I'll mess around with upping it a little bit. If 3 times or so is too much per week, I can always drop down to 1-2.

 

[FlowWithTheGo23]

When you get into better shape, you should be more able to handle the increased load. If you're just starting out, then you shouldn't try to incorporate every possible exercise all at once.

 

[Zorbario]

Due to my relatively light BW (145-150lbs, 5'7"), things like pull-ups, chin-ups, press-ups are a doddle for me. But i would like to add them to the original SS programme.

I was going to try Practical Programming, but after hearing how beneficial power cleans are, i thought i would give them a shot. I think it's my knees and lower back that i want to give most rest and probably not too much extra load on shoulders, so i think chin-ups ontop of SS should be ok in that regard.

It's such a fine line, you feel ok to train extra, but told not to, then you hear other people adding stuff to SS, so it's so tempting.