Of all the body weight exercises, the pull-up is one of the most challenging. After reaching up and grabbing the bar, you are holding the entire weight of your body by your arms. The heavier you are, the more intense the pull-ups will be. If you are new to pull-ups and are looking to challenge your system, learn more about exercise routine options, doing more than just pull-ups.
Progressive Increase Workout
Step 1
Set a target of reps for yourself and do that many pull-ups in one day. Start with a low number. Reach up, grab the bar and do one set of as many reps as you can.
Step 2
Repeat doing sets of pull-ups throughout the day until you reach your goal. Perform your sets every two to three hours. Try to increase the amount of reps you can do with each set. Your goal is to reach your maximum amount with one set or with several sets done in one training session.
Step 3
Work out three to four days a week on nonconsecutive days. Add five reps to your total each week. For example, if you did 25 reps for your workouts this week, perform 30 reps next week.
Superset Workout
Step 1
Grab the pull-up bar and do a set of pull-ups until failure. Failure means you can no longer go on with proper form. Hop down after you are done and lie on your stomach.
Step 2
Execute a set of push-ups. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulders-width apart and place your feet together. Push yourself off the floor, straighten your back and lower your chest down until it is a fist-width from the floor. Push yourself back up and continue until failure. Keep your core tight and back straight throughout.
Step 3
Stand with your back to a chair to do dips. Bend down, place your hands on the edge of the chair and extend your legs out in front of your body. Your heels should now be on the ground and your butt should be right in front of the chair. Lower yourself down until your upper arms are parallel with the floor and push yourself back up. Repeat until failure.
Step 4
Lie on your back to do ab crunches. Bend your knees, place your feet flat on the floor and place your hands on the sides of your head. Lift your shoulders off the floor and squeeze your abs forcefully. Lower yourself back down and repeat until failure.
Step 5
Finish with a set of overhead squats. Stand with your feet shoulders-width apart and extend your arms above your head. Lower yourself down by bending your knees and stop when your thighs parallel the floor. Stand back up and repeat until failure.
Ladder Workout
Step 1
Reach up, grab the bar and do one pull-up. Hop down and immediately do two push-ups.
Step 2
Jump back up and do two pull-ups, then do four push-ups. Keep increasing your pull-ups by one rep and doubling that amount for your push-ups until you are at six pull-ups and 12 push-ups.
Step 3
Rest for 60 seconds, then repeat the whole series four to five times. Do this workout three times a week on alternating days.
Tips and Warnings
- Begin every workout with five minutes of dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching loosens up muscles and joints, and it helps get your body acclimated to the motion it is about to do. Shoulder shrugs, arm circles, arm crossovers, leg swings, side bends, high knees, alternating toe touches and spinal rotations are examples of stretches. When doing pull-ups, keep your core tight and always try to get your chest to bar height. When doing the superset workout, perform all of the exercises back to back, rest for 60 seconds and repeat four to five times. For a variation, do the exercises in a ladder format. If you choose the ladder, simply double the reps of your pull-ups. For example, if you do three pull-ups, then do six reps for all of your other exercises. Do this workout two to three times a week on nonconsecutive days.
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