The pullup bar has been hanging from the walls or suspended between beams for as long as resistance training has been around. The pullup is a strenuous, challenging weight bearing exercise. Don't shy away from incorporating pullups or modified pullups into your exercise regimen; they help you to utilize and train muscle groups that are important in daily activities. But check with your doctor before trying new exercises.
Weight Bearing Exercises
Weight-bearing exercises require resistance to be placed on your muscles, bones and joints. You can perform weight-bearing exercises by using free weights, machine-assisted single joint exercises, bands or just your body weight, for example. As long as you are resisting gravity, you are performing a weight-bearing exercise.
Performing a Pullup
You'll need formidable back and arm strength to perform pullup sets correctly. A pullup requires you to have your hand around a bar in an overhand fashion so your palms are facing away from you. You then suspend from the ground with your arms near full extension and begin "pulling up" with your large back muscles and biceps. Once your chin reaches the bar, you have completed a successful upward motion, and then return to the starting position with your arms near full extension.
Muscles Worked
The main muscles you work when performing a pullup include your latissumus dorsi, biceps, lower trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboids, pectoralis minor and teres minor. These muscles must be activated when performing the necessary joint motions during a pullup, which include elbow flexion, shoulder adduction, shoulder girdle depression and shoulder girdle internal rotation.
Increasing Difficulty
There are many ways to get added resistance during a pullup. You can wear a weighted vest, have a partner pull down on your body, wear a belt with a chain to attach plates, or hook your feet under a dumbbell to add resistance. These methods will put unusual stress on your joints, bones and muscles and stimulate increased growth and strength in all three.
References
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (8th edition)"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2009
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2008
Member Comments