How to teach a female that cant' do a pull-up??

Joseph King · 05-26-2007, 05:18 PM

My girlfriend can't do pull-ups on her own. Her lower body is a lot stronger than her upper body. I tried to have her stand on a box and jump up to the bar and do negatives back down. Are there any other things I can. We both want her do be able to do a pull-up on her own, but she says she has never been able to.

Tirzah Harper · 05-26-2007, 05:23 PM

Hey I'm right there with her...I'm watching this one. Last year I worked jumping pullups quite a bit and got very close to my first pullup...then quit the gym and slacked off. I'm excited to get back in and watch my progress now.

Lincoln Brigham · 05-26-2007, 05:43 PM

There are at least 20-30 variations of pullups, maybe more. Find the variations she CAN do - jumping, negatives, band assisted, partner assisted, etc. - and start with those.

Sarena Kopciel · 05-26-2007, 06:29 PM

As a female who can't do a straight pullup, I gotta say I am working with jumpstretch bands a lot! I find I need progressively a thinner band and now am starting to learn how to kip (w/out band). This stuff works and I know I will get it soon enough. Let her just keep workin it!

Also working lifts and a lot of upper body stuff will give her solid foundation at increasing her upper body stregnth

Ron Fielder · 05-26-2007, 08:19 PM

I have been working with 2 women for the last 8 weeks. They were both into "bodybuilding" 3 sets of 10 blah blah blah.
Well, neither could do a PU. As a matter of fact, neither could even generate any movement at all from a hanging position. I was puzzeled how I was going to get them to do PUs with their bodyweight unassisted.
To start with I just had them do tons of jumping PUs...for the Warm up for the WODS (I would triple the number). Then I ordered a set of bands cost me $30 for 2.
One of the girls got a free PU after 4 weeks even though she pulled her knees high and forward. Then we got the bands and she started doing all of her PUs on those except for the WODs that call for jumpin PUs. She was able to get sets of five to start with, but again we kept the numbers high and kept pushing. Now she is doing them with the single band and getting 10+ PU every set. I think she is ready to learn to kip now and I know she will be banging them out by the end of summer. When we did Cindy the other day she was able to get 2 dead hang PUs in the first two sets before going to the bands.
The other lady is a little taller and has a bit more mass and at first she couldn't get even one assisted PU. So she stayed at the Jumping PUs longer. This last week she graduated to the bands and is only getting sets of 3-5, but she is getting them. I also have to hold her legs a bit as she starts to get fatigued but we have all agreed that she isn't going back to the jumping Pu, no matter what.
So I guess do what you can, and increase the challenge when you can.
This was the approach that I took and it has been working out fine.
When my friend got her first PU she was so happy and gave me a big sweaty hug.
I would just set reasonable goals that can be reached. And include lots of encouragment, there is no shortage of opportunity to practce around here.
Good luck!!!

Kevin McKay · 05-26-2007, 09:45 PM

I think body rows on rings are a great thing is this situation because it is a good way for them to apply full rom and you can gradually adjust the angle to add resistance.

Veronica Carpenter · 05-26-2007, 10:42 PM

A question just dawned on me: Why would you train a woman who can't do pullups any different than a man?

Connie Morreale · 05-27-2007, 06:15 AM

yo! veronica!!! good call!!!

Laura Rucker · 05-27-2007, 10:25 AM

The biggest hurdle is getting over the "I can't do it because girls can't do pull ups." thinking.

Transition movements to work on:
Ring Rows
Beginner pull ups (seated pull up to a racked bar)
Jumping to the up position, lower slowly down (negatives)

Bands are a less effective method of building a pull up because they tend not to build the strength unless you use progressively less assistance. Training should rely on transition movements before assistance. Although assistance during a workout is good to keep up the intensity, skill work using transition stuff is crucial to getting that first pull up.

Teach her the kipping movements as well. Dead hang is harder to achieve and less often used in a WOD.

Good Luck. 2 years ago I could not do one pull up, now my max is 30 and I can now get my chest to touch the bar - kipping.

I still stink at the dead hangs. Need more skill work on that.

Veronica Carpenter · 05-27-2007, 09:33 PM

Nice Laura I've only gotten to 26 kipping. Next goal 30. :-)

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05-26-2007, 05:18 PM	#1
Joseph King Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Burlingame CA Posts: 10	My girlfriend can't do pull-ups on her own. Her lower body is a lot stronger than her upper body. I tried to have her stand on a box and jump up to the bar and do negatives back down. Are there any other things I can. We both want her do be able to do a pull-up on her own, but she says she has never been able to.

05-26-2007, 05:23 PM	#2
Tirzah Harper Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ashland Ohio Posts: 974	Hey I'm right there with her...I'm watching this one. Last year I worked jumping pullups quite a bit and got very close to my first pullup...then quit the gym and slacked off. I'm excited to get back in and watch my progress now.

05-26-2007, 05:43 PM	#3
Lincoln Brigham Member Profile: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kirkland WA Posts: 3,987	There are at least 20-30 variations of pullups, maybe more. Find the variations she CAN do - jumping, negatives, band assisted, partner assisted, etc. - and start with those.

05-26-2007, 06:29 PM	#4
Sarena Kopciel Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Monsey NY Posts: 2,042	As a female who can't do a straight pullup, I gotta say I am working with jumpstretch bands a lot! I find I need progressively a thinner band and now am starting to learn how to kip (w/out band). This stuff works and I know I will get it soon enough. Let her just keep workin it! Also working lifts and a lot of upper body stuff will give her solid foundation at increasing her upper body stregnth

05-26-2007, 08:19 PM	#5
Ron Fielder Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Uvalde TX Posts: 275	I have been working with 2 women for the last 8 weeks. They were both into "bodybuilding" 3 sets of 10 blah blah blah. Well, neither could do a PU. As a matter of fact, neither could even generate any movement at all from a hanging position. I was puzzeled how I was going to get them to do PUs with their bodyweight unassisted. To start with I just had them do tons of jumping PUs...for the Warm up for the WODS (I would triple the number). Then I ordered a set of bands cost me $30 for 2. One of the girls got a free PU after 4 weeks even though she pulled her knees high and forward. Then we got the bands and she started doing all of her PUs on those except for the WODs that call for jumpin PUs. She was able to get sets of five to start with, but again we kept the numbers high and kept pushing. Now she is doing them with the single band and getting 10+ PU every set. I think she is ready to learn to kip now and I know she will be banging them out by the end of summer. When we did Cindy the other day she was able to get 2 dead hang PUs in the first two sets before going to the bands. The other lady is a little taller and has a bit more mass and at first she couldn't get even one assisted PU. So she stayed at the Jumping PUs longer. This last week she graduated to the bands and is only getting sets of 3-5, but she is getting them. I also have to hold her legs a bit as she starts to get fatigued but we have all agreed that she isn't going back to the jumping Pu, no matter what. So I guess do what you can, and increase the challenge when you can. This was the approach that I took and it has been working out fine. When my friend got her first PU she was so happy and gave me a big sweaty hug. I would just set reasonable goals that can be reached. And include lots of encouragment, there is no shortage of opportunity to practce around here. Good luck!!!

05-26-2007, 09:45 PM	#6
Kevin McKay Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: albany ca Posts: 1,110	I think body rows on rings are a great thing is this situation because it is a good way for them to apply full rom and you can gradually adjust the angle to add resistance.

05-26-2007, 10:42 PM	#7
Veronica Carpenter Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Oroville CA Posts: 2,709	A question just dawned on me: Why would you train a woman who can't do pullups any different than a man?

05-27-2007, 06:15 AM	#8
Connie Morreale Member Profile: Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ellicott City MD Posts: 502	yo! veronica!!! good call!!!

05-27-2007, 10:25 AM	#9
Laura Rucker Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 845	The biggest hurdle is getting over the "I can't do it because girls can't do pull ups." thinking. Transition movements to work on: Ring Rows Beginner pull ups (seated pull up to a racked bar) Jumping to the up position, lower slowly down (negatives) Bands are a less effective method of building a pull up because they tend not to build the strength unless you use progressively less assistance. Training should rely on transition movements before assistance. Although assistance during a workout is good to keep up the intensity, skill work using transition stuff is crucial to getting that first pull up. Teach her the kipping movements as well. Dead hang is harder to achieve and less often used in a WOD. Good Luck. 2 years ago I could not do one pull up, now my max is 30 and I can now get my chest to touch the bar - kipping. I still stink at the dead hangs. Need more skill work on that.

05-27-2007, 09:33 PM	#10
Veronica Carpenter Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Oroville CA Posts: 2,709	Nice Laura I've only gotten to 26 kipping. Next goal 30. :-)