negatives are key! — 1 year ago
If you’re starting out, and can’t even 1 like I was at the beginning – try doing negatives to get started. Step up on a footstool of some kind so that you’re starting out over the bar already, then slowly lower yourself for a full 10-count. This works the same muscules as a regular pull-up, but lets you make some progress. Repeat until you can’t make it through the 10-count, and have to drop from fatigue. Take a few minutes’ rest, then do another set of as many as you can maintain the 10-count. At the end of your last set of negatives, when you’ve started to drop too early – do one more negative, even if you have to go really fast. It will hurt like anything, but can’t really injure you. Give yourself a couple days, then go back. Do as many positive pullups as you can, then follow with a couple more sets of negatives. You will be surprised how quickly you progress.
