This week I’m sharing 5 innovative exercises that will help improve your pull-ups.
#1) Band Resisted Prone Bodyweight Pulls
This exercise strengthens the “pull-up” muscles, and improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. This exercise can also be a great way to work on your pull-ups if you don’t have access to a bar.
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and loop the band around your ankles. Or you may do what I did, and may secure the band by putting one end under a closed door. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- In the starting position, your arms should be fully extended, and in an overhead position.
- Now draw your shoulder blades in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip, and pull your body forward.
- Exhale after you have initiated the “pull,” and as your body is traveling towards the top position.
- When you reach the end position, your elbows should be at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso, and you should really feel the muscles around your shoulder blades and lats working.
- Gain a moment of control, then perform the reverse movements and press your body backwards so your arms return to an overhead and fully extended position.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears. Keep your shoulder blades depressed.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
#2) Band Resisted Pull-Ups
This exercise improves upper body strength, pull-up technique, and lumbo-pelvic stability. The manner in which the band is attached really forces you to generate full body tension, including in the glutes and legs. This is something many people neglect to do.
Coaching Tips:
- Anchor a band under a heavy dumbbell or other secure surface, and loop the band over your forefeet. Ideally, there should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Set your body so your head, torso and hips are in a stacked position, and knees are fully extended.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your quads and glutes.
- Initiate the pull-up by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip and drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the floor.
- Do not allow your shoulders or shoulder blades to elevate towards your ears, or shoulders to roll forward.
- Exhale after you have initiated the “pull,” and as your body is traveling towards the top position.
- In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Make sure your chin passes the bar, but do not look up and reach with your chin.
- During the lowering/eccentric component, do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
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#3) Single Leg Isometric Glute Bridge + Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Screwdrivers + Single Leg Lowering
This exercise provides a huge bang for your buck and strengthens the glutes, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular stability, and grip strength. All of the above play a role in your ability to do pull-ups.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position. Set yourself up as you would when you are performing regular glute bridges.
- Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position, and perform a bottoms-up press. Make sure your shoulder blade remains in a protracted position for the duration for the exercise (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).
- Extend your hips by pressing through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back. Your body should form a straight line from your knee to shoulders. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise.
- Extend your other leg so it is in a vertical position. If you cannot fully extend your knee, or if you are unable to maintain proper form, you can keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Now slowly lower your leg to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, return your leg back to the starting position.
- For the duration of the exercise, perform kettlebell screwdrivers. In the starting position your palm should be in a neutral position.
- While looking at the kettlebell the entire time, rotate your wrist, forearm and elbow so your palm is facing away from you. Pause for a count, then perform the reverse movements and rotate the kettlebell so your palm is facing you.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Tall Kneeling Single Arm Band Kettlebell Presses
This exercise improves upper body strength, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. The unstable nature of the kettlebell and band makes this very challenging.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a tall kneeling position. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hang a kettlebell from the band, and grab the end of the band.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace), and squeeze your glutes.
- Perform an overhead press. Do not move the weight overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulder, or leaning to the side.
- In the top position, your arm should resemble close to a straight line, and your biceps should be in close proximity to your ear.
- Pause for a count and gain control. Return to the starting position with control.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- In the bottom position, your elbow should remain at approximately a 45-60 degree angle with your torso.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Serratus Roll-Outs
This exercise strengthens the serratus muscle, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. The serratus plays a key role in the upward rotation of the scapulae and overhead mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Place your forearms on a roller (you may also use a towel) Get into a plank position from your forearms and feet.
- Adopt your preferred foot width. The farther apart your feet are, the more stable your base will be.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- First of all, press your body away from the roller and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart from your spine, and around your ribcage). This movement is here fairly subtle. Do not mindlessly hang out on your shoulders.
- Use the muscles in your shoulders and around your shoulder blades and slide the roller forward. Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, aside from your upper body, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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