Are you struggling to do your first pull-up ever, or build up your number of reps? This common pull-up mistake might be holding you back from achieving your pull-up goals!! Form makes a HUGE difference!
When many people attempt to do pull-ups, they fail to generate enough tension around their torso, spine, hips and lower body.
When this happens, you’ll be forced to pull needless deadweight, and you’ll be more prone to swinging and will have a longer and less efficient path to the bar. As a result, each rep will feel WAY tougher than it should.
Another way to think about it… Bench pressing a 235 Lb barbell + weights will feel SIGNIFICANTLY easier than trying to bench press a limp 235 Lb person. Same with deadlifting a 225 lb bar + weights versus trying to deadlift a 225 lb person from the floor.
Why? The barbell + weights are STABLE!!
Here are 5 of my go-to exercises that will help improve your core stability (lumbo-pelvic stability). These exercises all have a big carryover to pull-ups.
#1) Dead Bugs With Isometric Wall Press
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor, and so your head is relatively close to a wall. Figure out what distance works and feels best for you.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift your head and neck so they are several inches above the floor, or you may keep your head on the floor (as in this video). Keep your chin tucked, and neck in a neutral position.
- Keep your elbows relatively bent, and press your hands backwards into the wall. Maintain this pressure for the duration of the exercise.
- Fully extend your knees, or keep them bent at 90 degrees. For most people, I recommend starting out at 90 degrees. Keep your knees in the same angle for 100% of the exercise.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- Now contract your core muscles, steadily exhale through your teeth, slowly lower your leg towards the floor.
- Return your leg to the starting position.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset.
- Repeat using the opposite leg.
- Keep your non-moving leg in a fixed position.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
#2) Prone Roller 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. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to heels.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around the spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- First of all, press your body away from the roller and protract your shoulder blades (spread them apart, and move them away 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.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels. 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.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Hollow Body + Weight Lowering
This exercise, which is extremely anti-extension in nature, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Hold a weight plate (or dumbbell/kettlebell), and extend your arms so they are vertical, and the weight is over your chest.
- Now slowly lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- While keeping your head, torso, and hips in a fixed position, and legs fully extended and feet plantarflexed, reach back and lower the weight behind you, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Gain a moment of control, return your arm and the weight to the starting position.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4) Landmine Tall Kneeling Presses With Band Resistance
This exercise, which is massively anti-extension in nature, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, upper body strength, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Set up a barbell so it is lengthwise, and is in line with the center of your body. You may anchor the barbell against a stable surface like a wall, weight plate, or box, or on a no slip surface. You may also use a Landmine attachment.
- Loop a resistance band over the top of the barbell, and rest the band underneath your knees. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the movement.
- Grab onto the top portion of the barbell. As for your grip, I like to interlock my fingers and place my hands on top of each other as this makes the body more symmetrical.
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Place your knees so they are approximately hip to shoulder width apart, and have a very slight forward lean in your torso. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now extend your elbows and press the barbell to a range where you are able to maintain proper form, then “row” the barbell back in to your body. In fact, your ability to control the movement of your shoulder blades plays a big role in your ability to perform this exercise. Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- As you bring the barbell back in towards your body, stop just before your elbows touch your sides.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or your torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Dynamic Hollow Body With Banded Retraction (and weight plate)
This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, upper body strength, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. The added weight plate adds a slight “unstable object” challenge in terms of the shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Hold a long band in each hand and loop a light weight plate through the band. Extend your arms so they are vertical, and are in line with your armpits.
- Bring each shoulder blade in towards your spine (retract). When you do your hands should spread apart, and the band should stretch.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- While keeping your head, torso, and hips in a fixed position, and legs fully extended, simultaneously lower your arms and legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Gain a moment of control, return your arms and legs to the top/starting position.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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