You want to learn a pull-up? That's how it's done…

One of the simplest and at the same time most difficult exercises is the pull-up. Women in particular often find it difficult to pull up.

Bands, lat pulldowns or pull-up machines are often recommended to make it easier to learn how to pull up. However, in the YPSI we do not recommend any of these three options. Since they only lead to success very slowly. Bands alter the resistance curve in opposition to the pull-up's strength curve. They support the area where you are mechanically strongest - bottom - and don't support the mechanically weaker part of the pull-up - top. This reduces the training effect. Pull-ups on the machine - with knee or foot pads - on the other hand give the body stability and relieve it of a lot of work. Thus, the training effect is reduced. When doing a lat pulldown, you move a stack of weights instead of your body weight, a big difference neurologically. Which leads to a lower training effect.

The most successful and fastest way to learn a pull-up is:

1. Place a bench in front of the pull-up bar and climb up. Or let your training partner/trainer help you with the concentric phase – the way up. I don't recommend jumping up, because control is usually lost in the top position. The starting position for this variant is at the top. The goal is for you to lower yourself evenly for 30 seconds. That is the goal. If you can only let yourself off for 5s on day 1, that's ok. In that case you have a good potential for improvement. Increase the time of each workout. Up to 30 seconds.
2. Once you can lower yourself for a set of 30 seconds, use extra weight on the lower - with a dumbbell between your legs or plates in a belt. With the additional weight, increase yourself to 30 seconds of even lowering. After 30 seconds, increase the weight again. Increase the weight until you can drop about 10% of your body weight as extra weight for 30 seconds. Then you do a pull-up.
3. Once a pullup works, move on to a 5010 Tempo. As many reps as you can do, starting with one, plus two eccentric reps - this time releasing with 5s instead of 30s.

This is the quickest and most efficient way to learn your first pull-up and multiple pull-ups...

Bonus tip: Vary your pull-up grip every 6 workouts. Always start with a narrow, neutral grip. Then switch to a supinated, shoulder-width grip. And then, depending on your progress, to a pronated, shoulder-width grip or back to a narrow, neutral grip. Do 4-5 sets 2 times a week.

Good luck learning to pull up! You will never forget the first...