Days 94 - 100: One last good one

Day 100
I'm writing this after my day 100 only because I have been busy with book edits and life in general.  I incorporated another workout routine.  Frank Medrano has a great book that's easy to read called "Beginner Calisthenics:  Superhuman Origins".  This book covers an 8-week program that is strictly devoted to bodyweight exercises.  Part of that routine is an entire workout devoted to pull ups.  Part of his theory in muscle development is to use the negative motions to your advantage.  For example, I would do my best repetitions on a pull up.  Rather than resting, I could shoot for a few more reps, but focus on the negative motion.  So, I would pop up into the highest position (whether stepping up onto a chair or jumping into position) then gradually allow my body to lower.  Then, I would do the same thing again for every rep thereafter.  In due time, this builds muscle and strength endurance.  This would, in theory, increase my pull-up maximum repetitions.  Which is what I'm shooting for.

Another great resource I stumbled on was T-Nation.com.  This is an excellent fitness resource and really established what I was shooting for in dead hang pull-ups.  T-Nation goes further in depth, discussing the kipping method and the butterfly kipping method.  The butterfly method is used primarily in CrossFit competitions with the objective of getting the chin above bar.  The dead hang form is sacrificed to get more repetitions in less time.  As I thought it would be, this form is a bit more dangerous especially if you do not have proper shoulder development or the mechanics of this exercise mastered.  The kipping method was encouraged as a last resort to improve the dead hang pull up, but not at the expense of the shoulders.  In other words, use the kipping method for a few reps after you have died out from your dead hangs.  Read more here:  T-Nation.  You will find the link to the article on butterfly pull-ups in the previous link.  Great read, have a look at it.

T-nation has a lot of great reads, so take your time and browse through it.

Day 100 saw me make an attempt of 15 straight pull ups on my first attempt.  The subsequent attempts were about 10 reps for 3 sets.  I'm not upset that I didn't make my goal.  Re-evaluating things, I could've had a stronger finish had I:

Researched more on:

1. -proper form
2. -improving max repetitions
3. -what made others successful in their max reps
4. -set a rock solid plan prior to jumping in
5. -rehabbing my neck issue before I started this program

Thanks for joining me.  Stay tuned here for the latest developments.  I plan to do full research on this idea, develop a game plan and implement it for another attempt at 100 pull-ups in 100 days.  For now, I'm going to continue my normal training program and work on improving my neck so that I'm able to attack this goal a bit better.  

In the meantime, whatever you do, shoot big, do your best and if you fail, fail forward.

-Dale

Days 89 - 93: Still on track

I am still truckin' forward with one week left on the program.

Yesterday, Day 92 I did a pull workout with a little legs:
10 minute warm up with rope
30 seconds skip
30 seconds rest
Then,
Pull ups - 2 minute rest between each attempt
15, 12, 12, 12
TRX Inverted Rows - 2 minute rest between each attempt
15, 16, 16, 15
(This movement aggravated my right shoulder.  I have been doing some research lately and have found a few experts stating that upright rows can be damaging to the shoulder.  Normally, if a TRX is suspended from a bar, inverted rows would be on par.  But, the TRX I use is suspended from the wall, so the movement is more like an upright row.  Part way into my second set, I was feeling it, but I didn't listen to my body.  After the workout was done and this morning was possibly the worst. I iced my right shoulder and it is feeling better later in the day now.  No more TRX "inverted rows" when the suspension is from the wall.  Not good.)
Close grip pull ups - 2 minute rest between each attempt
10, 10, 10, 10

Finished with legs -
Lunges - 2 minute rest between each attempt
50, 52, 54, 60
Squats - 2 minute rest between each attempt
20, 30, 40, 50

Cooldown on the treadmill for 10 minutes

Day 85 - 88: Train Hard on Pulls Every Other Day

By Dale L Roberts (One Jacked Monkey, LLC)

February 3, 2015

Hey, just popping in ever so briefly to catch up.  I've still kept on track with pull up training every other day.  The two workouts I enjoy most are:

50 pull ups workout
15 straight on the first attempt
10 straight on the second attempt
15 straight on the third attempt
10 straight on the fourth attempt
I rest roughly 1 minute between sets
-----------
50 pull ups workout
10 straight on the first attempt
5 straight every attempt after
Very little rest between sets.  I took about 3 slow and deep breathes, then jumped right back into it.

My challenge days are coming to a close.  On my last day, I will give my best effort.  The whole training approach changed when I could honestly evaluate how well I was performing each pull up.  I like to stick the hang clean style, using zero momentum from my body and pulling all with the back and a little with the arms.

My form should be:

1. Shoulder blades pulled back at all times
2. Elbows pointed out to the sides of the body and not forward (as this is closer to a chin up and requires less back power)
3. Grip just shoulder-width apart on the bar
4. Pull all the way up till the chest meets the bar
5. Go down and come up with equal pacing

Catch up with me again soon.  I should have a video post rather soon, however, I have been tied up re-writing/editing my first publication "The 3 Keys to Health & Happiness:  Unlock Your Greater Life" (first version available here).  Stay tuned.