"Zen Cohen" <aturny@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46bbde66$0$4845$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> When I waddled back into the gym last year after a long layoff, the
> first thing I forced myself to do at the beginning of every workout as
> self-inflicted punishment for getting fat was pullups. In my best
> shape 15 yrs ago at 165lbs and approx 7% BF, I could do 13 to 15
> (IIRC). At age 48, 220 lbs and 30+% BF I could do one and get a little
> ways toward the second. I'm now 176 lbs, about 16% BF and can do maybe
> 9 with decent form. After hearing talk here about bodyweight-plus
> pullups (and seeing JMW's vid) I stuck a 35-lb dumbell btwn my knees
> the other day and did about 3.5. Definitely heading in the right
> direction but it's going slowly.
>
> Given that, what is a good program toward upping my max reps of BW
> pullups (would be nice to do 15 again) and a single max of BW plus
> whatever I can build up to. JMW's 106 seems pretty out of reach for
> the moment but it's a nice goal to shoot for.
>
> Also, would be nice for this NG to get back to being more about
> weights and fitness and less trash. I have had a resurgence of health
> in the last year in large part because I got back in the gym, and I've
> gleaned some useful stuff from this group. Usenet is a great medium
> but sadly it seems to be dying a slow death because of all the noise
> and spam.
1RM and max reps w/ bodyweight are somewhat contradictory. Although
it's possible to work on them both, and sometimes by working on one the
other goes up, you might try focusing on one or the other for a cycle or
even a few cycles before switching your focus again. I am _not_
following my own advice at this point but I'm pretty good at pullups,
anyway, and seem to be able to get away with it, at least somewhat - I
might make progress on both fronts but probably not as much progress as
if I focused on one for a while and then the other.
The other things to mention is that varying the grip seems to work well
for a lot of people. Do some w/ chinup grip, some thumbless pullup
grip. Try towel pullups (one or two towels over the bar, grab the towel
instead of the bar), try also weighted w/ dipping belt because it's
harder than holding a db between your feet (the db between the feet
gives you something to push against), also try a weighted vest if you
have one (harder than weight on a dipping belt). One armed where you
grab your wrist is also good - you still get two arms to pull with and
you can increase the difficult by grabbing lower.
Just my opinion, hope that's of some help to you.
-S-
http://www.kbnj.com 
Bodyweight-plus pullups 
Linear Mode
