Exercise Post: Pull-Ups

     Hey Guys!

     I just wanted to share an exercise with you this week. I'm sure many of you have heard of pull-ups, and I know how much some of you dread them. But there is no substitute for pull-ups. A lot of people like to use the lat pull-down, but you cannot develop your lats, upper back, biceps, triceps, and abs from the lat pull-down.

     Yes, you use your abs during pull-ups - if you use proper form. Some people do not know this, but in order to do a pull-up properly, you have to bring your legs up slightly. This will keep you from swinging from the bar, allowing you to use your core to steady yourself.

     You do not want to swing from the bar. Doing so can damage your shoulders, and you will be using momentum rather than muscle to perform repetitions. If you are using momentum to complete repetitions you might as well not perform the exercise at all.

     Pull-ups can be difficult, especially for heavier people, but like I said, there is no substitute for them. What you can do to make the exercise easier is place a bench, chair, or other object that prevents you from lowering all the way down underneath the bar. This will lessen the range of motion, making the exercise easier.

     In order to get stronger lats from performing this exercise, focus on your negative reps. You use your lats mostly during the downward rotation. By going down slowly, you will create more time under tension which will lead to muscle growth.

     Get Stronger!
          -Nas