How to increase the number of pull-ups

Want to increase the number of repetitions in pull-ups? Work on it! Train according to a special program, and your numbers will skyrocket. For other exercises with body weight, the program is also suitable.

Author: Edward Chico

So, you want to beat a personal record in pull-ups. Then stretch more often. This is a short answer in one sentence. If you pull up once a week with the same number of sets and reps, you will not see record numbers.

Would you like a detailed answer? Follow the example of Major Charles Lewis Armstrong. He was a Marine, a karate champion, and a marathon runner. He also set the world record for most pull-ups twice, completing 1,435 reps in just under five hours.

The program he trained on is not only for those who are going to aim for a world record. I used it to set personal records in pull-ups and push-ups from the horizontal bar.

If right now you can’t do two pull-ups, this program is not for you - not for you yet. But if you can do ten pull-ups and have a deep respect for the bar, get ready to learn from the guy who was the best.

Definitely, this is a very specific program. It is designed for five workouts per week, and I recommend sticking to the schedule for 5-6 weeks. You can choose any five days of the week, but be sure to practice every day. Then two days of rest, and again everything from the beginning.

Armstrong trained from Monday to Friday and rested on weekends. But he didn't just pull up. Every morning he did three of the most difficult sets of push-ups from the floor. This made it possible to maintain the balance of the muscles responsible for the presses (chest, triceps).

This program focuses on the muscles responsible for pulling (biceps, back). The total rest time between sets is anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.

The rest is an endless series of sips. But here it is important to clarify: you need to pull up cleanly, according to all the rules of technology. This means that you need to overcome the entire range of motion without jerking and jerking your legs, and not somehow reaching the chin to the bar. Everything needs to be done beautifully and under control, and if you can’t pull yourself up with perfect technique again, immediately finish the set.

Here's what the daily workouts look like: