Dooley Noted: 12/19/14
A few days ago, a popular website posted the following meme:
“The best way to get better at pull-ups is 3 sets of stop being so fat.”
Now, I hate the F-word and rarely use it. But the meme made me laugh.
When I stopped laughing, I realized how the tongue-and-cheek comment hit home.
My pull-ups would be infinitely easier if I weighed less.
So, I put a band around my foot and the bar. It took away roughly 25 pounds of my bodyweight, essentially making me 120 pounds.
I cranked out FIVE TIMES more pull-ups.
Being strong is something I crave. I also crave mobility and cardiovascular health. Currently, I always take the stairs, and I can run or swing a kettlebell for many, many minutes. I deadlift 1.5 times my bodyweight and consistently press a 20 kilo for reps. I have a full backbend and handstand.
I have some fitness.
But I admit – I have about ten pounds more on my frame than I need. And I have a goal to execute more pull-ups. I am wondering if slowly ridding myself of those ten pounds might make those pull-ups quite a bit easier.
But I don’t want to lose the strength I’ve built. I won’t crash diet or starve myself to lose a few pounds.
Those techniques are likely to weaken me. And the point is to get stronger.
So, I’ve received these tips to help. Perhaps they can help you, too.
1. Grease the pull-up groove. Every time you pass a bar, pull yourself up to it. The nervous system will start to wire the pattern.
2. If you are going to eat a chunk of high glycemic, starchy carbs, save them for post-lift. You’ll end up more insulin sensitive with this discipline, making the carbs work to build muscle for you. If they are re-building you, they are less likely to be stored as fat.
3. Metabolic conditioning works and makes one feel and look great. Cardiovascular health is crucial, and managing body fat is important for overall health and fitness.
4. Stick to your program and don’t deviate. It’s like conducting a clinical trail. Keep changing the test conditions, and you won’t know what works for you.
5. Do things you don’t like. These things are likely what you are missing since you aren’t doing them. These can be anything from drinking more water to doing more abdominal work.
6. Keep a food and activity log. You don’t have to be obsessive to be collecting data. Simply write on paper or in your phone about your training and food intake. Analyze it, and have a fitness friend or coach take a look for an objective analysis.
7. Deadlift. It has huge carryover into the pullup. My body has never felt more solid and connected since I started barbell deadlifting.
I’ve been following these tips for a few weeks, and they are already helping my pull-up. And my clothes are a bit looser, too!
Give these tips a try.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley