pull-ups and some cfa ques

navy2016

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2009
Messages
609
Anyone know a good routine to help increase the number of pull-ups?

I have been managing to hit 8 but have not improved in several months
I do them maybe twice a week.
I have access to my local ymca which has a pull-up bar.

With push-ups and sit-up, i have had much more luck in improving by combining weight training and doing moderate amounts of them on daily basis.

What is the typical height of the pull-up bar used for CFA?

During the CFA, will you be told if u max out?
 
Anyone know a good routine to help increase the number of pull-ups?

Armstrong pullup plan. I started with this plan to get my pullups from 0 to 13. Happend all in about 4 weeks. I plateued and am now doing the recon ron pullup program. Not sure my max now, but I'm probably sitting close to 15-16. Understand it's easier to go from 8 to 12 then it is to go from 12-16. So if you hit 12, and notice your gains are slowing down...this is normal.

The key here is dedication. Nothing is going to work if you aren't consistent.



What is the typical height of the pull-up bar used for CFA?

It probably ranges. You can use some form of assistance to get up. You just have to start off at a deadhang.

During the CFA, will you be told if u max out?

Yes.
 
usually your HS gym coach will conduct the CFA so that means you'll use your HS gym, so whatever pull-up bar is in there is what will be used.

Yes, your gym coach or person conducting the test has very specific guidance. They will tell you if you reach the max number in 2min or less. You can find the script at this link:
http://www.usna.edu/Admissions/cfainstructions.htm

As far as increasing the number of pull-ups, I suggest you try out P90X. If you can borrow it from someone or at least get a look at the workouts this program will certainly increase your pull-ups. I've completed one round of P90X and was amazed how quickly I was improving each week. The number of pull-ups you do in a routine is crazy...you do various versions of pull-ups. It's a great work out. Other than that, just keep doing them and doing them and doing them :)

Best of luck
 
Yes^ the Iron Gym has been very helpful so far. I went from only being able to do 1 pull-up to 9 in only about 3-weeks.
 
Armstrong pullup plan. I started with this plan to get my pullups from 0 to 13. Happend all in about 4 weeks.

You say you started out at zero. Two questions...

One, how many pushups could you do at that point?

Two, if you couldn't do any pullups at first, what did you do? Like pullups where you only go part way up, or did you have your knees on something?
 
You say you started out at zero. Two questions...

One, how many pushups could you do at that point?

Two, if you couldn't do any pullups at first, what did you do? Like pullups where you only go part way up, or did you have your knees on something?

Yeah, I used to be very into cycling. So having any form of upper body strength would have put me at a disadvantage because of the unnecessary bulk. So I never did any type of upper-body workout.

To be honest I think I was able to do maybe 10 pushups. And I'm not joking about that. 10 was a maxset, and if I were to do another set it would probably have only been 5. Now, I'm sitting at 65 pushups. With a goal of getting that up to 75.

Couldn't do any pullups at first. I just kept going up to the bar, pulling myself up as high as I could go. Within a few days my chin made it over the bar. Whatever you do, don't do assisted pullups. These give you a false sense of weight. Instead add in certain back excercises. For example, lat pulldown, rows, etc. Remember, pullups are all in the back. Your arms are pretty much there just to hitch you to the bar.

Make sure you are pushing yourself every workout. Let's say you did 5 set of 15 pushups on your last workout. Unless you are increasing that to atleast 16 at the next workout, nothing is going to change.
 
Make sure you are pushing yourself every workout. Let's say you did 5 set of 15 pushups on your last workout. Unless you are increasing that to atleast 16 at the next workout, nothing is going to change.

Exactly. If you want progress, you have to constantly stress your muscles, increasing the workload, either by doing more reps, or doing more sets, or even adding some resistance (25-45 lb. backpack on while doing push ups).
 
You say you started out at zero. Two questions...

One, how many pushups could you do at that point?

Two, if you couldn't do any pullups at first, what did you do? Like pullups where you only go part way up, or did you have your knees on something?


this will vary from person to person.
when i was able to do one pull-up i could do about 30 push-ups. Now, being able to do 8 pull-ups, i can do 67 push-ups. However i have a friend that can do 15 pull-ups and only 45 push-ups.

try pull-ups on a bar that is only slightly above ur head. basically it should be where u can grab the bar without jumping or off a box.
smith machines (i think that is what they are called- basically it is a rack where weights are supported on a sliding bar that can be locked), available at any gym, can be used as an adjustable pull-up bar.

since i have at least another year before my CFA, I am training myself to be able to max out.
 
this will vary from person to person.
when i was able to do one pull-up i could do about 30 push-ups. Now, being able to do 8 pull-ups, i can do 67 push-ups. However i have a friend that can do 15 pull-ups and only 45 push-ups..

Pull-ups and push-ups are two entirely different things. Pull-ups test your lat muscles and some parts of your triceps while push-ups test pectoral muscles and triceps.
 
Pull-ups and push-ups are two entirely different things. Pull-ups test your lat muscles and some parts of your triceps while push-ups test pectoral muscles and triceps.


that explains my pull-up deficiency
 
smith machines (i think that is what they are called- basically it is a rack where weights are supported on a sliding bar that can be locked), available at any gym, can be used as an adjustable pull-up bar.

This would get quite a few looks at my gym. Might even be worse than curling in the squat rack. :yllol:
 
I maxed CFA pull ups, just do them every other day or so and do at least 70 they don't have to be all in a row just make sure you get to at least 70.
 
I maxed CFA pull ups, just do them every other day or so and do at least 70 they don't have to be all in a row just make sure you get to at least 70.

Gosh...I hope you meant push ups :shake:

Couldn't do any pullups at first. I just kept going up to the bar, pulling myself up as high as I could go. Within a few days my chin made it over the bar. Whatever you do, don't do assisted pullups. These give you a false sense of weight. Instead add in certain back excercises. For example, lat pulldown, rows, etc. Remember, pullups are all in the back. Your arms are pretty much there just to hitch you to the bar.

I say that, stick to doing negatives to develop enough muscle to do pull ups, but use the assisted pull up machine to perfect your grip or get used to the movements. And of course, decrease the weight as you progress.
 
I'm sure many of you will be able to do 70 pull-ups all within a day. If you space out your pull-up sets every hour or so, doing about 5 for each set, you should hit it pretty easily because of the substantial rest you have had in between your sets.
 
Back
Top