Summer Seminar Participants

How many of you going to session C are females? I'm really struggling with my pull ups too!!!
 
I'm a female going to session C. I haven't actually tried a pullup yet...trying to build up some strength so I'm not majorly disappointed the first try :wink:
 
I'm in session A, but I'm a female working on my pull-up as well. I just purchased a bar a few weeks ago. Not quite there yet...
 
colorado416 said:
I haven't actually tried a pullup yet...trying to build up some strength so I'm not majorly disappointed the first try :wink:
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Honestly, I recommend just doing it! It's good to have a benchmark of how much you have to work, or how close (or far) you are from your goal. I don't know what you're doing to prepare for it, but just doing bicep work isn't going to totally prepare you for it. Military pull-ups (somewhat wide grip, palms facing away from self) use a lot of upper back muscles. I'd recommend using the monkey grip. (thumbs over bar) I heard about that on these forums and it seemed to help.
 
Well, I'll try that grip and hopefully it helps!! And vampsoul- let me know how your first pull up goes!! I've been working on mine since Jan. and have been using one of those rubber band things. those help A LOT!! Where are ya'll from? (I'm from TX obviously) :)
 
I'll definitely start trying...its not going to be pretty but oh well. Thats interesting that the different grips would affect it, I'll have to try that out. I'm from Colorado (hence the screen name). But where are you from in Texas? I was born there and my sister goes to college in Ft. Worth!
 
I was born in West Texas, but I live in East Texas. Soooo, did you do that first pull up yet Colorado?

Are ya'll as crazy busy as I am with school and everything? Time is flying and we'll be at SLS before long!!!
 
Pennsylvania. I can do the pull-up if I start standing, because I have a little unconscious push off, but I can't fully do a dead-hand pull-up yet.
 
pull-up for females

Hi-
I was reading about the pull-up problems..my daughter went to SS last year and is now an appointee.. and boy did she have pull up problems... worked on them for 4 months.. it is back muscles and not arms that makes a difference... wanted to share a little..
if you can go to a gym that has the "assist" platform for the pull-ups then you will be able to take weight off the assist and you can measure your progress....

another help was to start in the "up" position, like you already did one.. and lower yourself down as slowly as you can. Do this over and over and it will help build your back. I think it is called negative resistance? something like that... if you really work out hard, you should do one day on and one day off to let your muscles recover.... but do at least a few push-ups everyday.

My daughter did aerobic and crunches for 3 days and then 2-3 days of upper body every week. she saw the fastest improvement in sit-ups.. the pushups and throw and shuttle were more skill... but the pull-up is just brute strength.

Also it is a bit of mind over matter...and the assist helps because your muscles "feel" what it is to be successful and go thru the range of motion required to complete the intended action.

1 pull up on the CFA is worth more than doing an arm hang all day long.... so start now to master the pull-up.. also the earlier you get your cfa in the better..... as long as you are close to average or above on everything else.... the pull-up delayed us by two months.. but she still got it in by the end of October. If possible, I would recommend earlier.

Good luck ladies!! Keep cheering each other on :thumb:
 
I wish our gym had an assisted pull up machine. What I did instead is buy a band (ordered it on line) that you put over the bar, you put your knee through the loop and then the band helps you pull up. I still cant do one by myself though!

Weather mom, how many pull ups could your daughter do by the time she went to SLS? I sure hope to be able to do at least one!
 
Assisted pullups are great for building up the number of pullups you can do. Also, if you don't have an assisted pullup machine, do reverse pullups. So, instead of starting from the down position, get on a chair, and put your chin over the bar, slowly lower yourself from that position. This works the same muscles, and is good for building up to doing dead-hang pullups.

Good luck!
 
pullups

Hi Jezzie...

She was not able to do any pull-ups at SLS.. push-ups were not so great either....but she just kept going.. even if the pushups were not "regulation", just keep going and do not quit. Apparently some of the cadre's asked kids if they wanted to quit or rest... a few said they did.....:eek: as in it was "optional"

I think the big thing is that between SLS were they have you do a CFA, and the one you submit later is that they are looking for improvement. Obviously there was big improvement on her part... also we live at sea-level and it is like 7300 feet up there.. so running and everything else is hard.

Big thing she wished she had brought.... chapstick. alt. and dehydration made it so her lips cracked and bled. Her cadre got her some.
 
Actually, pull-up exercise does in fact use a lot of bicep. Although it's primarily an exercise targetting upper back, having stronger arms can significantly increase how many pull-ups you can do. As a matter of fact, I occasionaly include pull-ups for my bicep routines. Also pull-up exercises is not just a matter of brute force but also very dependent on form. Therefore people seeking to maximize their pull-ups can adjust the space and length between there hands. By going wider you focus primarily on your back, while close-grip focuses more on biceps.

If you would like to maximize or increase your pull-ups the most important factor is form. If you cannot do a pull-up but you have a membership at a gym. I recommend training your back and biceps once a week and the days your not working them out (except the day or two after you work them out) to do a couple sets of assistance pull-ups and negatives (strict form). Another factor is your weight an ideal situation would be to increase your strength while lowering weight (bodyfat). So I would recommend doing cardio 3x week (minimum). Considering that most people here are trying to get sufficient and above scores on their half mile run on pft, this shouldn't be a problem.

Last but not least intake more protein, eat more meat to be more specific, so you can keep strength muscle gains. Remember that when you work out, you intentionally break down muscle fibers so your body repairs itself stronger. Your body can't do this without your help so incorporate more protein in your diet.

Anyways I'll be attending Session A!!! I got financial aide for my round ticket. Now all I need to do is find a way to pay for tuition :( Anyways I'll figure something out. See you all there!!
 
Pull ups are definitely going to be the hardest thing for most people... I'm lucky in the fact that I dont have to worry about the running due to altitude. I already live at 6500 ft so that shouldn't be an issue :wink: Hopefully it will givve me a slight advantage!
Jarvin-thanks for the advice on the different hand widths on pull ups. That may just help me because of more strength in biceps vs. back
 
good thoughts

Yes the bicep is important... but in females they do not typcially have the back muscles developed...which was my point. Make sure hands are facing out (away), as required for the cfa, not palm towards you (which is all bicep). Doing them is like getting to Carneige hall... practice, practice, practice.
 
Oh I thought chin-ups were allowed as well. Nevertheless back exercises require and hit biceps a lot. Some exercises I recommend that help develop your lats (latissimus dorsi, not sure if spelled right) which are the primary muscle groups targetted when doing pull-ups (w/ access to equipment if course ) are wide lat cable pulldowns (virtually the same motion as pullups) and cable rows. If you just have dumbells you can try decline dumbell pullovers or dumbell rows.

I'll supply images asap. I'm on my itouch so it's very tedious to link images.
 
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