Pull Ups!?!?

classof2022

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Apr 14, 2017
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Hello!!

I am a female and have been struggling with pull ups. I have a bar at home and have been attempting to just get one lousy pull up but I struggle so hard.. I'm really good with everything else (besides running lol). My CFA for sit ups was 91 and push ups was 45. Struggled with the mile and the flexed arm hang (because I couldn't do a pull up).

Any advice on how to improve pull ups/running!?!?
 
My DD is 6'3" (long arms) and struggles on flex arm. I got her a personal trainer which really helped. There is some technique and target muscle groups that if focused on will help. Obviously practice and weight assisted practice is the main driver though.
 
If you can't do one pull up, start off with reverse pull ups to build the strength. Stand on a step stool and grip the bar like you are in the "up" position for a pull up, step off the stool and slowly lower yourself down to the ground. Do this as many times as you can for a couple of weeks, then try a regular pull up. You should see improvement.

Stealth_81
 
Run a Google Search for "Marine Corps Pull Up Training" Women in the Marine Corps now do pull ups as part of their fitness test.
The videos which feature the work of MAJ Misty Posey are exceptional--and MAJ Posey's techniques will get your chin up over the bar.

Good luck.
 
Yea what Stealth said should help. Negative pullups is what they are called. Just leap up so your chin is on top of the bar as if you just went up on the pull and slowly lower yourself down. Just do a couple sets of these until you can get to one pullup. Once you get to one, you do a set to failure and then however many negatives it takes to get to the max score (if that's what youre going for)

As for running, the best thing to do would be to grab a buddy and run distance runs. The reason you get a partner is because both of you will keep each other running at a faster pace whereas if you're alone you wont know if youre slowing down. Also, safety purposes and what not. Hope this help!
 
Running- the 1 and 2 mile are not long distance, but more like long sprints.
At the track run 440 (1 lap), and 220 (1/2 lap) intervals. Sprint a lap, walk 1/2 a lap. Sprint a lap... continue. Same with the 220- sprint 1/2 lap, walk 1/2 a lap.
Do fartleks, or long interval runs. Warm up for about 5 minutes of jogging, then set a timer to about 30 seconds. Sprint 30, jog 30.
 
Running- once a week do 6x400m at your goal mile pace with 2 min between each rep. Other then that mostly long runs with one fartlek to work on VO2 max. My father is a track and field coach and I am a runner so you can message me if you want and I could help you build a training plan. It all comes down to building strength and then speed. In the track world the mile run is considered the longest sprint by most.
For the pull ups I struggled as well and being a male I needed to do at least 8 for USMA. In my school weight room we had resistance bands. So after track every day I would do at least 50 pull ups. I started out with the thickest band and as I progressed I got lighter and lighter until I wasn't using a band at all. Of course that was also coupled with a lifestyle change for me as I started lifting and watching what I ate for the first time. Although I didn't get in and I'm doing AROTC on a 4-year scholarship instead I think training for the CFA was a huge turning point for me bc it is so rigorous. So just work hard and no matter what happens it will be worth it.
 
Using rubber bands or machines that take away some of the weight is a great way to increase pull up reps as well. Try doing as many assisted pull ups as you can then multiply the max by 3. Try to do that number over the course of the workout.

Alternate sprints and long distance. Try sprinting the straight part of the track then walk the curves. Do it 5-10 times. That will help with speed. Military.com has a lot of great tips. Keep working hard!
 
That article about Lt. Col. Posey is great. Just to encourage you that it can be done, DD was in your shoes a year and a half ago. Struggled to get to one pull-up on the CFA, was up to three by the time she reported to AROTC and now up to nine. Male, female, doesn't matter--it's technique and training.
 
LtCol Posey is the real deal. Her technique is proven and far reaching in the only service that now requires men and women to do pull ups.
 
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