ExRx.net

I just got thinking about this thread, as a result of Proper Knob just hitting 14 chin ups. So I went back and read it. It was almost exactly 2 years ago, so I thought that it would be fun to challenge y'all again. A lot of the regulars then are still around, and we have a whole crop of relatively new folk.

Here's the challenge. You choose a pull-up variant--pronated, supinated, neutral grip, towel grip, alternate grip, wide, narrow, whatever. You choose. You test a PR between now and 1 February. Then in the month of February, try to increase that by 10%. Obviously, if your PR is less than 10, you'll have to round up. Fractions of a rep are just too hard to judge! So for most of us, that will mean adding 1 rep in a month's time. If you do weighted pull-ups, and want to set a goal with regard to the weight added, fine. The details are just up to you.

By 1 Feb, post your current 1RM, the style of pull-up, and your goal. I'll make a post summarizing the current records and the goals, then repost it from time to time with updated stats.

It just occurred to me that February won't be an ideal time for me to do a challenge, as I will be spending a couple of weeks traveling to a conference in Thailand (do you feel sorry for me?), and I know that the resort (again, pity me) where we will be has a pretty crummy weight room (however, they have great Thai massage!). But then again, I should be able to find places to do pull ups, even if I can't do a full workout in a gym. And besides, the next month wouldn't be any better, as I will be heading back home to Idaho in the middle of the month, with a week's stay in Hawaii on the way (now don't you REALLY feel sorry for me?) So I'll work on chins anywhere I can find something to hang from or throw a towel over.

As you've already stated 14 is my number with a, what i call, narrow semi neutral grip. The bars aren't parrallel or horizontal to me, they're somewhere in between.

I'm in, bring the noise!

I suck at pullups, but have added them back into my routine... Let's do this again...

Cliff

I remember when I first joined you guys were doing a pull-up challenge. Ok, I'm in. I'm going to make a home-made belt so I can do weighted pull-ups.

I'll play. My current best is 11 and I'll test again probably on 2/1.
My lofty goal is to get 20 this year using the narrow, semi-supinated grip on the power cage.

Sweet, Im in. I was going to work on improving pull-ups in Feb anyways because the pool I frequent will be closed, and was going to do a substitute dryland exercise.

Right now Im at:
10 pronated w/o extra weight.
33 years old, 215lbs, 6'2"

This should help break my lurkering habit-- I'm take the challenge
I did a couple sets of 10 this morning

39 yo, 165lb, 5'9"

I haven't tested in a while but my best-ever is 16. I want more. I'm in, but I'll probably be just doing a raw test here or there since I don't design my own programs.

7 pullups close grip as of 28th of January 2011.

edit: because i'm in the AEST timezone I have to state the date as the exrx tz appears to be north American. i can't see into the future.

I'll play. I think I will test sometime this weekend and then edit. Sounds fun ;)

Editting...

Today, January 29, I got 8 pullups pronated slightly wider than shoulder width. I am gonna shoot for 10 by end of the month.

I'm in but i've not decided how i'm going to do it yet. I just got a PR with weighted pull ups last week. I may try and build on that but i'm tempted to go all out for reps with bodyweight. I have a client who sometimes comes in and trains "with" me (she loves deadlifts!). She challenged me to do 15 pull ups - after heavy DL's - and I got 18 (she always claims I can't do certain things and i'm daft enough to rise to it everytime. i've never tried to get my reps up with just bodyweight and getting 18 pi$$ed me off because I never managed 20 - I tried the other 2 but they didn't count!

Infact I may try and build on both since heavy squats and DL's are still a no go for me right now. Maybe do it with Fat Gripz. Hmmm.. I'll post back when i've had more coffee and a think! I'll need to try another rep out and see what I manage, too.

KPj

18! Doesn't sound to me like you really need to bother with this challenge, you're already pretty excellent at it

I like to think it would of been 20 if I didn't DL before it.

Also got 2 sets of 12 using fat gripz last sat, after benching, so i'm considering doing it with these, too.

Depends what way you look at it though. On the last challenge I got 15 with an added 10KG... So 3 reps more than that with bodyweight isn't much if anything to write home about, really. I'm a little heavier now but not really enough to use it as a decent excuse.

I'm going to play around with it over the weekend. I'm also considering just using a 10KG plate and seeing where I am and where I can get to over the month of Feb. I think i'll go bodyweight though, I would like to get over 20 no problem and it means I can work on it outwith main lifting days and not really interfere with anything else.

KPj

My recent max is 10 in a row with parallel grip. However, my 5 day/wk max is 7. That is 7 in a row, 5 days in a row. My goal prior to this challenge was to get to 10 in a row, 5 days in a row. I'll keep working on that and post results at the end of the month. Sorry to be so complicated.