Pull up training wheels

Some of my readers are not interested in performing pull ups, however you may have an adult child or grandkids who would be interested. I frequently read on fitness forums where people can't perform a pull up, and want to start.

Even if you have no intention of performing a full pull up, there are tremendous shoulder health benefits to performing some of these easier motions.

I found this video on YouTube about when President Kennedy was promoting the President's Council on Physical Fitness in the public schools. I remember we got a patch to wear if we completed some pull ups, push ups, and sit ups. I was very proud of that patch at 10 years old, in the early 80’s.

The video is pretty amazing, just how jacked these kids were. It is a stark contrast to the general public now. Of course, it’s not perfect. There were no girls, and no black or brown kids, no Native Americans. I don’t say that to have the film “cancelled.” We’ve slid very far in general fitness and obesity rates, and made progress at inclusion.

President Kennedy's President's Council on Physical Fitness video

I read a lot of biographies, and am struck by how prevalent pull up strength is in history. In General Grant’s biography he apparently could still pull off 20 pull ups in retirement, probably with a cigar in his mouth. Many WWII servicemen could perform one handed pull ups.

Pull ups are likely something that all of us could do at one point in our lives, and at some point we lost it. There are many arbitrary measures of strength, but pull ups might be more relevant.

We are frequently injured when we are not strong enough to overcome the forces in our environment. Pull ups are a good indication that we can overcome gravity.

Pull ups also work the rotator cuff muscles, keeping them strong, and help to prevent their injury.

You gotta start somewhere

Just hanging from a bar is a good start, to increase grip strength. Even if you can only start with 5 seconds, gradually increasing that time to 30 will improve shoulder and grip strength. There are also shoulder health benefits to this.

Have we been stretching the shoulder incorrectly all these years?

There is also a lat pull down machine in most gyms. It works some of the same muscles as the pull up motion. This is a good start, because you can warm up at lower weight to prevent injury, and gradually increase weight and strength.

Home exercises

Placing a broom stick across two chairs, and lying underneath it is another good starter. Just make sure you are safe completing this, and the chairs and stick are sturdy. Start with knees bent, and try to pull towards the bar.

When you can do 10 reps, then try it with legs straight.

Fancier equipment

Some gyms even have a platform that you can kneel on, that helps push you up while performing the pull ups. That is probably the best way to achieve pull ups, as it most closely matches the motion.

Some Total Gyms have pull ups handles, where you can start with a lower percentage of your body weight.

And lastly, there is a large rubber band sling that also assists in pulling people up.