Name: Pull Ups and Progressions
Uploaded: 2023-04-26T01:00:51.000Z
Duration: 3 min 1 s

English captions

https://stream.mux.com/9tQrjPrICEuwF4Y2vqPxSiuaVFMcRkqNdgDGmO3SwV4.m3u8

Learn how to properly perform pull-ups and their progressions in this comprehensive step-by-step instructional video from the Brookbush Institute. This evidence-based video provides expert coaching on form, grip variations, and exercise modifications (including progressions and regressions) to improve back (latissimus dorsi and rhomboid), biceps, and scapular stabilizer activation while enhancing pulling mechanics, posture, and functional control. Perfect for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation clients seeking to improve pull-up performance, overcome training plateaus, and maximize upper body strength.

Introduction to Pull-Up Progression

Demonstration of Proper Pull-Up Technique

Common Mistakes in Pull-Ups and How to Avoid Them

Adjusting Difficulty: Modifications and Progressions

Pull Ups and Progressions

This is Brent, President of B2C, looking at the second exercise in our relative flexibility progression for back strength and nervous system training program. We've now increased mobility and stability just a little bit, we can move from saggital plane exercises to saggital overhead and frontal plane exercises. I'm going to have Mike come in and help me demonstrate our pull up progression. So, our five kinetic chain checkpoints remain the same. Now, Mike go ahead and step on - well first, grab the handles and then step onto the assistance here. Make sure he's all lined up, feet completely parallel, hip width, his knees and hips line up. I'm going to have him make sure he still reinforces his triple extension mechanics, squeezes his glutes, locks out his knees, and pushes down with his feet. He's going to draw in and tuck under for me, and then as he pulls up, as many well know, it would be very questionable for him to pull behind his head, there's no reason to do that, the lats have a line of pull anterior to posterior, so I'm going to have him think about pulling up toward his chest, so let's go ahead and see that happen. Now, the chain is important. The bad things that could happen at this point that we often see are his back will start to arch on the way down, so we just have to keep reminding him to tuck under and squeeze his glutes. The other thing we'll see is, on the way down - let me have you do one more - on the way down he'll lose stability of their scapula and move into elevation. We don't want to see that so, let me go ahead and see that Mike. Lower your shoulder blades, his shoulders are near his ears. Another compensation you might see is, as he pulls up he goes into protraction, anterior tipping and shoulders end up near his ears. A lot of people do that sort of thing. All of these things are bad. We don't want to have him reinforce this upper body dysfunction, we want him to maintain scapular depression and retraction both on the way up and on the way down. So let's go ahead and see that. Now we started with a frontal plane pull up here, if he didn't quite have enough mobility and stability to maintain perfect form here we could regress this from a relative flexibilty standpoint by going to the inner handles. The same things apply. Depression, and retraction. If I wanted to increase the stability on this assisted machine I can have him just lift one leg. Go ahead and go up. Believe it or not, this really does reduce stability. Now, a huge progression involves stability and strength, would be to have to have no assistance whatsoever. Or maybe you could even go to a band for assistance, rather than the solid assistance offered by the machine. Thank you.

Home

Videos

Integrated functional anatomy of the latissimus dorsi. Attachments, nerves, palpation, joint actions, arthrokinematics, fascia, triggerpoints, and behavior in postural dysfunction. Common activation exercises, foam rolling, stretching, and strengthening exercises for the lats. 

Latissimus Dorsi 

Back strength training exercises - best progressions for barbell rows, dumbbell rows, pulldowns, pull-ups, cable rows, TRX rows, and band rows. Back movements for endurance, stability, hypertrophy, and strength, and a sample back routine.

Back Exercise and Pulling Progressions

Assisted pull-ups can be performed with an assisted pull-up machine or superband (a.k.a. monster band, pull-up assist band, etc.)

Ensure the client or patient has established a secure foot or knee placement on the assistive device.

If using a machine, we recommend that the client tests the foot/knee placement with one side, while the other side is secure on the stable platform. Once the exerciser has achieved a stable foot/knee placement, then place the other foot/knee.

When using a band, we recommend that only one foot/knee is placed in the band, and the other leg is “free” to assist on the ground or stable platform.

Feet perpendicular to the floor and 2nd toe aligned with ASIS

Pelvis neutral (absence of anterior or posterior pelvic tilt)

Torso, scapula, and head in neutral alignment

To enhance core muscle recruitment, ask your client or patient to contract (“squeeze”) their glutes, and perform the abdominal drawing-in maneuver.

Ask the client or patient to pull their chest toward the bar, with their elbows wide, while “squeezing and depressing their shoulder blades” (retracting and posteriorly tipping their scapula).

The end of range (top of pull-up) should result in the alignment of the hands, wrists, elbows, and forearms with the direction of pull (hands slightly anterior to the elbows).

Cue your client or patient to control the eccentric phase at the desired tempo, allowing the resistance to return them to the starting position with arms near full extension and scapula protracted

Have the client or patient address any form or recruitment issues (posture check).

 Single-arm (unilateral), single-leg, and assistance from a band would be less stable than assistance from a machine.

 Lat pull-down, bilateral cable pull-down, pull-ups, chaos pull-ups.

It is common for professionals and exercisers to ignore core and lower extremity alignment during pull-ups. Although this may not significantly improve upper body strength, it is missing an opportunity to reinforce optimal form and recruitment of core and lower extremity musculature.

The scapula should not be cued into a fixed position. The concentric phase should include downward rotation, and the eccentric phase should include upward rotation.

Attempting to pull-up “too far” will result in a loss of optimal scapular position, likely resulting in anterior tipping. The range of motion should be the largest range that can be performed without pain or compensation.

Pull Ups and Progressions

Comments

Guest