Perfect Pull-ups
Excellent advice from Squat University. This is a must-watch for anyone doing pull-ups (and I’ll summarize below for you).
Summary and tips to a perfect pull-up:
Start with a strong grip with your fingers wrapped all the way around the bar and knuckles pointing towards the ceiling. This will avoid overstraining your tendons which could lead to forearm pain at the elbow (medial epicondylitis).
Tighten and stiffen your whole body - Pull your shoulder blades back and tighten up the muscles of your low back and core. Keep your legs in a locked position.
Pull your sternum to the bar - NOT your chin! Don’t reach your chin over the bar. Pull the bar to your chest.
Next workout, try the McGill Pull-up Method: Perform 1-2 reps with maximal effort and perfect form with small breaks in between as you attempt a max set. More on McGill Pull-ups here.
Handstand Push-ups
This is not something that you should try without seriously training to build strength in the shoulders. I have seen serious neck injuries from attempting theses without proper training.
Before you ever try a handstand push-up, assess your strength and spend several weeks incorporating these exercises into your routine. This video has a great progression of exercises to get you ready for handstand pushups.
Pike push-up
Knees elevated pike push-ups
Feet elevated pike push-ups
Wall walk
Wall kick-up and hold
If a workout you have downloaded here, ever includes handstand push-ups and you are not sure you can complete at least 5 in a row, substitute for an exercise above.
This is TERRIBLE!!!
When you are ready to train, here are some great tips.
NEVER do kipping push-ups, ever. CrossFit athletes train specifically for this. If that’s your sport, find a new site.
Start with holds or low range of motion push-ups. Only doing partial reps is better than hurting yourself. Gradually increase your range while paying attention to any pain you might feel in your shoulder.
Joint pain is different than muscle fatigue or soreness! If your joint hurts, stop. You could injure yourself and be out for weeks.
When you do start doing full range of motion push-ups, put a pad under your head so as soon as it touches you can explode up. The pad allows you to feel the floor without putting any weight on your head. It’s a warning system, not designed to make it more comfortable to put your head on the floor.
If it feels uncomfortable or painful in your joints, stop. It’s not worth injuring yourself to get in extra reps.
More advice can be found here.
The Active Hang - a must do!
This exercise is a must for anyone looking to add muscle to their upper body, particularly for those looking to get better at pull-ups and increase their max bench press. I was very impressed with this video, and it is definitely worth a watch.
While it might seem obvious that the dead hang or active “perfect” hang described here in the video might help with pull-ups, it is also a great movement to add on your bench press days to learn how to stabilize your shoulder blades.
Young lifters often overly focus on developing the bigger muscles, like the pecs, and can neglect the smaller, stabilizer muscles. While this might not hurt in the short term, over time, as described above, it can lead to poor posture and shoulder problems.
Do yourself a favor and do these exercises at least once a week, and if your looking for an entire program that incorporates exercises like these that promote long-term fitness, try any of my workout programs.