Banded Pull Ups………….We have been talking a lot in the coaches meetings about bodyweight movements (ie pull ups, push ups) and proper development of the movements. The pull up (strict) is a brutally hard movement (that’s not rocket science to figure out for anyone that has tried a pull up…) The question is: do bands help? My response: it depends, but I think it helps less than we want it to and it is not a tool that we, here, want to use for pull up development. (For full disclosure, this is a debated topic in the fitness world).
One reason for this: for strength development, utilization of bands is oftentimes used at the point of least resistance in order to develop strength. Think of the bench press or deadlift. I would use bands to help people at the top position (standing the deadlift or locking out the bench) so that you have to continue to accelerate through the full range of movement. Where the movement is the “easiest” (top position of those lifts) I have to work “harder” (….to a certain extent). If you want to test this out, drape a band over a barbell, step on it, and perform a deadlift.
If I am using a band for a pull up, I’m doing the exact opposite: where it is hardest (the bottom – which is where strength needs to be developed) I am getting the most assistance. It creates an uneven strength curve and often times leads to great deficiencies in the movement.
So – how do we develop the strength for the pull up? Am I stuck with ring rows because that doesn’t seem to be getting me any closer….Consistent work and focused variance (is that an oxymoron??). Consistency, like in many areas, is a massive part of it. Attempting a pull up every 2 weeks, say, won’t cut it (sorry!!) Here are 3 pieces that will help:
- There are 4 main muscle groups that are utilized: latissimus dorsi (the “lats”), posterior deltoid (back of the shoulder), middle trapezius (mid back), and biceps brachii (the guns). Spend time developing these muscle groups (and there are SO many options here from row variations to shoulder work to “bi’s and tri’s”). Adding grip strength, too, will be huge.
- Understanding and training body position (that hollow body position is your friend!) will go a long way (core engagement, like with so many things, is a must).
- Work on nutrition (we have someone to help with that Jessica Cox Tucker!!!) Moving less weight vertically is often easier than moving more weight vertically.
Let’s work on developing the strength where it needs to be developed. It will take time for sure but it is doable!