I can't do pull-ups. Is there an alternative I should do instead?
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If you can't do pull-ups yet, there are several alternative exercises and progressions you can use to build up to a full pull-up. Here are some options based on the advice from the Mind Pump Podcast:
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Band-assisted pull-ups: Use thick rubber bands that can support your weight to help lift you up during the pull-up motion. This enables you to perform a pull-up with some of your body weight taken off 1.
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Inverted rows or body rows: Use a Smith machine or a barbell placed at a low point on a squat rack, lie underneath it, and pull your chest up to the bar. This can mimic a pull-up's movement pattern at an easier difficulty 1.
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Isometric holds: Stand on something like a bench or box to get to the top of the pull-up position. Then remove your feet from the platform and hold yourself at the top of the movement for three to five seconds 1.
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Negative pull-ups (Eccentric Phase): Use a box or bench to hop up to the top pull-up position, then slowly lower yourself down with control. This helps build strength in the muscles you use for pull-ups with your body weight 1.
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Pull-downs: If you have access to a lat pull-down machine, you can build strength with a similar movement pattern. This machine exercise can help improve the muscles needed for pull-ups 1.
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Grip training: If your grip is a limiting factor, exercises to improve your grip strength could also be beneficial 2.
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Horizontal Pulls (Barbell Rows): Though not a direct substitute for the vertical pulling motion of pull-ups, barbell rows are a compound movement beneficial for building overall back strength and can help improve your posture 3.
Incorporate these adjustments and progressively increase the difficulty until you build enough strength to perform a full pull-up without assistance. Remember that consistency and gradual progression are key when developing strength in new movements.
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