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Grip on pull-ups

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Citizen

Registered User
a few montha ago i could barely churn out 2 pull-ups, i'm up to 12 now but am having a little trouble.

maybe it's my sweaty palms, or the mighty calloses on the pads of my fingers, but i find myself having trouble with my grip on the bar when i get above 10 or so.

my dad suggested to me that i try some chalk to improve my grip - and like magic i'm a solid 15.

i know that there isn't going to be any chalk at OCS - anybody have any home remedies i can use to improve my grip? i work my forearms with free weights, but i'm not noticing any gains from that.
 

Taxman2A

War were declared.
what type of bar are you using? Is it a slick metal pole? or does it have tape around it?

All the pullup bars you will use at OCS have tape wrapped around them multiple times... so the grip really shouldn't be a problem. I don't remember slipping off once.
 

Citizen

Registered User
i'm sorry, i should have been more specific.

it's not an issue of slipping off, it's that my weak grip costs me a few pull-ups that my shoulders and arms have the capability of doing.

I usually do one set of fingertip push-ups during my daily regiment, but i guess i just need to do more.

and thanks for the OCS tip - that's real good news for me
 

klostman

the happy dance!
Citizen, how slow are you doing your pullups? I ask because I have the same problem. Depending on the bar and its surface grip, I get 19 or 20. But the first thing that fails me is not my back or biceps but my forearms. My OSO suggested that I was doing the pullups to slow possibly and should speed them up. Are you coming to a complete dead-hang at the bottom? Thats what I do. I got used to doing them slow and controlled because I heard they are very picky at OCS. Good luck and keep at it, they will come.
 

kabttu

Registered User
to increase your forearm and grip strength, you might try hanging from door frames in your house or apartment, i do this and it's definitely not my hands or forearms that give out on me when i'm doing pullups
 

Citizen

Registered User
Originally posted by klostman
Citizen, how slow are you doing your pullups? I ask because I have the same problem. Depending on the bar and its surface grip, I get 19 or 20. But the first thing that fails me is not my back or biceps but my forearms. My OSO suggested that I was doing the pullups to slow possibly and should speed them up. Are you coming to a complete dead-hang at the bottom? Thats what I do. I got used to doing them slow and controlled because I heard they are very picky at OCS. Good luck and keep at it, they will come.

that's exactly what i heard from my OSO. I am kind of torn between doing them slow and controlled or just going balls-out and getting as many as possible. Either way, at least I'm improving. thanks and good luck.
 

Spin

SNA in Meridian
Just my 2 cents.

I do the Armstrong Program. Now ..... when I can't do any more I can't really localize a specific area ... I guess everything (biceps, back arms, etc.) that I'm working just gets tired and thats all I have. I'm at the 19-20 range. Now to the point ....

When I'm training (i.e. doing reps or training sets, etc. ... anything but a PFT) I will usually do them slow and controlled. On Mondys (for the Armstrong Program) I have to do 5 maximum effort sets. Usually on the first set I will do them as fast as I can without losing control (simulating a PFT) since my body is at it's peak. Other than that it's slow and controlled. Not EXTREMELY slow but at a nice controlled pace.

The golden rule is "the more work the better". If you can do 20 slow and controlled think of how many you can do when going faster! Hope i didn't ramble too much!!

Peace,

-Spin
 

AllenAzali

Registered User
Try workout gloves, most of them come with really thick palms with cut off fingertips. I just use plain old batting gloves, which is good enough for grip and keeping the blisters away.

This is an excellent site reguarding weighted pullups, I posted it in another forum, but here it is again: http://www.oo-rah.com/pt/pt0830.shtml



Signed, Matt
 

AllenAzali

Registered User
If the problem is strength related, I know of two exercise tools out there for grip. Someone please help me out with the names.

The first one is fairly common and pretty much looks like a larger version of the butt end of a saftey pin with handles on the other end. To use it all you gotta do is squeeze. I'm sure there are some with different resistances. The best way to use this is to bring them to the office or that boring lecture and bust some squeezes all day long.

The other one is fairly new and used for tennis players. Its this yellow ball ball with a greenish frame thing, and black rubber around the frame. The yellow ball spins at a very fast rate and moves around the frame. The faster the spin the more resistance. Its hard to describe this one, but its really fun once you get the darn thing spinning.

But like the others said, keep trying and stick to the program. Good luck dude.

Signed, Matt
 

Citizen

Registered User
Originally posted by AllenAzali
If the problem is strength related, I know of two exercise tools out there for grip. Someone please help me out with the names.

The first one is fairly common and pretty much looks like a larger version of the butt end of a saftey pin with handles on the other end. To use it all you gotta do is squeeze. I'm sure there are some with different resistances. The best way to use this is to bring them to the office or that boring lecture and bust some squeezes all day long.

The other one is fairly new and used for tennis players. Its this yellow ball ball with a greenish frame thing, and black rubber around the frame. The yellow ball spins at a very fast rate and moves around the frame. The faster the spin the more resistance. Its hard to describe this one, but its really fun once you get the darn thing spinning.

But like the others said, keep trying and stick to the program. Good luck dude.

Signed, Matt

Thanks for the tips I've been working with some Extra-heavy tension hand grips for the last few weeks and am already noticing big-time improvement. I can rifle off a solid 15 now, no problem, and keep between 12 and 15 for 2-3 sets.

I'm looking to hit 20 by summer, and 25 with both palms in and palms out, slow and controlled, by the start of class next year.

Thanks for the tips gentlemen!
 
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