Quickest exercise to do so I can be able to do a pullup?

[Cyber0066]

So, I can't do a pullup. I can probably do half or barely do 1 but after that, I'm done. I can do 110lbs on lat pulldown and I weight 160 pounds.

So, what exercise can I do to be able to do at least a few sets of pullups in the shortest period of time?

1. Continue doing lat pulldowns and increase weight incrementally

I personally found these not to be very effective. Maybe I'm doing them wrong?

2. Actually doing a pullup (even though I can only do one). So, I guess I'll keep on doing sets of 1 and rest until I can eventually do a set of 2.

Problem with this is, I can barely do one. So I don't really "feel the burn" and it doesn't seem like I'm getting a proper workout.

3. Doing negatives. Using this machine where you kneel on this pad and it will push you up. I plan to set the weight at around 40. And assume the top pullup position and slowly move down.

Definitely feel the burn, but that's probably because of the nature of doing negatives. Don't know if it will actually help me develop strength.

Suggestions?

[TheStuddMuffin]

You already have the answer.


1. Pulldowns. Allows to use weight in the rep range you need.

2. Continuing Pull Ups. At the beginning of the workout try to do the most you can do. Just as a warm up set. Then continue with the Pulldowns

3. Anything dealing with lat specific work. Rows of many types can help this.

4. Bicep training. Biceps are involved with Pull Ups. This would help to strengthen this muscle.

[mikeccccc]

stick with pullups.
But do em like so, set urself a target of say 25 chins and just do them with as many stops as u need. It might even take u 15 sets to get that many, but son u'll get better and it will take u less sets

[milo]

Use the assistance machine you described in #3

[parkway drive]

bust your balls to get one. the next week that 1 will be a bit easier. then the following week you'll be able to do 2. and itll slowly increase after time.

do as many pull ups as you can then go over to the pull down.

you gotta work on it to be able to do it.

[Seany6]

Are you dropping right down to the bottom? If not, just try it at the top without dropping completely down, that should help.

[farmerlee]

Yeah use the assisted pull up machine, it will have the best carryover to regular push ups. Make sure you start from a dead hang and return to a dead hang between every rep.

[WCC]

if you have an assisted pullup machine, use that.
my gym has one. i can do pullups, but my lats routine consists of 4 sets of wide-grip, 4 sets of close-grip - that's 8 sets of pullups altogether. so i find myself needing to use the assisted pullup machine to help me get through these sets.
i prefer it to the lat pulldown machine, because it's easy to cheat doing lat pulldowns. you can lean back and use your bodyweight to pull down. you can't do this with pullups.
also, you don't need to do both pullups and pulldowns. they are the same exercise. they work the same muscles to the same degree; they have the same ROM - choose whichever one you want. as i said, i prefer pullups because it's much harder to cheat.

to increase your pullups strength, do bent-over rows (1-arm dumbell and barbell/2-arm dumbell), seated rows, T-bar rows, machine pullovers (better than free-weight pullovers for lats) and of course curls.

[Mr Bounce]

My school gym doesn't have an assisted pull-up machine, so atm I'm having to force myself to do 1 rep then wait, then again.. Sure seems pointless like you said, but there are some good ideas in here.

[blinKme431]

You could always use a friend have him push you up. An assisted pull-up, however imprecise...

[SycoJchun]

lose weight and then less to pull up?

[Cyber0066]

thanks for all the replies. I guess I'll stick w/ the assisted pullup machine.