Chin up Challenge: Week 4
The Challenge
Complete the most unassisted chin ups.
I challenge all of you who currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up to see who can do the most unassisted chin ups by March 22, 2008. It is important that you currently cannot complete a single unassisted chin up.
How do you get involved?
Leave a comment letting me know you want to be involved. I will post an entry outlining my plan for how to accomplish some unassisted chin ups and in that entry will be the list of people interested in joining the challenge.
What is involved?
Starting on Sunday, December 23, 2007 (80 days from the end of the challenge), I began a weekly post regarding the challenge. Each of you should provide me (via email) your current progress regarding chin ups. I will post this every Sunday for all the world to see.
Participants:
Tea [visit her blog]
Lynda [visit her blog]
Suzette [visit her blog]
Lilla [visit her blog]
Jeff
Michael [You are here]
Progress:
Tea — ?? Need an update please
Lynda — ?? Need an update please
Suzette — Suzette is figuring out how to get the training in to do the chin ups.
Lilla — ?? Need an update please
Jeff — Assisted Chin machine: 2x (part of back routine)
Assisted Chins: 3x10,4x10
Michael — Doing 5 sets of 5 chin ups with 40 pounds assistance. Was able to almost complete 1 unasissted.
3 sets of 8 with 50lb assist
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Michael, I just haven't been getting the chinups done. I bought me a chinup bar and have put it up in my home. I do attempt "hanging" from the bar in a chin"up" position and can now manage about a 7 second hang(i guess you could call it a "hang up". lol). I will keep doing this. I think tomorrow I will try using a chair as an "assit."
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I recently came across the RTP blogs and read through a lot of them to find out that I have a lot of goals in common with all of you. I am also currently contemplating starting up a blog to join your group, and to document my own real-time transformation.
One of the things that I have been doing is the assisted chin-ups. When I first began doing them after a long break, I was using a 135Lbs assist in a ten pound per set ascension, which meant that I was adding ten pounds to the load per set. I would usually perform three sets in concert with a circuit of other upper-body exercises, attempting at least twenty repetitions per set. That was about a year ago. I am currently at a 65Lbs assist, still doing three sets, twenty reps each set. I feel this is a very good way to build up strength in all of the supporting musculature, rather than hitting it with the full bodyweight. It has worked very well for me. How is it that I know when to drop down ten pounds? When I can complete all three sets of twenty, with proper form, and without kipping in the slightest to assist. I also do a heavy one set on off days when I give myself a rest, just to confuse my muscles, and further challenge them. Since I am starting at 65Lbs currently, and ending at 85Lbs for my third set, my heavy one set weight is always ten pounds below, so it is the 55Lbs assist. My goal is to get to completely unassisted pull-ups, three sets, twenty to twenty-five reps apiece. Also, since the pull-up assist machine has several sets of grips in different positions, I use a different grip with each set, on a random rotating basis to further confuse, challenge, and strengthen my upper back, shoulders, and arms.
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Thanks for the great information in your comment!
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