To increase your Pull-ups, you must first break down the exercise into the muscle groups involved in the movement. You can increase the amount of Pull-ups you can perform by strengthening, individually, the muscles used to perform the exercise. If you are interested in bodybuilding or just overall fitness, Pull-ups are a staple exercise to build strength and muscle in your back and biceps.
Focus on Overall Back Strength
Your upper back is the primary muscle group used to perform pull-ups. There are numerous other exercises that can help to increase the strength of your upper back. Bent-over Barbell Rows are a great strength builder for the middle and upper back. Seated Pulley-rows and Pull-downs can supplement your workout to increase the number of Pull-ups you can perform.
Increase Bicep Strength
After the upper back, the biceps are the most significant muscle group used in the performance of Pull-ups. As your biceps increase in strength, the amount of Pull-ups you can perform will also increase. Barbell Curls and Dumbell Curls are the standard strength-building exercises for the biceps. Keep your repetitions low and the weight high; however, you should include lighter weights and higher repetitions on occasion to keep your muscles guessing.
Don't Forget Your Rear Deltoids
Rear deltoids are a small but powerful muscle connecting your shoulder to your shoulder blade. Their strength is essential to increasing your pull-ups. To strengthen your rear deltoids, perform rear laterals either with dumbbells or on a machine. Strengthening this little muscle can lead to big gains in Pull-up strength.
Include Weighted Pull-ups in Your Routine
Muscle overload is a way to increase strength and muscle mass. Regular Pull-ups only allow you to use your bodyweight as resistance; by adding weights you can increase the resistance to promote more power. Most gyms have a weight belt that allow you to attach weights for exercises such as weighted pull-ups and weighted dips. Lower the repetitions into the range of 6 to 8 for each set. You can also attach weights and do negative-only Pull-ups. Of course, use the weighted Pull-ups and the negative only in conjunction with regular, higher repetition Pull-ups.
Lose Weight
This simply makes sense. The less weight you must pull up, the easier the exercise will be and the more repetitions you can do. Strength training will help in weight loss, but a strong cardio program can greatly enhance the results. By promoting fat loss and muscle gain, you will see a big jump in the amount of Pull-ups you can do.
