Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Let Downs

I have always wanted to be able to do a pull-up/chin-up. (My daughter had the chin-up record in the 6th and 8th grades--she did 29.) I have tried but to no avail. I grab the bar and hang. Try as I might with all my strength, I don't budge. But now I have a new strategy.
I learned in exercise physiology that you can handle more weight eccentrically than you can concentrically. For example, when doing a bicep curl, you can lower more weight than you can lift. So why not do the same thing with chin-ups? I have been using a stool to help pull myself up, and then I lower myself with my own strength. And it's working! It is getting easier to lower myself and I can actually raise myself up just a touch when I'm hanging. I realize this is going to take a long time, but hey, Rome wasn't built in a day.Pull-ups

2 comments:

  1. If it makes you feel better, I can't even do one despite my record from 11 years ago.

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  2. Very impressive Kate!!!!! Rob has done a workout program in the past called crossfit. The workouts are very basic, pull ups, push-ups etc. The website shows you how to do a certain type of pull-up with a rocking motion. You should check it out. http://www.crossfit.com/ (go to exercises and demos, then scroll down a little to Kipping pull up. There are several vidoes demonstrating. Good Luck!

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