Armstrong Pull-up Program

[krellum]

Anyone ever use this technique? Curious to see what your results were.

Not that I specifically need to do pull-ups or anything, but they've always given me trouble (since back in the Corps., when, being rhythm-less, I was unable to "kip" like everyone else and could only do about 12-15 dead-hang).

I'd like nothing better than to be able to crank out 50 or 60 at a time :)

k

[Chainring]

I'd like nothing better than to be able to crank out 50 or 60 at a time


That's just sick. I got 20 the other day. That's all DEA gives me credit for and that's good enough for me. There's lots of other areas I need to improve more on. But you go girl.

[Kahuna5150]

Originally posted by Chainring
But you go girl.

Sheeze, why is it we guys always have to insult each other when it comes to working out... Maybe it's just part of natures way for us to posture and show who is more manly... Now you to Marys drop your little hankies and shake hands....

:)

Kahuna

[krellum]

That's just sick.

Hey, I didn't say I COULD do 50-60...just that I WANTED to...






(On second thought - you're right: that IS sick!)

k

[CaptRidley]

Ok what the heck is the Armstrong pull-up program.

So you can't dance either huh (No kip, no rhythm, no dance) :D

I use the Ridley method myself. Strap a 25lbs to my waist amd crank out 3 or 5 of 10 - 12). Good thing for me to. Last week Friday when I ran my DEA PTT, I crossed my legs, and the first two pull ups did not count, so I ended up doing 22 pull ups, to get my 20.

When I take off the weights, after say a week of using the weights, it is like I'm flying off the bar. Don't go too heavy either. I was going up in weight when I was doing three sets, and well, I had a severe case of tendonities in my right elbow (swole up to teh size of a tennis ball) from that they on, 25lbs was enough for me.

I would follow up my pull ups with a 20 pushups afterwards. My rest period for/from the pull ups was a stomach routine.

Anyway I would be interested in finding out what this Armstrong routine is.

And damn he did call you a girl didn't he. I'm such a little :fork:

Out here!!!
Mike-D

[krellum]

Mike,

Do a Yahoo search - that's how I found it. It's a program developed by a fomer Marine officer for mishipmen - seems to work dramatically, though I'm sure your method works well too. Bottom line is you have to DO pull-ups to get good at doing pull-ups; I was just interested in the technique and whether anyone had acheived any of the results that are supposedly acheived.

k

[Chainring]

Bottom line is you have to DO pull-ups to get good at doing pull-ups

Bingo!! I've had guys come up to me and say "Hey, I really need to be able to do more pushups so I've upped my bench press...." Hold on - time out hero. How many pushups did you do today?

I remember when I used to work out with this really fast cyclist and he said "hey man, if you want to get good at riding 30 mph, you better start riding 30 mph". 3 years later I could finally ride 30 mph (just not for very long!)

Armstrong pull-up program? I've never heard of it but I'll have to check it out. The only Armstrong I know is Lance Armstrong and I doubt with his skinny ass cyclist's upper body he could do 10 pullups. But he's really good at riding a bike 30 mph.

BTW, Krellum, I know you're not a girl but 50 pullups is still sick.

[universible]

I can do 50 pullups...in a month :o

[LA Express]

Originally posted by universible
I can do 50 pullups...in a month :o

I can do 50 in just under two months.

I went through FLETC with a USSS guy who was the Jedi Master of pullups. He was so ridiculous, all the PT instructors heard about him and he put on a demonstration one evening. The guy did sets of 26--close-grip overhand, underhand, wide grip, etc. He was unreal. The PT instructors named the new exercise routine after him (and I heard it stuck for a short time), though none could actually come close to matching him. That guy was SICK! (His name wasn't Armstrong!)

[krellum]

Yeah - that's it - I meant 50 CUMULATIVE pull-ups....

Actually, it looked like the Armstrong PULL-up program also involved PUSH-ups - you're supposed to do push-ups every morning as soon as you get out of bed, then do your actual daily pull-up workout later on. I thought it was interesting.


That reminds of comedian Steven Wright, who once said he went to a store one night that was "open 24-hours." When he got there, a guy was locking the door. When he said "hey, this place is supposed to be open 24 hours," the guy looked at him and said "not in a row..."

k

[CaptRidley]

Originally posted by Chainring
...The only Armstrong I know is Lance Armstrong...

Man what about Neil Armstrong, I'm sure you know about him, and what about Louie Armstrong.

I will have to do a search on this as well.

Out here!!!
Mike-D

[FutureSwatCop]

I found the link guys:

http://www.marineofficercandidate.com/armstrong.htm

I'm going to start tomorrow morning :)

[PatsFan]

Thanks for the link

Much appreciated

[ppb2]

Just looked at the Armstrong program. Wow. If I start that, I am not sure I will be able to lift my arms above my head following the first week! But, I may try it as I am absolutely horrible at pull-ups - just dreadful.

One question though, and it might not take someone who has used this program to answer...

The program calls for 5 days of pull-up workouts per week. How to fit them into a normal lifting routine? Any suggestions? Would it be wise to still do 5 days of pull-ups if you are working out the upper body two other days per week?

ppb2

[NFO 2 SA]

Ladies and Gents,
I'm putting this method to the test and will keep you informed on the results. Started this week and it's not easy. I've plateaued (sp) at the 12-15 nether region on pull-ups and want to get to the 20+ ability. Hard part is doing the push-ups every morning (3 max sets) and not being sore. PPB made the good point of wondering how this will affect normal weight training regimes (which I do as well). Right now I've backed off on weight lifting till my muscles are accustomed to this workout and will incorporate again when I feel comfortable. I'm also closely watching my soreness and will throttle back if I feel I'm overdoing it. Just thought I'd let you fine americans know how this works out.
NFO

[Brindle]

Originally posted by LA Express
I went through FLETC with a USSS guy who was the Jedi Master of pullups. He was so ridiculous, all the PT instructors heard about him and he put on a demonstration one evening. The guy did sets of 26--close-grip overhand, underhand, wide grip, etc. He was unreal. The PT instructors named the new exercise routine after him (and I heard it stuck for a short time), though none could actually come close to matching him. That guy was SICK! (His name wasn't Armstrong!)
I bet CaptRidley can do that.

[J-Mann]

I bet CaptRidley can do that.


Heck, it probably was JediRidley :D .

[ps312]

Originally posted by krellum
Yeah - that's it - I meant 50 CUMULATIVE pull-ups....

Actually, it looked like the Armstrong PULL-up program also involved PUSH-ups - you're supposed to do push-ups every morning as soon as you get out of bed, then do your actual daily pull-up workout later on. I thought it was interesting.

k

K,
We actually tried the program when I was at OCS a few years ago. It actually works, yea....when you are 18 to 22 years old. Back then I could do 20+. After 30 its a bit harder. I tried it this summer and managed to get and extra 7 pull-ups. Just be ready to buy a lot of Icey-Hot patches.
Paul

[AlB]

To drive the importance of what CaptRidley said about the weighted pull ups I figured I'd throw my two cents in. While trying to go for TOO MANY pull ups, we started out with 10lb plates and got to doing them 25lb pretty regularly. Well, it was adding reps to our pull ups so we figured the more weight we added, the more pullups we would be able to do. I never found out because my elbow got tore up like the Captains did.

Lessons learned:
To do more pull ups, do more pull ups...at least every other day.
Keep the weight around 25lbs.
Put your thumbs over the bar.
If allowed to kip, then do whatever it takes to learn the technique.

My personal bests were 28 dead hangs (ran out of time) and 50 kip (ran out of time there too).