1000 pullups in 1000 hours...

[RobF]

A few years ago I set up a facebook group. The aim was to complete 1000 pullups in 1000 hours (before xmas).

Have just checked and 1000 hours starts on Mon 13th Nov 08:00 (41 days and 16 hrs).

www.days-until-christmas.co.uk/hours-til-xmas.htm

The aim was to make it a suitable individual challenge: so 2 arms (both grips), 1 arm with other on knotted rope, 1 arm etc are all in.

Although had tired arms by the end- a rest over xmas and new year lead to one of my best starts to the year ever.

It gives a good opportunity to try out different training protocols: sets of 3's/ 5's, max in one go, weighted pullups x a few then sets of 10/15/20 bodyweight, pyramids 1-->10-->1 etc etc etc

Anyone keen???

[RobF]

Couple of afterthoughts:

I did do quite a bit of press-ups too just to even out the strength imbalance around the elbow.

Any impressive pullup feats on utube are welcomed to maintain psyche.

Stevie Haston is excluded from the challenge...

[aikibujin]

It sounds like good fun, but the climbing season is just about to start in Colorado. I need all my energy for the epic sends this winter, so unfortunately I won't be participating.

[RobF]

If anyone's keen???

About 12 hours to go by my clock (might be different in different time zones).

Aim is to include this challenge on top of regular training. Plan for tomorrow is to get up 15 min early and do a few on the minute before breakfast - probably including a few burpees too as its blumming freezing at the mo...

[RobF]

Up 06:30 each morning last week for some easy 5 x 5's (regular bar / body weight)with a couple mins dancing to warm up. All feels fine / just breaking into the daily routine- climbed outside 4x last week also with nil recovery issues.

See what people think??? : am going to keep the same 5 x 5's daily regime.

My plan is + 5 kg for this week then I can't decide. Either to go to + 10 kg for the week after or to switch to finger edge for a week then to offset arms with knotted rope for a week (which will probably be 6 x 5's to keep the reps the same on each arm).

[RobF]

Up to 500 now. Maintaining the daily early morning 5x5's. Following it up with a pint of hot water (a Japanese therapy I read about that is supposed to improve digestion so long as you leave it 30 min before eating breakfast). Gonna experiment with some pause reps over the next couple weeks...

[RobF]

All done and even completed a couple of days early. For the past 40 odd days (no days off) have got up around 06:30 for various combinations of pull-ups in a 5x5 reps pattern.


Been a useful experiment, things I've learnt:

It appears that it is fine to work the alactate system daily certainly when split from other forms of training (I did other forms of training in the evenings). This is something that proponents of the Bulgarian Methodology follow where there is pretty much nil periodisation baring adding more weight to the bar and working towards a daily perceived max (for them 2 reps = endurance training!). I think that it's also fine to work the aerobic system daily (ARC etc) so perhaps it's only the bit in the middle that needs rest days planning in.

Last time I was a bit more boom and bust with one day doing 5x10 reps then nothing for a few days then another 5x10. This way lead to the beginnings of some elbow pains at around 700 reps in. Had absolutely no pains at all this time round with a more steady protocol. This routine involved 175 pull-ups per week. After Xmas am adding in progressive weighted pull-ups but keeping it at around 200 pull-ups per week. Probably will be doing 5x10 reps (or two cycles of 5x5 reps) 4 times a week starting with +5 kg and adding 5kg every couple sessions until hitting a plateau.

Although getting up and exercising after an 8 hour fast, breakfast immediately following seems to help recovery along just fine (noting that this is the first time ever I have tried some kind of strength training early morning).

Technique improved loads along the way. I alternated pronated and supinated grips for each set. I use a rotating bar so was able to also add wrist flexion as I came up to work the forarms more. Subtle changes in body angle would switch emphasis from bicep to lats and even commencing the movement with elbow flexion vs shoulder extension would again switch between a bicep dominant vs lat dominant pullup. Lower traps and rhomboids were much improved so much so that from about 800 reps onwards I was almost pulling though into a muscle up. Pronated grip was strengthened by trying to externally rotate wrists / creating torque.

Here's hoping for a nice broad base to the pyramid of pull-ups training...

Ps: disclaimer- am not some kind of pull up only fiend. Just my two main targets for next year will involve a lot of pull-ups banked in the arms to be successful.

[RobF]

Supposed to be resting but a bit bored so thought I'd take a look at a pull-ups max. Shame I didn't think to do one a few weeks ago / before I started but managed to complete 25 with good form before the arms faided. Mmmm all very specific this training lark...