This article will help you get your first pull-up as a girl. It does not matter how weak you are right now – we’ll take you there.

Pull-ups are hard for both – men and women. Chances are that if you are traveling on a public bus, 95% of the people around you haven’t done or attempted a single pull-up in the last 5 years. You are much closer to your first pull-up than they are because you have a desire.

Pull-ups are hard because they require you to lift your whole weight (minus your forearms) by using only your arms and back. That’s pretty tough by today’s standards but don’t worry – it’s not as difficult as it sounds right now.

One Step At a Time

Australian pull-ups a.k.a. bodyweight rows are a good start. This exercise is essentially the opposite of the push-up.

To perform it correctly follow these steps:

1.Find a secure low pull-up bar, a pair of Olympic rings or something that allows you to hang but is not as high as a regular pull-up bar.

2.Squeeze the bar/rings very tight and hang. If you are doing everything correctly, you will be in a reverse push-up position. As a beginner, use a shoulder width grip.

3.Bend your legs at the knees and make sure that your core is tight and your back is straight.

4.Pull-up yourself to the bar.

5.Go back to the starting position under control.

Consult the video below for more clearance.

 

Note: The man in the video is doing Australian pull-ups with straight knees. If this version is too hard for you, bend your legs at the knees while still keeping your back straight and do the movement this way.

When you can do 3 sets of 10 repetitions with your legs bent, start doing the exercise with straight legs as demonstrated in the video. Work up to 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions and move up to the next progression.

If you can’t do the exercise even with bent legs, raise the bar a little bit. This will shift more of the weight to your legs.

Hanging From The Bar

When your Australian pull-ups get to 3 sets of 8 repetitions, you ready for the next progression which is simply hanging from a pull-up bar.

Find a pull-up bar, grab it with a shoulder width grip and hang. That’s it. Keep your shoulders relaxed and hang.

Work up to 1-2 full minutes. Meanwhile, don’t stop doing your Australian pull-ups.

The hanging will develop grip strength and condition your lat muscles for what’s coming next.

Chair Pull-ups

Find a stable chair and put it under a pull-up bar. Hang from the bar. Place your legs on the chair and pull yourself up under control while using your legs for extra support and power. Do this exercise for a few weeks until you are able to perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

Don’t stop doing Australian pull-ups while working on this version.

Single Leg Chair Pull-ups

This version of the exercise is the same as the one above except that you are using only one leg for help. Work up to 3 sets of 10 reps. You may have balance issues – be careful not to fall.

Keep doing Australian pull-ups too.

Partial Support Pull-ups

Once you’ve mastered the single leg chair pull-up, try to pull yourself up without using support from your legs. When you get stuck, use your leg to finish the movement. Even if you move up just a few inches before using your legs for help, you are doing just fine.

Do that movement for a few weeks while also trying to improve your Australian pull-ups. Before you know it, all of this will get pretty boring. This is the time to attempt your first pull-up. You may get it, but you may also fail. Don’t worry, just keep working on your partial pull-ups and try to use your legs less and less.

FAQ

1.How long will it take me to get my first pull-up?

It depends on your current strength level, but you will need at least 2 months if you are not very strong. For an average female, it may take about 4-6 months.

2.What’s the science behind this method?

It’s quite simple – the Australian pull-ups build dynamic strength while the holds and the partial movements condition your joints for real pull-ups.

3. Why no negative pull-ups?

Negative repetitions are too stressful on the joints.

Good luck on the way to your first pull-up.