I posted a video about my pull ups sucking, and It was no surprise to myself that they sucked. The last time I did pull ups was in 2000 while I was in the Marine Corps. The reason I got out after 8 years was due to a back injury and surgery. So coming back to the pull up bar after almost 20 years I was not expecting much.
I bought a pull up bar, got home with it, and no pull ups. I stepped back and took a deep breath. Even though I do work out as much as I can I had no strength for one pull up. That is why I challenged myself to just do body weight exercises for 3 months.
When I was in the Corps I learned that pull ups are not just strength but technique as well. I also learned that if you can not master your own body weight your fitness game is going to suck as well. These 3 months of my challenge is to do that, master my own body weight. Also it is going to help me get into better shape, hoping to get my six pack back.
What I have done for this body weight challenge is I stopped lifting weights, dumbbells and barbells. Have you ever seen a big muscular guy lift hundreds of pounds but cant do a single pull up or a push up. For many weight lifters, I was one, that is just a harsh reality. No matter how much we lift we have not mastered our body weight and the techniques required in many body weight exercises.
Once this challenge is over and I am pumping out pull ups I will slowly start incorporating those dumbbells and barbells back into my workout routine. This time I will not stop doing pull ups and body weight exercises but add weights, weight vest, ankle weights etc, to my routine.
If you are reading this, what is something you wish you could do better? What are you doing to get better at it?
James Woods
“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Albert Camus