1 Chin Up Challenge
I made this!
I'm attempting to do 1 chin up/ pull up before I turn 50.
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 12:16, Reply)
This seems similar to my aspirations to learn to do a cartwheel at the same time as my daughter
(A nagging shoulder injury in the making.)
Good luck!
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 13:40, Reply)
Did you manage one? I tried not so long ago and it looked absolutely ridiculous. But not as bad as an attempted forward roll which took me around 5 minutes to summon up the courage - FFS !
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 14:07, Reply)
No, i wasnt brave enough
I did a tea cup then realised a lot of ground work on shoulder and wrist strength and flexibility was needed to avoid much pain.
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 18:39, Reply)
Ah thanks. I genuinely feel miles off at the moment. Can you do one?!
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 14:09, Reply)
I've recently turned 50 and I can still just about do 2 or 3
I used to have quite a physical job though so I had a head start.
I reckon your key will be arm strength over weight loss, get on the dumbells!
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 14:40, Reply)
Basically you're saying I can have a giant packet of crisps?! Whoop. Yeah I think I'll get some dumb bells. I belong to a gym at moment but find it quite tedious. And expensive. Think a set of dumb bells and a bench would 'work out' better.
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 15:38, Reply)
Initially start at 'up' then lower yourself down as slow as you can.
This trains the full length of your muscle, and you get a lot more benefit than really straining just one part. When you can lower yourself really slow, try to stop. When you can stop at whatever point you choose, try to pull yourself up.
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My Name was saying these words inside your head on, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 15:24,
Reply)
Thanks. I've just had first training session. Where I start at the up, then try to hold for 5 seconds. And repeat 5 times. It's a real struggle to even make 5 secs though. I had to share the bar with some teenagers who were each knocking out 15 pull ups with ease.
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 15:54, Reply)
It's true
She did
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My Name was saying these words inside your head on, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 22:40,
Reply)
You don't need excess muscle mass to be healthy,
widening the distance between your hands on the bar would reduce the lift distance significantly. Compressing your core might reduce your lift distance a little. Experiment with wrist orientation for each hand. Don't waste energy swinging your legs about. Don't just give up and hang from your fingers. If you can only lift yourself 1cm, do so, repeatedly, until you can't. Rest, recover, then do it again ASAP, until you can't. Your best/laziest strategy will emerge from this experiment. 3 months seems too long, but maybe I'm just naturally HENCH AS FUCK. Good luck, we're all counting on you.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 20:13,
Reply)
Thanks for the info. Think you must be 100 per cent Hench, as 3 months feels tight given I can't lift myself 1 cm at the moment. I hope you're right though.
(, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 22:10, Reply)
If you stick fireworks up your arse it might help
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Fadgebadger Sweaty sumo wanks for everyone!, Wed 2 Jul 2025, 20:15,
Reply)
Or perhaps borrow a vicious dog.
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FeralCatMan Unusual disease collector., Wed 2 Jul 2025, 20:59,
Reply)
That's your answer for everything
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TownsendsPublisher is all gravy baby, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 6:42,
Reply)
Thanks. Yeah think some push ups is a good shout. I'm up to 4 normal ones but maybe should start with the bent knee ones.
(, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 12:31, Reply)
I stopped eating for a week and doubled the amount of chin ups I can do.
Maybe taping a pie above the pull up bar would have produced even more impressive results.
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2 Can Chunder Word to your mums, I came to prod bums, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 13:17,
Reply)
I might need to stop eating for three months. How many can you do now? I'm not sure how many people over the age of 40 can't manage a single one, although expect it's more than can.
(, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 22:28, Reply)
I went up to 98kg and found I could only manage 2. Have lost 10kg now and can do 10 with minimal training
Losing weight was what made the difference
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2 Can Chunder Word to your mums, I came to prod bums, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 22:24,
Reply)
Last time I tried
I could still do a few, but it was a long time ago. Now I'm scared to try again as I suspect my strength to weight ratio has dropped below 1!
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tarka_dall Like normal dall, only a bit more spicy, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 18:18,
Reply)
Give it a go! I was amazed how feeble I'd become when in my head I thought i was reasonably strong.
(, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 22:30, Reply)
You can do it!
…but start real, real, real slow. Bodies aged over 30 are practically glass (or so I’ve found).
Also, I think that particular exercise may not be very kind to your shoulder. So make sure you control your shoulder during movement: Keeping it not too tight, but similar to a nice, firm handshake.
(
pallimut Ancient Lurker, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 21:45,
Reply)
Ahh thanks. Yes have already been laid out for a couple of days with back spasms. Think avoiding injury is the key to doing it in 3 months. I'm certainly not avoiding looking like a massive dick head when practising 5 second static holds on the local pull up bar. Especially when surrounded by those who seem able to knock out 10 pull ups without breaking sweat.
(, Thu 3 Jul 2025, 22:34, Reply)
get on the roids and supplementss, bro
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cumquat may will not be commenting further on the allegations, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 2:06,
Reply)
I am taking vitamins B, C and D. Should I be taking creatine ? Or is that a fool's game ?!
(, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 12:19, Reply)
creatine and ovaltine
with a dash of worcestershire
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cumquat may will not be commenting further on the allegations, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 13:18,
Reply)
When the chin-up is achieved will you be aiming for the pull yourself up on to the side of the swimming pool?
In one effortless movement without huffing, puffing, flailing legs and causing concern amongst younger swimmers.
(, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 7:40, Reply)
Steady on - think that might be a step too far ! Although that got me thinking whether trying a pull up whilst in a wheelie bin full of water might actually work for training/ act like an assisted type pull up.
(, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 12:16, Reply)
I can't say if its a good idea in terms of exercise but you might find yourself ranking in the top 10 of your local A&E department's annual list of accident explanations
No guarantee that you'd make the Christmas issue of the Lancet or the BMJ.
If you were really unlucky then a permanent fixture in a list of weird deaths or strangest drownings.
(, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 16:30, Reply)
Try using a resistance band to give yourself a boost
Stretching one of the really thick resistance bands to give yourself a little more lift is a great way to see some progress. Like this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb7DIH2a6Yo
You can also try negatives - where you start at the top and lower yourself down. Again, this can be helped with a band, or even start on a stool or box to get yourself in position then hold for a few seconds before lowering. Negatives are a great way to put stress on the muscle, which is ultimately what helps make you stronger.
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hagbardsapple no dialogue with twunts, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 10:42,
Reply)
Thank for this. Yeah I'm starting with static holds at the top of the bar. Can manage around 5 seconds at the moment. And getting some elastics too...ta
(, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 13:54, Reply)
By the way
Have the palms of your hands facing inwards towards your face when doing chin ups.
(, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 23:47, Reply)
That's what I thought but the ex head of Welsh gymnastics who's training me says chin up and pull ups are the same but with different grips - overgrasp/ under grasp. I'm going to do both to cover all bases...don't want to cause too many ripples through the pull up community. :)
(, Mon 7 Jul 2025, 6:14, Reply)
Brilliant!
You know what they say - One is only one more than zero, so you're half way there. Good luck!
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moogman, Sun 6 Jul 2025, 21:33,
Reply)
Imagine that you're a Barge Boy.
And get John John to fry you up some juicy steaks.
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Jabberwoc misses D.R. and Quinch, Mon 7 Jul 2025, 3:39,
Reply)
Imagine I'm a Barge Boy?! I am a Barge Boy - just mostly off camera and in the shadows these days. That's why crime on the canals has gone up.
(, Mon 7 Jul 2025, 6:19, Reply)
Breaks down pull up progression, might help. Tis fb I'm afraid
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1516444308987923&vanity=MalleWorkout
(, Thu 10 Jul 2025, 13:01, Reply)