Grease The Groove and Improve Your Pull-Ups This 2017

If you are unaware of Pavel Tsatsouline he is a prominent strength and conditioning coach best known for bringing kettlebell training to the United States.  He has been on Tim Ferriss’ podcast multiple times and is featured in Ferriss’ latest book Tools of Titans.  I know a lot of the members at my gym share similar goals of either improving or attaining their first pull up this 2017.  So I wanted to share Tsatsouline’s popular “Grease The Groove” method to help them and you achieve those benchmarks. 

In Tools of Titans, Ferriss writes, “To increase your pull-up numbers, start doing half the reps you’re capable of (sets of four if your personal best is 8) repeated sets throughout the day.  Simply accumulate reps with at least 15 minutes between sets, and adjust daily volume to always feel fresh”.  For athletes who have implemented this training scheme they have either seen their pull-up numbers sky rocket or achieve their first strict pull-up.  For instance, Tsatsouline’s 64-year-old father in law improved his max-unbroken set from 10 to 20. 

In attacking this endeavor a few things to focus on:

1st: the hollow body position

Below I have posted a video demonstrating the hollow body position, remember think of your pelvis as a bowl of water, dump the water backwards, or think about pulling your belt buckle to chin and drawing your ribs down while on the floor.  This will keep your body better connected.  Once on the pull up bar establish those same principles, I like to think of the track of my pull up similar to the track of my strict press, pull the elbows down keeping them tight to the rib cage, full range of motion, chin over the bar, full hang. 

2nd : How to scale the pull up

So if you are looking to hit your first pull-up I would use three different movements and alternate them each day, but keep the same “grease the groove” intent.  First is the ring row or bar row (youtube any of these if unfamiliar), find a tough position underneath the pull up bar.  Jumping pull up with controlled eccentric, use a box jump up and hold your chin over the bar, then let yourself down as slow as possible.  Third, banded pull up.  Before starting the protocol, find max unbroken sets for all these movements, then apply the same process.  Retest every month.

3rd: Diet and nutrition

Simply put, if you are less weight you will be able to do more pull ups.  For those who are looking to improve their pull-ups and lose weight, this is a powerful combo.  If you want to achieve that pull up, grease the groove, not your food.  (More posts to come on diet and nutrition)

Pavel Tsatsouline has been one of my favorite guests Tim Ferriss has interviewed, check out the show here http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/01/15/pavel-tsatsouline/

Happy Pulling!

T-Flo