Wednesday 19 Sep 2007: PULL LADDER + PU

PULL-UP LADDERS + SET OF PUSH-UPS

Perform pull-up ladders supersetted with sets of push-ups for twenty minutes.

To do ladders: perform 1 pull-up, then a set of 2 pull-ups, then a set of 3 pull-ups, and so on until you miss a set (i.e. you should have done 6 pull-ups but only managed to do 5). After you miss a set, start building again at 1.Insert a set of push-ups between each set of pull-ups. The push-ups don't have to be done in ladder format. Simply crank out a reasonable number that will provide a nice counterbalance to the pulling exercise without burning yourself out. Continue performing sets of each exercise for twenty minutes.

Advanced:

  • Ladders of Pull-ups/Chin-ups
  • Sets of Regular Push-ups

Intermediate and Basic:

  • Ladders of Partial or Assisted Pull-ups or Body Rows
  • Sets of Regular, Knee, or Countertop Push-ups

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Joel,

I'm starting to follow your program. What are your thoughts, directions, or opinions on flexibility training. Do you believe it is necessary? Have you found a program that compliments your workouts?

Gus

Anonymous said...

Another question. Is there a type of timer or watch that you recommend for tracking intervals?

Gus

JME said...

Gus,

I enjoy what I call active flexibility training, i.e. training to be strong and flexible throughout the range of motion. Yoga and Pilates is excellent for this type of flexible strength. The Surya Namaskar (Sun Salute) is the best general warm-up/joint mobility drill I have ever used. Back bridging and wall-walking would be other examples of this kind of flexible strength.

Bryce Lane (ironsports.tv) has an excellent booklet called River of Steel on this type of flexibility training. I highly recommend it.

I use a 200-lap Timex Ironman watch. It has 10 interval timers. Later Ironman models that I have seen have these intervals timers but do not beep loudly enough when switching intervals. I am interested in the GymBoss (gymboss.com), but I have never used one, so I cannot personally recommend it.

Joel