Continuing on from last weeks blog, Training Foundations for OCR, we are going to look at pull ups, chin ups and other pulling variations.
As mention before at some point in an Obstacle Course Race we are going to need some pulling strength. This will be to pull ourselves over walls, pulling a weighted sled, pulling the Hercules hoist in a spartan race or pulling yourself up a rope.
Now there are progressions to work through in order to get your first pull up or chin up. There is no point in hanging from a bar and pulling with all your might every day in the hope you will some day pull yourself up.
Here are a few ideas you can use in the gym or at home to get your first pull up or chin up.
- Use bands- using pull up bands you can start with a greater thickness of band for more help and gradually work your way down the bands until you no longer need one.
- Use the eccentric phase- use a bench to help jump you to the top of the movement, once there try to hold for 1-2 seconds and lower yourself down slowly.
- Use the lat pull down machine- the lat pull down machine uses the same muscle groups as the pull up, strengthen these muscles with reps at a weight you can pull.
- Scapular retraction and protraction- work on strengthening the bottom of the movement whereby you pull using your shoulder blades.
With all of these seek a professional fitness instructor to talk you through the movements.