Don't Die: Do Pullups Part II

The standard gym approach to pullups isn't ideal and can destroy your elbows. Here's what to do instead.

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Viktor Drachev / TASS

On Monday, we covered the power of pullups:

• Four reasons why they’re such a powerful exercise for healthspan, lifespan, and real-world strength.

• Misconceptions around pullups (like the idea that women can’t do them).

• How to get your first pullup if you can’t do one.

Today we’re expanding on the topic. Specifically, how to go from one pullup to 5, 10, 15, or even 20.

You might think the answer is obvious: Just do more pullups.

But it’s actually not that simple. The path from one rep to many is counterintuitive. And if you approach pullup training wrong, you’ll stall progress and may even develop some nasty elbow pain along the way.

So that’s what today’s post is about.

I spoke to someone who does more pullups than any other human alive, looked at old Soviet training protocols, talked to doctors, and referenced standards and approaches across different sports, law enforcement, and military groups.

From here you’ll learn:

• A proven and counterintuitive approach to doing more pullups.

• An old Soviet plan that can double the number of pullups you can do in a month, backed by recent observations in military training.

• Tactics for cranking out a lot of pullups in a workout without blowing up.

• How to avoid the injuries that derail many people when they start doing more pullups.

• Pullup standards worth aiming for, based on military and FBI data.

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