The Biggest Mistake Rock Climbers Make with Pullups

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[@niske]

You forgot that your onsight will go up two grades and you get a free phd in biomechanics

[@HoopersBeta]

Sounds like a good deal to me!

[@davisjohnson5688]

Chest to bar is crazy hard, but trying to get your chest to the bar feels much better than chin over bar

[@HoopersBeta]

Agreed, definitely a significant challenge!

[@robertlee8805]

​@@HoopersBeta Thanks for pointing out the chin goal is not the way to go. Subscribed. See ya on your next videos.

[@low-keyrighteous9575]

When it comes to pullups , I don't see why any and everyone wouldn't want to perform the hardest variation of the exercise possible . Your actually pulling more of yourself up to the bar at a more difficult position which will of course result in more muscle fibers being activated and more overall stimulation to the back creating a stronger individual.

[@davisjohnson5688]

@@low-keyrighteous9575 I agree. You should pull yourself as high as you can manage.

[@jakemccoy]

@@low-keyrighteous9575…because people are going for max reps bragging rights

[@satyrsatyrize]

This is basically how to do correct pullups, not just for climbers ahah

[@HoopersBeta]

Fair! :)

[@man0utoftime]

Yep. I'm not a climber, but a gym rat for 30 years. Going by feel and watching the awkwardness of people doing reps that "count" led me to do them correctly. You can just feel the lat engagement when pulling the bar towards your upper chest, leaning your Torso back slightly with a neutral head position.

[@nwahally]

That's really helpful and concise. Thanks.

[@HoopersBeta]

Thanks for the comment!

[@nwahally]

@@HoopersBeta You're doing tremendous work here for free. It's the very least I can do.

[@SammanAhani]

I haven't started doing pullups yet because I've only been climbing a bit less than a month but I'm going to do this from the start. I was just looking at the comments for conformation that this is true and this is the comment that convinced me.

[@ninety1464]

Good video I would just make one correction Chin to bar pull ups are not going to cause postural thoracic kyphosis. Please don't fear monger this variation of the exercise because it is safe and effective. Just because you have thoracic flexion at the top portion of the movement doesn't mean it's going to transfer into every day posture. Many calisthenics movements are done with thoracic flexion - its called hollow body position - for example; front levers, planche and one arm chin ups. Apart from that i agree with what you're saying. Chest to bar pull ups are more challenging and they recruit back musculature which the chin to bar variation doesnt. So I would suggest practice both variations. My 2 cents as a PT and calisthenics athlete

[@hughmann7485]

meh, chest to bar is superior anyways

[@matriaxpunk]

Also, chest to bar pull ups are better for muscle growth and maybe strength, but they renforce a pulling pattern wich is not really replicable when climbing. When climbing, the last thing you want is to pull your body away from the wall, wich is exactly what you do when you try to pull your chest to the bar instead of your chin.

[@DK281ify]

I found the video funny because he's serious about "you're doing it wrong". Maybe he's the only one that doesn't fix his posture from the start. Anyway, he forgot to measure between hand placement to do correct push ups 🤣 Next up, the order in which to swallow your food.

[@dommyboysmith]

​@@DK281ifyI mean if you're looking for debatable opinions about pull ups, you'll find no shortage of those on youtube 😄 I get what he's saying though, it's more of a guide for a beneficial pull up. We've all seen those people with absolutely horrible form, kipping all the way up on every rep, jerking their head over the bar, and going strictly for some arbitrary number like "10" regardless of how bad and useless those 10 really were. I took it more of like a, "if you can do 10 funky chin ups with strange posture, just do 3 with great form." Which is oversll fairly solid advice.

[@TeutobergForestryService]

What got me from 12 max reps to 20+ max reps was L sit pull-ups. Hands down the greatest variation. Start off with L sit in your workout and work down to regular pull-ups. You will see HUGE gains. L sit high pulls to increase intensity.

[@stellayoung8953]

Omg thank you! You just changed my entire outlook. I’ve been trying to get my back stronger so I have an easier time climbing. I’ve made so much progress, I just want to be able to hold myself up and pull myself up for longer periods of time.

[@CarolineBlitz]

Thanks, so helpful! Tangentially, I realized I don’t know how to use one of those supportive bands to do a modified pull-up. I felt really awkward when I tried a couple days ago. Would you share a step-by-step quick guide or video showing how? It’s so basic that I felt embarrassed to ask anyone!

[@brr4519]

toss it over the bar, grab one side and pull one end of the loop through the other end of the loop underneath the bar. that attaches it securely, so you pull on the long end to tighten it up. then, just grab the bar and put your feet on the long end

[@darkdeminsion]

Great reminders on technique, even for those of us not into climbing. Thanks for sharing!

[@anneonymous4884]

This will also help you progress towards muscle-ups.

[@eyescreamcake]

Bold of you to assume I do pull-ups

[@HoopersBeta]

😅

[@radioleta]

xDDD thanks you made my day

[@highwayexit]

I find it hard to close the last few inches of chest to bar, even on first rep. Any tips?

[@sytse_roos]

Hi @Hooper's Beta , Not sure if I 100% agree here. Yes, head over the bar should NOT be the goal IMO. But I don't think the chest touching the bar (by extending the elbows beyond the body and thoracic extension), is necessarily the best alternative. This version would bias the pull up towards short muscle lengths of the rhomboids, mid/lower traps and rear delts, making them more likely to be a limiting factor and therefor putting less emphasis on the lats and elbow flexors. Traps and delts muscles can be targeted in a climbing specific way by using a row version with a more abducted arm position. An end point for the pull up I like is getting the arms inline with your body with a more neutral spine. Would you agree?

[@jaloodali5645]

What does “arms in line with your body” mean? I have been doing hollow body pull-ups for years and think that the chest to the bar encourages breaking that form. But I don’t do the chicken neck either. I feel that if I try chest to bar I have to either go wider grip or sacrifice hollow body form. So instead my chest probably ends up about 2-3 inches below the bar… is this what you mean by inline?

[@ninety1464]

@Sytse Roos i completely agree with what you're saying. I couldn't have put it better myself. I would suggest to practice both variations though - chin to bar will recruit more lats, biceps, brachialis, sub scap, lev scap and upper trap. Chest to bar will be more mid/lower trap, rhomboids, thoracic erectors and rear delt.

[@disposabull]

Climber here, I find that doing pullups for form, super slow up, nipple to the bar and hold and then super slow down works best. I would rather do 5 pullups like that and stop as soon as the form starts to go than chase number of poorly executed pullups. A lot of climbing routes require you pull well past your chin and lock that position as you reach for the next hold with your other hand.

[@Mdjagg]

Man, literally one session switching the focus to chest to the bar, and I'm already feeling muscles I've never worked! Thanks for these tips!!

[@HoopersBeta]

Awesome! Yeah it's quite a different experience

[@ryebread447]

Did u stick with it? How did u progress?

[@Mdjagg]

@ryebread447 It works, definitely stronger than ever.

[@sanderson1045]

Great video as always! Something I’ve been trying to research recently is antagonistic exercises for climbers to counterbalance the common movements in climbing but it seems there is a lot of contradicting advice online. For example I’ve seen many people claim that bench pressing is helpful because it works the chest, counteracting the back workout of climbing, but some people saying this is the wrong approach as it is working internal rotation as climbing naturally would, rather than external rotation. I know you’ve covered antagonist exercises throughout many videos but I think a video dedicated to building a wholey strong body would be excellent!

[@johnbosco9856]

Thank you! I’m stuck on something’s and I think this will help me! It’s the little things we forget!

[@A.I7I.M]

Your words really make sense! Thank you for this very important and helpful tip! Liked & Subscribed!🤜🤛 Greetings from Egypt!👊🔥🇪🇬🇪🇬

[@HoopersBeta]

Happy to hear that, and welcome to the HB Fam! :)

[@AC_Bikes_400]

Great info. Thank you.

[@johnmarcellino5034]

This channel is gold!

[@joltingonwards2017]

Cheers mate!

[@genjisan8661]

That's the way to go, good advice, thanks!

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thewateringwiz7118]

So helpful !

[@robertlee8805]

Good video. Thanks. Subscribed .

[@bashizinyabahara8751]

great help!!

[@oriahknorr4688]

Please do more videos with specific queuing recommendations. I loved your video about the importance of queuing, but I have struggled to develop ques for many moves or exercises.

[@PeregrineBF]

Standard advice from calisthenics is the same. "Chin over bar" encourages poor form. "Chest to bar" encourages good form, and makes for a clear progression towards muscle-ups by moving the contact point down.

[@HoopersBeta]

Great to hear! Always nice when there's a consensus.

[@PeregrineBF]

@@HoopersBeta THENX had a good (if clickbaity) video with the same advice "STOP doing PULL UPS Like This! (Do it RIGHT)" a few years ago.

[@rockatanaka]

I will give this a try! Thanks

[@nathanbrawley7256]

Thanks!!

[@AlbertMXG]

gonna try today, nice tip!

[@ALEXANDERJMORGAN]

Thank you.

[@pgclutch4302]

Kyphotic is the other way, and it’s not problematic for the shoulders, but yes chest to bar is a better line of pull for the lats

[@jamesstark2842]

OMG HE AT THE WALL

[@HoopersBeta]

The Walllllll!

[@anouaressanoussi]

I started going to the gym recently, we skipping the chin and going for chest boys 😎

[@metyu3730]

great advice, as always :)

[@HoopersBeta]

Thanks for watching!

[@metyu3730]

@@HoopersBeta Thanks for creating such awesome content 🙂

[@evanvancamp2781]

thank you

[@dabob2652]

This is my 4th climbing vid in a row

[@HoopersBeta]

So much beta, you’re gonna send for sure

[@SiimKoger]

Had done the first version of pullups for years. Have now done the chest to the bar version and only after couple of months I feel a lot better in my strenght and posture. Although the first two weeks was really hard.

[@HoopersBeta]

Agreed! That transition period is tough but worth it.

[@maxsilbert]

I'm not a climber but I'll keep this in mind for better posture and stability

[@dennishara9641]

i’ll try this out

[@ilikratos2783]

Let’s gooo!!

[@landonjones5237]

I'm in bed about to sleep but I'm going to get up and try this

[@SomeBeans]

Bro used the spotify ad as the background music

[@Nyitemare]

Absolutely!

[@EvilSaigon]

So a chestup, got it!

[@Kept_Burrito]

thx

[@JuliusSpin]

Hollow form is better for core though. And you can load it up which is not advised for chest to bar. Also hollow translates better to MU which will train wrists, lats and triceps better.

[@MrReedMiester]

Sweet video! I've always though hunchy chin-ups we're weird. On the other hand, I've noticed that chest to bar can be a bit hard on the anterior parts of the rotator cuff because of the more extreme travel through their range of motion. I think you someone can instead do a chest-to-bar style move and get their chin higher than the bar, rather than over the bar, if this is an issue for the individual. What do you think?

[@danieljensen2626]

I always start going to the chest, but usually for the last couple reps I end up just getting the chin over.

[@jewbacha1137]

How about dynamic movements? It seems like the arched back version makes more sense for that.

[@nousyt]

And the chin is still over the bar 👏🏽

[@HoopersBeta]

True!

[@alafitness]

trust me start doing weighted pull ups and dips

[@low-keyrighteous9575]

Yeah, also doing pullups in any variation will actually improve posture , I understand your wanting to make a point to do the more difficult exercise to produce more strength but for those starting out and attempting to improve strength I can say from experience that pullups are incredible for straightening posture and realigning shoulders . It helps get that slouch out . Again , speaking from experience.

[@saemj]

Nobody mention that in your chest to the bar pullup, the chin was about a foot over the bar...

[@keki4578]

Getting the chest to the bar includes getting the chin over the bar my brother

[@bookle5829]

I've never seen someone using a rubber thing to make pullups easier. Great video.

[@Nyitemare]

Look into resistance bands, you can use various thicknesses to progressively work from 0 pull ups to 1 pull up! super helpful!

[@pain3931]

What was the resistance on that resistance band coz I planning to buy one to help me do pull up and get stronger

[@heromahdi]

so ur telling me ive been doing the pull up 2.0 my entire life without knowing its better? Nice.

[@HoopersBeta]

That always feels good, right? 🙏

[@heromahdi]

@@HoopersBeta hell yea it does

[@waex3344]

nice explanation. Start with assisted correct pull ups until they become too easy.

[@Supremebubble]

I can do 10 pullups but not a single chest to bar pullup, so I think it's a not understated how big the difference between these two exercises is

[@FuriosoBC]

Commenting to add that powerlifters will also benefit from incorporating this form of pull up. Developing upper back strength is critical for the big 3.

[@HoopersBeta]

Yeah! I mean really it's a great form for all :)

[@joshlockie9285]

It might seem harder at first but you’ll go much further with proper technique

[@manuel_limoncello9779]

Deffo todays beta

[@georgedavenport2979]

A good cue to really target your back is to imagine you’re trying to put your elbows in your back pockets.

[@justinsmith3981]

Just take a wider grip if you want to ego pull, learned that one from the Guinness Record holder.

[@rickymunguia1589]

Facts 🫡💯

[@ZackRaborn]

Nice.

[@HoopersBeta]

🧗‍♂️🙏

[@A.I7I.M]

But there is a 'chin up' exercise? What the difference between them, pull up and chin up?

[@alicantuncer4800]

Both pullups are good for different purposes.

[@bryanbryan6108]

What do you mean by improved biomechanics on the wall? Your shoulders will stay in a better, less injury-prone position?

[@HoopersBeta]

Improved scapular mechanics may translate to better strength and engagement on the wall which may result in better force spread between the shoulder and mid back and not just as much placed on the shoulders, as well as simply better positions for the shoulders.

[@markoperic5023]

But how do I get my chest to the bar without getting my chin over the bar. That doesnt make any sense

[@tactical4head626]

The wall 🫡

[@vincentradix8257]

At first I was inclined to disagree but yeah this form is what I would consider best your goal should be chest to bar.

[@hermitus9746]

If you're doing pullups correctly, your chin will go *above* the bar, not over it and like this man said, you should focus on bringing your chest to the bar.

[@ElDragow]

having a rounded upper back at the top of pullups isnt bad at all and actually helps engaging the lats even more.

[@HoopersBeta]

Certainly nothing wrong with hollow body pullups in general; they have their benefits, just like arched pullups do. What we're talking about is when people essentially forgo all midback and scapular engagement and do anything they can to get their chin over the bar, rather than focusing on good mechanics. -Emile

[@dvldgz6306]

Chest to bar is super hard for me. I haven't done one yet and I can do 18 pullups.

[@huntinghackers-gamerboycoo7895]

I switched the mechanics I feel like I couldn’t do more reps than before

[@nihith323]

Thanks ! I always try t9 get my chin up to the bar

[@HoopersBeta]

Hope this change helps you!

[@madsterm1nd]

Maybe to late to the party, but what I'm I'm lacking if I'm stopping 1 inch from the bar? Love the beta♥️

[@mitchellwinters6198]

Range of motion. This can be due to a number of factors, but the most likely candidate is poor back flexibility. Try doing cactus pose and stretching it hard for 30 seconds at a time.

[@drwabisabi9499]

Loooove you

[@W0WHERMY]

Problem for me my head would hit the ceiling at home xD. I'll have to try this when i go to the gtm

[@HoopersBeta]

hah darn! Yeah getting that extra range can be limited by environmental factors for sure ;)

[@Hackedpw]

Finch

[@christopherjared3624]

There's no such thing as a corny flex. Maybe the facial expression 😂. Great tip for the pullups!

[@dave_h_8742]

I've got that back, shoulder and neck pain

[@HoopersBeta]

Sorry to hear that!

[@Ben_Dover1934]

When getting my chin over the bar I focus on not hitting the bar.

[@elliejelly8815]

I feel Obligated to warn ppl to be mindful of your genitals when doing pull-ups using a band

[@dooday1]

You say this like it's easy. As a beginner it's not been a long time i can do pull ups (3x3-4x3) unassisted. After seeing the vid i thought it was just a different motion but after testing it out it requires more strenght and i can't do it for now. Will keep on chin up for now.

[@HoopersBeta]

That's OK if it's harder :) It's OK to use an assistive band to build the strength and get the form down. Or, perhaps integrate 1-2 sets of this different style into your routine rather than ignore it completely. Just a few thoughts! :)

[@iDrunkk]

Gymnastic ring rows work better than bands in my opinion… do ring rows full range of motion and keep slowly progressing by making it harder… once you can do elevated ring rows touch the rings to your chest about 15 reps you should easily be able to do chest to bar pulls

[@Pedro28725]

Try doing pullups without engaging your core muscles. At all. It will be much harder and result in the form explained in this video.

[@paulgaras2606]

Gotta rebrand the chin-up as the chest up.

[@HoopersBeta]

Not a bad idea!

[@_Beam]

then get your chin higher than the bar not OVER

[@CosmicAcrobat]

I get so pissed when people tell me to get my "chin above the bar or it doesnt count". Like - this is a back exercise not a neck exercise, guys. Plus - you're just unnecessarily exhausting yourself by tryna scrape the crumbs out of each rep with this chin shyt. And even if youre training for moves requiring your chin to pass the bar - why not literally just do explosive pull ups up to nip height instead. Why all this hyperfocus on the chin passing the bar bruh like it just all seems so unnecessary for what the goal is

[@jahbroni3587]

chin to bar isn’t the problem, the form displayed when you did it was just wrong.

[@HoopersBeta]

Yes, of course

[@Doyoufeardeathsparra]

Why are a spitting image of fin balor 😅

[@jakemccoy]

One simple trick is to pull the head back away from the bar as if the bar stinks.

[@trevor_corey8037]

Functional strength > Gains

[@verward]

You're telling me not everyone pulls their chest to the bar?

[@HoopersBeta]

Correct, sadly. Not everyone knows :/

[@ronrico2620]

I always thought chest to bar was the way to pull ups, pull downs or even cable rows

[@HoopersBeta]

Glad you have been using that form! Curious if you had either a) good teaching b) good intuition or c) if you started with pull downs and that form transferred to pull ups?

[@muizzy]

TL;DR: Try to get your chin over the bar, just don't compromise your form while doing it.

[@HoopersBeta]

Hmm I wouldn't say that's the TL;DR - the focus of "getting your chin over the bar" is not the cue I would use. In fact, the chin over the bar cue could actually lead to compromised form. So, going back to the vid, aiming to hit your chest to the bar would be a much better cue that promotes good form. Win-Win.

[@promophobe69]

Don't you get your chin up first and then keep going to the chest? Is there a difference, if so, how?

[@HoopersBeta]

An easy way to look at the difference is pulling with a slightly more extended position of the spine with good core engagement that targets the mid back muscles more and promotes excellent scapular mechanics

[@davidvanschubert9093]

I’m doing 6 clean reps with 70lb extra at 150lb body weight and still can’t touch my chest to the bar. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.

[@HoopersBeta]

Do you mean that when you are just performing body weight you can't do it? That end range is far harder when using any added weight. I can do chin over bar pull ups with my 100% body weight attached, but add just 25 pounds to me and I probably lose that chest to bar after 1-2 reps haha. Add 50 lbs and I probably won't get any. So, any added weight can make that final range very hard. Also, keep in mind that actually having a strong midback ironically can make it harder in some ways. The more scapular retraction you achieve, the more you compress the muscle mass in your midback. And you have a very robust midback, you may come to a stop just because you can't compress the tissue further, so you can't achieve further scapular retraction, which would make that final end range harder. Hope that makes sense!

[@blackpurple9163]

I can't touch my chest anyway, I do try tho, maybe it's my mobility but I can do more than 5 pull-ups with the intent of touching the bar with my chest