Negative Pullups

The following text started out as a comment for Abby for her latest blog entry. It got too long, though, so I pasted it here. It is probably more readable this way.

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Negative Pullups

1) Stand below the bar
2) Jump up into the "up" position. The head should be just above the bar.
3) SLOWLY lower yourself down all the way until you are just hanging there. Take 3 seconds or so to lower yourself.
4) Let go of the bar and get back on the floor.
5) Repeat.

Maybe you can use the program suggested on that site I sent a couple days ago.

Also, BE CAREFUL of the grip you are using for pullups. The thumb should not be wrapped around the bar (like you wrap it when you hold a baseball bat). The thumb should be right next to your index finger, on top of the bar. Doing pullups with thumb wrapped around bar makes the pullup less efficient and transfers a lot of the effort from the back and shoulder muscles into the forearms. This will make pullups harder.

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There are also a lot of variations of pullups.

1) Regular
2) Close (hands touching)
3) Wide (hands far apart)
4) Reverse (AKA "chinup"
5) Mountain Climbers (grip the bar with right hand in front of left, right index finger touching left little finger. Lift yourself until right shoulder touches bar. Lower. Lift until left shoulder touches bar. Etc. Use opposite hand grip, too.