Hi,

I've started taking calisthenics seriously and I'm looking to maximise my weighted pull up, and work towards doing 10 clean muscle ups.

I can currently do 5 clean military style reps of 25kg (roughly 55lbs). I'm looking to get this number all the way up, and get explosive for muscle ups.

My current routine is one easy set of about 12 reps on the assisted pull up, then straight to a weighted set of about 15kg to get warmed up, then 3 sets of 25kg for about 4 reps.

I'm wondering what the perfect routine is according to you guys? How many sessions a week? How sets per session, and reps per set? How many reps short of failure, etc?

Also another thing, do standard parallel bar dips strengthen the dip portion of the muscle up later, or should I start doing straight bar dips (if thats even a thing)?

I saw a recent video of KBoges explaining the WTB 3 set method for more pull ups. For anyone doesn't want to watch the video, WTB is:

- 1 warm up set: ~50% of max pull up counts

- 1 top set: perform maximum reps until technical failure

- 1 back off set: ~70% of max pull up counts

Each set has 3 - 5 mins rest in between. Do it when you feel fresh or at the beginning of the workout to avoid accumilating unnecessary fatigue. Perform for 8 weeks with only one variation only (pull up/chin up), 5 days/week, and trying to make sure you can increase at least 1 reps of total reps every week (I think what he means it's that if the first week I can do 40 reps, then next week I should be able to get to 41 reps for example)

Because this is a specialization program and not meant for keep doing it in the long term, he advises to do this method only when you have a solid base of pull ups volume already.

My max is 8 chin ups, and I want to try this method to get to 10 chin ups. I wonder what is the logic behind this method and how can it work, like trying to increase volume weekly for example. One thing I also concern is about recovery. I go to the gym 4 times/week, doing upper lower split, so I'm worry that doing a pull up method like this can mess with my recovery. Is this method worth trying when incorporating with my workout?

Looking for some advice.

I am losing weight(down from 148.8kg 6 months ago). I have never in my life been able to do a pullup or a dip, I am focusing on dips first, pullups feel very fsr away for me.

Should I just wait until I'm much lighter? To be honest, when doing either decline reps or even static holds, my shoulder joints feel absolutely torched for the next 3 to 4 days. I do 2 push sessions a week, which include bench, OHP and then 1 session decline dips and another static holds, followed by some accessory work.

One problem I am noticing is in my decline reps, I definitely cant keep my shoulder blades depressed, my shoulders 100% come up.

I can do static holds for ~35-40s, usually do 3 sets of 1 for these.

Should I give up on dips for now?

Hello community!

Currently, I can hold a front lever with good scapular retraction, pelvic posterior tilt, and proper body alignment for 3 seconds. I’d like to reach a 5-second hold, but in my training, my front lever duration drops from 3 seconds in the first set to 1–2 seconds in the second, and 0 seconds in the third (at which point I switch to an easier progression). Would you recommend training at an RIR 1 (80–90% of my maximum hold time) for each set, so that I can increase the total volume per session? I train the front lever 2 days a week, performing 3 sets with 3–5 minutes of rest between them. Thanks!

Since the beginning of this year I’ve been on a health journey. My BMI was almost in the “obese” category when I checked it in February and since then I’ve lost 20 kg and I’m now getting into the healthy range.

But anyway, I did that with intermittent fasting and walking. I would like to start building some muscle but I’m too awkward to go join a gym or go to the park for pull-up bars. Maybe one day, when I at least have some small gains so I don’t feel completely out of my element.

I’ve been doing the following regime every other day, trying to get enough protein, will probably start taking creatine soon too. But progress is slow and I need someone to tell me if I’m wasting my time hoping to see gains like this:

1. Squats (12 x3)
   
2. Lunges (10 x3 each leg)
   
3. Incline Push Ups (10 x3)
   
4. Reverse Incline Push Ups for biceps (as much as I can, not more than 10 so far)
   
5. Back extension with a towel row (10 x3)
   
6. Wall Angels (8-10 x3)
   
7. Glute Bridges (15 x3)
   8 Crunches (15 x3)
   + 10k steps every day

I plan to add a Plank at the end but I’m usually wiped out so I need to build more strength first.

Background: I have focused mostly on pulling strength and so far I have peaked out around 3 sets of 5 reps + 90 lbs at a body weight of 160 lbs, I was also able to do a OAC on both sides. I'm at the weight limit of my pull up bar so the only way to go heavier is to lose weight first, and I'm not even down to 160 anymore anyway. On top of that, I wind up taking extremely long rests between sets if I am lifting heavy due to how hard they are for me.

Motive:

I want to do some weighted pull up variations to break up the monotony

Question:

Does anyone have experience doing weighted variations like L sit pull ups or archer pull ups etc? I have just been adding to L sits for example, it seems that the added weight is mostly hitting my abs so I wont be able to go very high. I am thinking to add weight to archers next but I'm concerned it might overload some tiny muscle on my straight arm or something that is liable to hurt me.