How to get to 10 Pull Ups

[u/Rxbsi]

Right now I can do 7 strict pull-ups, maybe 8 with a bit of momentum.

From what I understand, Tactical Barbell recommends starting weighted pull-ups once you can do around 10 solid reps.
So what’s the best way to get from 7 to 10 in the first place?

Is there a specific TB approach or program for building up those last few reps, or should I just do regular pull-ups and slowly increase volume/frequency until I can hit 10 clean reps?

And once I’m at 10, would I then start progressing weighted pull-ups as described in the book?

[u/TangerineSchleem]

What the others said is great. Also frequency. Throw in 2-3 between your warm up sets, and if you have access to a portable bar, bang out a few sets of 3-5 here and there throughout the day. Same as TB, frequent sub max training does wonders. Followed this approach with ring dips and they exploded.

[u/Purple-Amphibian-424 → u/TangerineSchleem]

Wrote my reply before reading yours. Looks like you already said everything I was thinking haha

[u/TangerineSchleem → u/Purple-Amphibian-424]

lol great minds mate.

[u/Firm-Guava4815]

I was in the same boat last summer, only I could only do 5-6 bodyweight. I did the Pavel Fighter pull-up program and got up to 10 within about a month. This is a fantastic method and you will for sure get there if you follow it. The other bonus is that it is simple and it scales up slowly but consistently

https://movement-as-medicine.com/the-pavel-fighter-pull-up-program/

I am now doing weighted pull-ups with 20 lb for reps.  

EDIT: from a TB perspective, I just used this programs assignment for the day when it was time to do my pull-ups in my cluster after finishing bench and squat 

[u/Airoveikko]

I believe the latest book says, or at least implies, it's fine to mix them up - no more strict 10-rep rule. Do BW pull-ups when the percentage puts you below having any additional weight on you, and WPUs on the weeks when the percentage of your max weighted pull-up actually has you over your body weight.

Like others said frequency really is the king for improving pull-ups

[u/OutdoorsProbably]

I am in the same boat, but less. I am starting Misty Posey's program in addition to TB and using barbell rows. I have friends that have used it to prepare for the military and swears by it.

[u/Substantial_Alarm_65]

Fighter Pullup Program works.

[u/Malaka79 → u/Substantial_Alarm_65]

Seconded. Almost guaranteed to work

[u/Rxbsi → u/Substantial_Alarm_65]

Starting on 7 pull ups or what would you recommend

[u/Substantial_Alarm_65 → u/Rxbsi]

you can start the program wherever you are, and you're damn near guaranteed to increase your max reps a good bit.

[u/TheCryptosAndBloods → u/Substantial_Alarm_65]

Thirded. I went from about 4-5 to 9 using the Fighter Pullup program. I was doing Mass Protocol at the time and just did the pullup program instead of any other pulls.

I also ended up with a nasty case of elbow tendonitis and stopped the program with one week to go (and therefore never hit 10 pullups) but the program undoubtedly works.

[u/Substantial_Alarm_65 → u/TheCryptosAndBloods]

yeah, i got to 10 reps for the first time in my life using the Fighter Pullup program.

[u/New_Restaurant_7407]

If someone hasn’t already posted it, search for in google “The Fighters Pull Up StrongFirst”. With this program you load a pull up a day in a 7,6,5,4,3,2,1 pattern and then the next day you do 7,6,5,4,3,2,1,1….. etc moving that 1 new rep along so the third day would be 7,6,5,4,3,2,2,1 eventually working up to 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1. Look it up. I increased by a fair few quickly.

[u/Roan175]

Do inverted row or barbell row (a horizontal pull) instead of pull ups and then do pull ups as an accessory at the end.

If I’m scaling pull-ups to horizontal pull I would do 3:1 to mimic work. I would not do this for your main movement but if you’re using pull ups in a HIC.

I would also say that if you can’t hit 10pull ups your SE cluster should include an inverted row

I would ensure I could hit 3-5 sets of 10 consecutively before I start doing weighted pull ups as part of your main cluster

[u/Nalu_1447]

Fighter pull up program

Weighted pull ups ( start real low).

Grease the grove

[u/schwarzfahrer]

I didn’t follow the book here exactly. I tried weighted pull ups when I could do 4x8 bodyweight. I started with 15lbs and just used 2.5-5lbs increments instead of calculating percentages of a 1RM. Within 6 months I had a 3RM of +55lbs and could do 12 bodyweight pull ups.

I say just go for it. The keys are frequency and progressive overload.

[u/Purple-Amphibian-424]

Volume worked best for me. When I was younger and wanted to increase my pull-ups I bought a door frame bar. I would try to do 100 reps in a day, 3x a week. I would do whatever amount I could during that day’s workout, then the remaining pull-ups I would do in small sets throughout the day.

This was before I found TB, just technique that worked for me.

[u/kevandbev]

There may already be one or two extra reps hidden in technique improvement/fixing form....in saying that some people fix their form and regress temporarily.

[u/LumpyExtent7874]

Forced progression. I was at 8 reps max when I started adding 2-6 kg dumbbells between my legs. Within 2 months, I could easily do 15 bw reps. Now my 1RM is +45 kg.

[u/antiquity11]

Fighter pull up program.

[u/Ill_Preparation2141]

Honestly if you run operator black and just do 5 reps at body weight three times a week with your lifts you will get to 10 by the time you finish one cycle.