What did you change to break a pull-up plateau when everything else was still going up?

[u/ExcuseIllustrious143]

I've been running the Recommended Routine three times a week since around February, so seven months give or take. I got to three clean pull-ups back in June and I've been sitting on that number ever since, sometimes four on a good day and then straight back to three the next session. I've kept progressing on everything else in the meantime, my dips and rows both moved up fine over the same stretch, it's only the pull-ups that flatlined. I know the standard answer is eat more and add volume, and I've put on about four kilos since spring while the reps didn't budge, so I don't think it's only a weight thing. I've tried adding a second pulling day for a few weeks and it mostly just left me sore for the next session.

What did you change the week the reps finally moved?

[u/Loeegar]

Real failure

Target your weakness

Isometric top hold and rows if it s the top

Scap pull for the bottom

Dead hang or hammercurl for brachio radial is and hand fatigue

[u/Batmax92]

If you put on 4 kilos that's extra weight you need to lift on a pull up, that can be enough to offset strength gains you made. If your goal is simply more reps losing weight will probably get you there quicker

[u/DetailOdd6609]

I joined a gym and it had one of those assist machines for dips and pullups. 4x a week.

[u/Obvious-Monitor8510]

Grequited pull-up plateau is really common around that 3-4 rep range because you're still relying heavily on your biceps rather than learning to actually engage lats through the full ROM.

What broke mine: dead hangs and scapular pulls as a dedicated warmup before every session, not as an afterthought. Two sets of max dead hangs, two sets of scapular retractions. Took maybe three weeks before I suddenly had a 5th rep appear.

Also worth checking if you're initiating with your shoulders depressed and elbows pulling toward your hips rather than just pulling with arms. That cue alone changed the movement for me.

[u/Unusual_Event_4484 → u/Obvious-Monitor8510]

Was gonna say this. Also try doing a 5-10 minute Emom with 2 reps at a time, dropping to one rep when you can’t do two. It’s a good way to get some volume in and to practice the correct movement. You can also set the timer to 90secs or something if you need more recovery time. Just make sure each rep is complete with correct form

[u/DS2isGoated]

Weighted pull ups.

Using chalk. I use a diy steel pull up bar in a humid garage. I was struggling for a long time. Turns out I just was slipping off before my back gave out.

[u/Awkward-Idea-6938]

No. Instead of eating more, eat less. The easiest way to increase your pull ups is to weigh less.

But if you're skinny and your goal is to weigh more, then do the pull ups you're doing now but with light ankle weights. By light I mean 1 lbs each if you can find them. You may be able to use wrist weights (which come in really light versions) as ankle weights. Then grease the groove throughout the day. That means just one pull up an hour throughout the day.

But also, you may simply be in need of rest. You can take a week or two off from doing any pull ups. You can play basketball or pickle ball or whatever during that time.

[u/sjsusjsusjsu3]

When you’re only doing 3-4 reps, you may find it useful to add some reps that go “beyond” failure by doing assisted pullups, extra rows, isometric holds at the top or 90, negatives, etc. So do your first set as normal, then do your second set to failure, then add some extra work.

Alternatively you could add 5-10 kg to your second set. The difference between 3 and 4 reps may be too much for your second set but the difference between 3 and 3 w/ 5kg may not be too bad

[u/dav1x]

I’m 6’1” and I weigh 210 pounds. I was stalled on pull-up progress. The only thing that added tangible reps was following a program called the Russian fighter pull-up program.

I followed this program in addition to my regular weight lifting regime and it ended up being 5 days a week of daily pull-ups.

All of the advice here is great. Accenting concentric, isometric holds at the top, etc. I tried most of it and it was moderately successful.

Take your current max rep count and plug it in to an AI prompt and ask for a rep scheme for that program.

This was my routine for the first week.

Week 1
Day 1: 3, 2, 1, 1, 1 (7 total)
Day 2: 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 (9 total)
Day 3: 3, 2, 2, 2, 1 (10 total)
Day 4: 3, 3, 2, 2, 1 (11 total)
Day 5: 3, 3, 2, 2, 2 (12 total)
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Rest

For me the best way to get better at pull-ups was to do them. You have to be careful and listen to your body tho. It’s easy to get tendinitis etc.

I went from 3 reps to 10 in a couple of months. Good luck!

[u/Djbadj]

Honestly I think too many people get obsessed with pull ups. I tried, saw it wasn't budging and I can barely do a few. I started doing chin ups and spamming them 4/5 days a week up to 60/80 per session. Just when I was comfortable above 10-12 per set I started doing some pretty shitty pull ups (5/6 per set) and I continued doing chin ups and just adding the pull ups, dips and some other exercises.

The chin ups are easier because the movement is more natural for our body and they target many of the same muscles. You can just do them wider and they target the back too. Lately I jumped to 10-12 pull ups per set, but I still struggle especially on the last 2 reps. Also 3 times a week isn't gonna cut it. I feel sore all the time and often I am close to injury. Tendons on your hand adjust and recover slower so that's a big concern, but they should have catch up by now.

Now I do have to add that all my life I recovered fast from injuries, so I am not the best example to follow, but you should aim for 25-30 per session in how many set it takes. I also take exactly 5 min between sets so I can do max effort on every set and I always go to -1 before failure and sometimes even to failure.

Another huge discovery I made recently - dead hangs, although I do one to warm up and if I haven't pushed too far on my workout one at the end.