What Would Happen if I Did Pullups Everyday?
Let’s break this down into a few different categories:
- Postural Considerations
- Strength & Muscle Considerations
- Health Considerations
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#1 – Postural Considerations
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As a westernized society we are really good at being hunched over:
- Cell phones (text neck)
- At school
- At work
- Video games/computer games
- Driving
- Basically, everywhere.
One of the ways we can help to fight this is by what we’re doing at the gym and specifically, while we are strength training. A good rule of thumb, in fact, is to do more pulling movements than pushing movements.
Hell, we don’t need any help in being hunched over with extra pushing movements!
Can’t do strict pullups?
Don’t fret. Any type of upper body pulling exercise can help you:
- TRX or Ring Rows
- Australian Pullups (careful in how you set this one up)
- Assisted Chin Ups or Pullups
- Banded Chin Ups or Pullups
- Bodyweight Chin Ups or Pullups
- And then a multitude of other weight related movements
In other words, doing pullups [or their equivalent] every day will help you with your posture. After all, who wants to stand rounded forward in their shoulders?
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#2 – Strength & Muscle Considerations
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A lot of people look at bodyweight movements as a warmup. When they hear calisthenics, they think “I’m going to do some jumping jacks, pushups, and bodyweight squats as I get ready for my lifting weights or cardio.”
What took ME some time to realize is the value of treating bodyweight movements and calisthenics as a strength training. And when you strength train, you gain muscle and durability.
Pullups are no different [regardless of the type of upper body pulling you’re doing as listed above].
Rather than just do a couple of high rep sets of any of those movements:
- You could change the tempo and focus on time under tension
- You could change sets and reps to mirror strength, power, or bodybuilding phases of training
- You could add weight to your body if you’ve mastered the chin up or pullup
- You could superset or giant set these movements like any other strength training
If we take a look at gymnasts as anecdotal evidence, you’ll notice they are most definitely muscular. Granted, bodyweight centered movements is not the only thing they are doing but it is by and large what they do.
Are you telling me you won’t gain muscle from learning to control your own body in space? By building up to your strict [unassisted] pullup?
Pullups everyday? Build a strong back and strong arms!
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#3 – Health Considerations
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There are two (2) ways to get to your first bodyweight pullup:
- Getting stronger in your upper body pulling movements
- Losing bodyweight and body fat
If you want to master your pullup, strength training is as important as controlling your bodyweight and body fat.
Think about it: if I can maintain my strength but lose weight, I will be able to perform any bodyweight movement with even a little more ease.
Is it any wonder why gymnasts are not terribly heavy?
While doing upper body pulling exercises everyday might not lead to that type of body change automatically, it will be incentive to make a body change.
