Subject: Strengthen your pullup start

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you need a stronger start for your pullups.

Several issues ago we discussed how it is trained with partial, 5-10cm or 2-4”, pullups. Today we will discuss an even shorter movement in which the arms stay straight and only the shoulder blades are moving.

You might already be doing “reverse shrugs” or “scapular pullups.” The question is, is your technique appropriate for your goals?

Your scapulae have many degrees of freedom. Those relevant to our topic are:
  • Depression—the opposite of a shrug.
  • Downward rotation—if you had wings and folded them, that would be it.
  • Retraction—pinching the shoulder blades together.
Most people do all three plus arch their backs while forcing their chests open. This technique is perfect if you are performing a corrective exercise to improve your posture, targeting particular muscle groups, or working on improving your bench press arch.

But for strengthening the pullup start this is not the way to go.

A proper pullup starts in what gymnasts call “the hollow position,” with the abs tight:

Yoana Teran performing the hang hollow position
Yoana Teran, StrongFirst Certified Senior Instructor
in the StrongFirst Bodyweight Fundamentals online course

If you arch your back, open your chest, and pinch your shoulder blades together, your abs will stretch and lose their tension.

Thus, to strengthen your pullup start, push your scapulae down—but do not pinch them together. Do not open your chest and keep your abs tight:
Karen Smith performing the scapular pullup
Karen Smith, StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor
demonstrates how to perform reverse shrugs without losing the hollow position.

Power to your pullups!
Don’t miss the Tactical Strength Challenge!
The place: Worldwide
The time: October 30, 2021
StrongFirst Bodyweight Fundamentals online course
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