# Alternative exercise to wide grip pull ups?



## DANthirty (Jan 28, 2011)

Hi all can anyone recommend another exercise to replace the wide grip pull up that i can incorporate into my two day split as i am totally s**t at them, don't laugh but i can only manage one!!!! yep that's right a big fat ONE, so was wondering if i could try something else?

Cheers Dan


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## London1976 (Oct 16, 2009)

Keep at it mate, wide chins are brill, it works most of the back muscles. Barbell row is another good alternative.


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## DANthirty (Jan 28, 2011)

yeah i do bent over rows on my other day which i dont mind, im doing them with an over hand grip is that how you do yours?


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## jakal2001 (Dec 18, 2010)

we have a weight assist machine at our gym, which i do widegrip pulls with, currently i got 20kg assisting me


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## DANthirty (Jan 28, 2011)

thats slightly differant isnt it pull downs and wide pull ups?


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## London1976 (Oct 16, 2009)

Underhand will work more middle and lower and overhand will focus on upper back. Well thats what i think anyhow


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## jakal2001 (Dec 18, 2010)

DANthirty said:


> thats slightly differant isnt it pull downs and wide pull ups?


yeah wide grip pull ups - not pull downs. I swear by weight assist, i lower the weight on it gradually - and use 1.25 and 2.5 kg plates as they go up in 5kg's.. more the weight, easier the pull :axe: :high5:


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## DANthirty (Jan 28, 2011)

OK ill stick it out, it was just that i seem to be progressing on all the other exercises just not that one.


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## London1976 (Oct 16, 2009)

Hope you are deadlifting dan


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## DANthirty (Jan 28, 2011)

London1976 said:


> Hope you are deadlifting dan


yes mate

Mondays:

Squats

Incline bench press

Military press

Bent over rows

Press ups

Sit ups

Thursdays:

Dead lift

Bench press

Wide chins

Under hand pull ups

Dips

Sit ups

was thinking about getting a trap bar for my deadlifts.


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## ActiveTom (Nov 21, 2010)

I have the exact same problem dan.

When I was really in to cardio at a lean 17 years old with a 6 pack I could do as many pull ups as I wanted, even though I didnt have as much muscle mass as I do now, I could do way more.

Now I am struggling to get 2 reps out. Even then, the second one can be shoddy and you cant see improvement because even a good improvement from one workout to the next wouldnt yield an extra pull up and just being told to do your 1 rep over and over isnt gonna happen, your muscles dont feel like theyve been trained and you can get really demotivated.

I would recommend looking for a gym with an assisted pull up/dip machine. Dial in on how much weight you need to help you do your target rep range and remember it. Even 10-20kg as an assist suddenly you can go from only being able to do 1 rep (unable to initiate any momentum in the second rep) to doing like 8-10 as I end up doing.

Remember with bodyweight exercises you need to have a good power to weight ratio, so, just like I do, you may need to work on that by losing some bodyfat.


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