, @ferranarnau99 has been the winner of this month.

My story with calisthenics begins on February 26, in which after being encouraged by some friends and later by my girlfriend, I decided to go to the park to train, because due to a urine infection, I lost 13 kg in three weeks, and with it the little muscle I had.

The first day I went to the park it was horrible. I couldn't do a pull-up and it was even hard for me to do assisted pull-ups with a 35kg elastic band. I could do one or two dips and a maximum of 8 push-ups in a row, so I ended up very unmotivated since my ability within calisthenics at that time, was null. I was training for 3 weeks going 2 days to the park, with the bad luck that the coronavirus arises and they confine us at home. But instead of seeing it as a disadvantage, I saw it as an advantage to be able to train more constantly. Therefore, I started doing chin-up refusals on an old door frame and, from there, learning about it and trying to improve day by day. I was hooked on the world of calisthenics.

When the confinement was finished, I could already do several repetitions with 10 kg of ballast, series of 8 reps of dips and more than 200 push-ups, that was when 4 friends decided to do the Camino del Guerrero, which we spent 2 and a half months to complete. And, from there, with what I considered a good base, I started training with Calisteniapp, which is where I have really noticed my greatest progress.

Right now, what motivates me the most is being able to improve day by day, being able to acquire more strength to be able to do the different calisthenics tricks more easily, in order to compete in 2/3 years, since it is one of my goals in the medium term.

What are you waiting for to start calisthenics? We can all achieve it with effort and dedication.

Today, it's him. Tomorrow, it can be you!

March 2021 most voted progress

a number of tips that will help you in the process of perfecting your muscle up

, assuming that you have already managed to do it but it still turns out very ugly. For example when you raise one arm before the other, what we usually call "elbow destruction" or "chicken wing muscle up". Or when you need to use a lot of momentum with your legs, bending your knees and so on.



Some of these tips will require work and effort, and others you can apply instantly to see improvements.



To begin, let's make it clear what is considered a perfected muscle up:




1. The range of motion should be complete, starting hanging completely with the elbows fully extended and ending up with the elbows completely locked in the bar dip position.

2. During the pull up part there should be no legs movement, the knees should not be bent nor the hip excessively flexed.


3. The arms must make the transition at the same time, without one getting ahead of the other.

4. The pause at the top before doing the bar dip should be as short as possible, avoiding spending a long time with the abdomen resting on the bar.




Step 1 to perfecting your Muscle Up: Strengthen your pull ups



Obviously the easiest way to clean up the muscle up is to strengthen your pulling capacity so that you can do a more powerful explosive pull-up that allows you to go up more easily, preventing you from having to resort to moving your legs or raising one arm before the other.



To carry out this strengthening, simply train explosive pull-ups a lot, trying to gradually increase the number of repetitions and their explosiveness. For the rest of the pulling exercises, such as other variants of pull-ups, Australian or rowing, seek to promote that power and speed of movement (while maintaining control), instead of making slow and controlled reps.




Step 2 to perfecting your Muscle Up: High Grip



One way to increase your muscle up ability instantly is to get a high grip. This consists of slightly raising your wrists compared to what would be a position in which you are completely hanging.

With this you achieve two things: first, to reduce range of movement by a few centimeters, and second, to facilitate the transition since you have your wrists closer to what would be their final position.



Be careful, do not confuse it with a false grip, which would be placing your wrists completely above the bar, since that would practically be another variant of muscle up and not a strict muscle up.



Step 3 to perfecting your Muscle Up: Look up


When we make the transition from a pull-up to a bar dip during a muscle up, our torso must pass the height of the bar, and depending on how close or far it passes, we will have to make more or less effort to achieve it. 

Imagine an extreme case in which you pass your torso very far from the bar and how difficult that would be for you to stay on top, and then imagine a case in which you pass very close, millimeters, and how easy it would be to stay on top compared to the previous case.

By keeping our gaze up (looking at the bar) you facilitate this process of passing as close to the bar as possible, since we have the visual reference that allows us to adjust better than when we are looking straight ahead.



Step 4 to perfecting your Muscle Up: Master the Swing



There are different types of swing that can be applied in the strict muscle up, there is a more circular type of swing, in which the body swings forward and then when returning we describe a semicircle path to the rise. And there is a type of "arrow" swing in which when you lower yourself, your body goes straight in a diagonal forward and then you rise very vertically. And also there are many intermediate variants of these two extremes.

The key is that you try the different variants, record yourself, and analyze which one works best for you, since this information will be very valuable for you to progress quickly.



What I do recommend avoiding is the Crossfit "kipping" type swing or what in Calisthenics we call the Olympic muscle up (reserved only for freestyle combos). Since this type of swing is not considered strict and then you will have difficulty learning the correct version.

Remember that if you need help learning the muscle up, in Calisteniapp we have training programs, routines and all kinds of progressions so that you can perform and perfect it. Download it and check it out if you haven't.



I hope it helps you a lot and that you share your progress with this movement on Instagram.

Tips to perfect your Muscle Up

"I'm bigger and heavier than you, that's why I can't do pull-ups"

 I decided to try to reliably verify if this is really the case, and the truth is that the result was quite surprising.

Nowadays we have a booming discipline in which we have all the 

examples we want of people of different weights trying to do pull-ups with the maximum possible added weight

. Specifically, I am referring to Street Lifting or Weighted Calisthenics.



In this discipline we have competitions where 

athletes prepare to do a single repetition with the maximum possible added weight

, both parallel dips, squats, muscle ups and 

, which is what interests us in this article.

Specifically, what is interesting is that in Street Lifting competitions 

the athletes are divided by body weight categories

, from the lightest in the -66 kg category to the largest and heaviest in the +94 kg category.


Relationship between maximum pull-up strength and body weight


If the logic of "I weigh more than you, it is difficult for me to do pull-ups" or "if I were as skinny as you, I would do many more" were true, 

it would be logical to see that athletes on the -66 kg. category would be the ones who would lift the most

, since they save that extra body weight and can dedicate it to adding more extra kilos of added weight. On the other hand, it would be logical to

 think that the heaviest athletes, those on the +94 kg. category, would be the ones who would lift the least extra weight

, since they have a lot of built in weight on their own body so to speak.

However, 

. If we look at the results of the competitions in this sport, 

. Specifically, we are going to analyze the results of the last world championship, held in October 2023 in Germany.

If we analyze the pull-up lifts we can see that 

the current world record for weighted pull-ups, with a lift of 120 kg., was performed by the athlete known as Ludovic Adamantium, who belongs to the -87 kilogram category

, so during the competition he was around that weight. The second heaviest lift was that of the Spanish Pere Coll, with 116.25 kg. in the same weight category.



If we continue analyzing numbers we will see that 

the next heaviest lifts are in the category higher than -87, which would be -94 kilos

, where we saw a lift of 107.5 kg. by the athlete known as Baki HD, with a body weight greater than 90 kg.

To further disprove this hypothesis of "being heavy makes you bad at pull-ups", 

the next ones who lifted the most weight were not those in the lower categories, but those in the +94 kg heavyweight category


From there we would go to lower weight categories, but curiously we do not "jump" to the lighter athletes, but rather 

 from the -80 kg category. passing through -73 and ending at -66 kg. 

with pull-up lifts that follow a downward trend

, with the best lifts in this last light category being around 90 kg. 

we see with real data that this logic of "since I am bigger and heavier than you, I am worse at pull-ups" does not hold true at all

, and it is quite the opposite, the bigger and heavier athletes are the ones who lift the most in pull-ups.

Now, 

the key lies in the composition of that bodyweight

. Obviously, if one person weighs more than another because he has more body fat, this will affect his performance in pull-ups. But if that extra weight is simply because he is taller or more muscular, at the same body fat percentage, this person will have an easier time doing pull-ups.

If we wanted to be more precise, the correct excuse could be:



"I don't do pull-ups like you because I'm fatter than you."
"I don't do pull-ups like you because I don't train them"
"I don't do pull-ups like you because I'm not as strong as you."



Relationship between pull-up endurance and body weight



Regarding the endurance part, the ability to do the maximum possible pull-ups, 

we do see that the best world endurance athletes tend to be shorter in stature, but normally they are not usually light in weight

, but quite muscular.

Top world athletes in pull-ups such as Javi Alés, Jaime Jumper, Max True or Isypov are relatively small in stature, but they have a good amount of muscle mass, which means they can be considered heavy for that height.


taller and therefore heavier athletes generally do not excel as much in endurance.



Still, going back to the initial situation, when a person tells you that "

he can't do pull-ups like you because he is bigger and heavier

", does not usually refer to the fact that he is not able to do more than 30 pull-ups, but rather refers to the fact that he can barely do a few, or even not at all. So I see the case of maximum strength as more relevant than that of endurance.



Conclusion: relationship between the ability to do pull-ups and body weight


or maximum strength in pull-ups there is a biased correlation towards heavy weight

, between 85 and 95 kilos, with a negative tendency towards lower weights. While 

in endurance this correlation does seem to be biased towards lower weights

. As long as we're  comparing people with the same levels of body fat.


If you are one of those who used this excuse and now you have just realized that perhaps it is not as valid as you thought, at Calisteniapp we have routines and training programs designed so that you can do your first pull-ups and later be able to do a large number of them. And if you dare, you can even achieve muscle up. Download it and check it out!



How much does BODY WEIGHT affect PULL UPS?

In our latest articles we have analyzed all the guidelines that current scientific evidence gives us to make good training planning aimed at optimizing muscle mass gain as much as possible. And after that, I think it is time to move on to practice and see how these concepts are applied in a training routine.

That is why today we are going to see a 

full body routine adapted for different levels that you can do 3 times a week

 and with which you will be sure to obtain the best results for hypertrophy.

We are also going to see some extra tips that will help you get the most out of these routines and a few more things, so let's get started.


Summary of current scientific evidence on training for muscle mass gain


Let's do a quick summary of what guidelines this routine should follow to be optimal according to the scientific evidence we have collected.

First, in terms of 

, we have a minimum of 10 effective weekly series per muscle group and a maximum of 20, except in the case of the legs which would be double.

Regarding 

, we must try to reach at least 80 – 90% of our capacity in each series, with a repetition range of between 6 and 20 for it to be effective.

And as for the 

, it should be a cohesive selection that works the different muscle groups in various planes or angles.

If you want a detailed explanation of each of these aspects and others that I have not mentioned so as not to extend too much but that I will also take into account in the routine, you have this 

 based on scientific evidence for muscle mass gain



Part 1: Push - shoulders

3 sets of declined push-ups


Part 2: Push - pectoral

3 sets of push-ups


Part 3: Pull - dorsal

3 sets of Australian pull-ups

Part 4: Pull - upper back

3 sets of elastic band rows

Part 5: Legs - quadriceps

3 sets of bulgarian squat with slow eccentric


Part 6: Legs - femoral

3 sets of femoral bridge with a hold on the top



Perform all exercises at 80 - 90% of your capacity, reaching close to technical failure.

Use minimum rest periods of between 2' and 2'30"

Perform 3 times a week


 based on scientific evidence to gain muscle mass



Part 1: Push - shoulders

3 sets of pike push ups

Part 2: Push - pectoral

3 series of dips

Part 3: Pull - dorsal

3 sets of chin ups

Part 4: Pull - upper back

3 sets of elastic band rows

Part 5: Legs - quadriceps

3 sets of explosive bulgarian squat with slow eccentric

Part 6: Legs - femoral

3 sets of one-leg femoral bridge with holding on the top



Perform all exercises at 80 - 90% of your capacity, reaching close to technical failure.

Use minimum rest times of 2'30"

Perform 3 times a week




Advanced full-body routine based on scientific evidence to gain muscle mass




Part 1: Push - shoulders

3 sets of assisted handstand push-ups

Part 2: Push - pectoral

3 series of explosive dips

Part 3: Pull - dorsal

3 sets of explosive pull-ups

Part 4: Pull - upper back

3 sets of elastic band rows with holding and slow eccentric

Part 5: Legs - quadriceps

3 sets of explosive bulgarian squat with isometric at the bottom and slow eccentric

Part 6: Legs - femoral

3 sets of one-leg femoral bridge with hold at the top and slow eccentric



Perform all exercises at 80 - 90% of your capacity, reaching close to technical failure.

Use minimum rest periods of 2'30"

Perform 3 times a week



If you perform these routines following the indicated guidelines, you will ensure that you are performing optimal training to gain muscle mass.

Remember that another very important aspect to obtain results is the diet, which must be in accordance with your goals.

FULL BODY routine designed by SCIENCE for maximun MUSCLE MASS gain

In this article I would like to analyze down to the smallest detail what a perfect, totally strict pull-up would look like under the most thorough standards I know. So we will analyze point by point the different characteristics that the perfect pull-up must have and the different parameters that may be debatable.

We will see different points of view whether from calisthenics athletes, endurance competitors, police oppositions or Street Lifting athletes.

So without further ado, let's go point by point analyzing each of the keys to execute this exercise in the cleanest way possible.



1. A strict pull-up must have full range of motion



I think this is the most obvious, although that does not stop it from being constantly “desecrated” in competitions, record attempts, publications on social networks and so on.

Additionally, there is a bit of disparity regarding what is conceived as a full range. For example, I personally believe that 

the full range begins hanging completely from the bar and with the elbows fully extended

, however many of the most well-known calisthenics endurance athletes do not respect this, leaving a few centimeters of elbow flexion in each repetition and therefore not coming to extend completely.

It's funny because if you ask them, they usually tell you that you have to extend the elbows completely, and in the regulations of all competitions it is usually the rule that you have to extend them completely, but then in practice it doesn't happen.



Regarding the final part of the movement, I personally believe that the ideal is for 

the chin to pass the height of the bar, but without hyper extension of the neck

. To be more exact with this description we could say that the chin should not be at an angle greater than 45º with respect to the horizontal.

Again with this there is also disparity, since, for example, endurance athletes usually perform pull-ups with their neck completely hyper extended.



2. A perfect pull-up should be performed without movement in the legs



This is another point that I think everyone understands as necessary but in which I see certain discrepancies.

Regarding knee flexion, I think it is clear that 

a strict pull-up implies that there is no knee flexion to help you when going up

.

Where I see certain differences is in the issue of hip flexion. Since in theory the cleanest thing would be that there is no hip flexion at all, but it is true that when fatigue begins it is practically inevitable, and if we are so strict the numbers of pull-ups would become laughable compared to the current records. Even the strictest ones, such as Isypov, capable of doing more than 100 completely strict pull-ups, begin to include a little hip flexion after a certain number of repetitions.



From my point of view I think that the most correct thing would be to 

allow some hip flexion but without it being excessive, again a reference could be 45º

, a midpoint between the legs completely straight with respect to the back and what would be an L sit. This way we maintain a very strict aesthetic aspect but do not cut short the athlete's ability so abruptly.



3. A strict pull-up should be performed without swinging or kipping


 (arching of the back that then produces an impulse with the legs). Furthermore, it complements well with the topic of the dead stop that we will discuss below, since the way to avoid swinging is to do this stop with your arms extended so that the timing of the pull-ups counteracts the inertia.



4. A strict pull-up should have no false grip



Regarding the grip, I think there is not much problem either, I think we agree that 

 (without raising the wrist above the bar), and with the thumb below, although this last point is not very relevant since if someone wants to do them with the thumb on top it is perhaps more a matter of preference as it does not give a clear advantage nor does it spoil the technique.




Another rather dubious aspect. Pull-ups can be done with greater scapular retraction when going up, which makes the chest aim towards the sky, or they can be done with less scapular retraction and the chest is vertical with respect to the ground. None of these approaches is a “cheat” or help unrelated to the exercise, so in that sense there is no problem.

What is true is that when you do the pull-ups with greater scapular retraction, the head is further away from the bar and does not allow the chin to be inserted so that it can clearly be seen that it has passed the height of the bar.

Another thing to keep in mind is that all the athletes who do very heavy pull-ups in Street Lifting do the pull-up without that exaggerated scapular retraction, so it seems that in terms of performance, this version wins. Also the people who do the highest records of very strict repetitions do them in this version without as much retraction.

In my opinion, on an aesthetic level the pull-up with scapular retraction is more beautiful and clean, but I think that in this case both versions should be allowed, since it favors performance without becoming a "cheat" so to speak.



6. A perfect pull-up must have a pause in elbow extension (dead stop)



Another point that raises doubts, as I mentioned, is the issue of stopping completely at the bottom. Traditionally it has been considered more strict, since it ensures 100% that you fully extend your arm and eliminates swings or inertia. But it is also true that it can be used advantageously for those who have a lot of grip strength and resistance in their forearms, since for them it can be a small break that allows them to do more repetitions, as is the case with Isypov.

Personally, I don't see much of a problem with this, since grip and forearm strength and resistance is part of the movement and therefore I don't see the problem with taking advantage of it while doing impeccable pull-ups.




Summary of features of a perfect and 100% strict pull-up:




- Real full range, elbows fully extended at the bottom and chin clearly passing the bar without hyper extending the neck during flexion.
- Without any type of movement in the knees, and a maximum movement in the hip of 45º with respect to the vertical.
- No swinging or kipping.
- With dead stop at extension of at least 1 second.


I hope I have contributed my grain of sand and that it serves to take into account this issue and the small nuances that may arise.

LIFESTYLE

March 2021 most voted progress

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