Most of the time when you think about going to the gym, the exercises that usually come to mind first are the bench press, dumbbell curls and even squats. There are many good benefits when performing pullup exercises. These benefits include challenging your forearms and grip strength, activating the muscles in your shoulders and back. Of course, there are the general benefits coming from exercise like overall body strength, improvements to your physical and mental health. Pullups will also increase muscle tone and endurance.
For most people, since it is not an exercise that is regularly included in their workout, not to mention those who live a sedentary or inactive life, it is considered an advance exercise. It can be a very challenging exercise. Even though it is more difficult, pullups can be modified through assisted machines at most gyms.
Our back and core muscles are very vital as we increase with age. Focusing on our core can improve our posture, reducing the risk of falling and enhance balance and stability. When we do not take care of these muscles, we can develop low back, hip, and knee pain. The most effective exercises for strengthening the back muscles are the pullup. There are several muscles that make up the muscles of the back. They are the trapezius which spans from your neck to your shoulders, and the latissimus dorsi that runs from your mid back to your shoulder blades, which is the largest upper back muscle. The infraspinatus is a triangular muscle which makes up the majority of the dorsal surface of the scapula. We should also include the muscles I am most familiar with, the rhomboid major and minor muscles which span from the scapula to the neck. These muscles can lead to back and neck pain. There are three core muscles that run along your thoracic spine.
If you think about it, not only does the pullup strengthen your shoulders and arms, but since you are hanging from the pullup bar, it strengthens your grip strength too. We take for granted the importance of grip strength, especially when we try to open a jar. Grip strength is important if you play sports like golf, racquetball, tennis, bowling and lifting weights.
For those who are just starting as a beginner, it is important to work on the foundation. You can always start improving your grip strength by just hanging from the pullup bar. Try hanging from the pullup bar for 30 seconds. Once you have improved your strength, over time the pullups will get easier. If you’re ready for some advanced pullups, you can add weight with a weight vest or belt.
You don’t need a gym membership to do pullups. You can find door mounted pullup bars on Amazon for less.
SPRI Pull up Bar Grip Door Frame Mounting
How to perform a pullup. It is simple enough. You hang from the pullup bar with your palms facing outwards. Your body should be fully extended. You should pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. The full extension of your arms will guarantee maximum benefit. The goal is not to cheat and come up short or to swing your body for momentum.
Multiple studies have shown that strength training can improve self-esteem, cognitive function, reducing stress, anxiety, fatigue, and depression. Exercise in conjunction with healthy eating can prevent or manage type 2 diabetes and decrease the buildup of visceral fat that we seem to collect in our stomach regions as we get older. Exercise can also decrease back pain from arthritis and fibromyalgia.
You should always consult your primary care physician before starting a workout routine.
