Pull-Up Ladder

Workout 17 March 2009:

Pull-Up Ladder
With continuously running clock, do one pull-up the first minute, two the second minute, three the third, etc., continuing as long as you are able. Stop when you cannot complete the required reps for a given minute. Use as many sets as needed to complete the reps each minute.

Results: 17 rounds + 10 pull-ups, 18'00
Previous best: 16 rounds, 16'00 (16 Jul 08)

I'm very happy with today's results since I essentially did 20% more pull-ups than last time. I didn't expect to be able to complete a full 17 rounds, let alone an additional 10 pull-ups into the next round. I used a different pull-up bar this time that is a little thicker than the bar I used previously. Up to a point, a thicker bar is a little less taxing on your grip, so this probably contributed to today's success. I also did not wear gloves. Although in general, gloves can improve your grip, when doing high-rep pull-ups, they tend to bunch and slide and can actually be disadvantageous. The best option is to use chalk and no gloves, however my gym does not allow chalk. Given these contributors, it will be interesting to see if I can beat today's results using the smaller bar next time.

Mark Rippetoe Quote of the Day:
In response to the question: "Is adding an hour walk...[to your workouts]...helpful, detrimental, or irrelevant to strength improvements?"

"Walking for an hour is not exercise. It's shopping."