A few ?'s about pull ups

I've read and heard many ways of doing the "proper" pull up.......

1) Is there a real difference (pros/cons) of doing pull ups with your palm facing away and palm facing towards you?

2) Do they build bulk or make the body more defined?

3) What is the affect of getting a wide grip or inside shoulder grip?

Thanks.

Originally posted by Huckleberry
1) Is there a real difference (pros/cons) of doing pull ups with your palm facing away and palm facing towards you?

2) Do they build bulk or make the body more defined?

3) What is the affect of getting a wide grip or inside shoulder grip?

1) Not really, palms out works a little more of the forearm than palms in.

2) Pull ups really won't bulk you up that much, but doing wide grip palms out will define you back and lats quit a bit.

3) Close grip mainly works the biceps and wide grip works the back, lats and a little of the biceps. Starting out it's harder to do wide grip than close grip, but after a few weeks it'll be easy because you are using a bigger muscle..your back and lats as opposed to your biceps.

Also wide grip is easier because you have to travel less distance to get you chin over the bar than if you were to do a close grip pull up. Many people cheat themselves with pull-ups....they go half way down, or they "kip" (rocking back and front to get momentum to get a pull up), that does not help one bit.

My reccomendation, palms out wide grip.

The Marine Corps dead hang pull up

(7) One repetition consists of raising the body with the arms until the chin is above the bar, and then lowering the body until the arms are fully extended; repeat the exercise. At no time during the execution of this event can a Marine rest his chin on the bar.

later
sporty



[edit on 22/2/2006 by SportyMB]

Pull-ups are a great exercise. And just like SportyMb explained they do work you back and lats more. Also one thing to realize if you’re doing a pull-up with palms facing you, that is called a chin up and it is not a good idea to do these with hands wide. It can tare some fibers or cause injury.

You can increase the size and definition remarkably by adding weight resistance through a dip belt which you can buy offline or at like dicks or something. Be sure to be able to do at least 10 pull-ups before adding weight. Your bodies will adapt really fast, and you will notice hypertrophy gains if you keep it up.

You know you're a parent when you read the title of this thread and assume it has to do with the diaper training experience!

I've been dying for threads like this & now can get back to reality. My question is what is the USMC requirement for pull ups & other exercises. I joined the Royal Marines over here & remarkabally, the exercise wasn't the hardest part for us. The PRMC (potential Royal marine course) requires:
min:30 max:60 press ups
min:30 max: 80 sit ups
min:3 max:6 pull ups & a VO2 max test & achieve 10.5 I think min

Obviously we all trained way over the limit & passed easily & I think they should make it harder as the training is alot more strenuous on the body. What's the USMC like