There is a lot of speculation out there that doing the same workout everyday can be bad for you. Which yes does make complete sense even if you have a very strenuous and physically demanding job you should still be getting a day or two off a week hopefully. I know there are those that don't but at some point your body does need some rest.
I know from experience from going to physical therapy for AC Separations that doing the same rehab workouts 2-3 consecutive days in a row played a toll in causing rotator cuff problems. But on the other hand I have always had problems with my shoulders but after seeing several specialists they always had the same answer too young for surgery and too young for shots. So I had to dial a lot of my workouts back.
So doing pull ups everyday can be a bad idea but if you haven't had any problems with your shoulders and know how to listen to your body it might work for you. As always consult your physician before performing any and all workouts or diets.
So how many pull ups should an individual do a day? This will depend on how many you can do at once but doing anywhere from 25-50 a day will be plenty to take you to the next level as a beginner. Now that doesn't mean you have to do them all at once you can start with a 3-5 a set then do more sets throughout the day.
The Art Of The Pull Up
The great thing about a pull up is that it is an amazing compound exercise that you can do almost anywhere. Pull up bar or tree branch it doesn't matter it is a simple amazing move that can be a game changer for building your body.
But when it comes to the number of pull ups you should do this is something that is not as simple to figure out. Basically you should start with something like a physical test to see how many you can do in a row. Could be 1 to 20 it really doesn't matter your starting number because the goal has to be to improve upon it and you will improve your overall fitness.
I know a lot of people have seen all these 30 day challenges for doing something like 100 pull ups or 200 pull ups a day for 30 days. You have to watch out for these if you are not in shape already you can do some damage. However these short 30 day goals can be a great thing for setting and achieving goals just dial it down a notch.
Even doing 25 pull ups a day you will see a different by the end of that 30 days. If that is your goal to do 25 pull ups at once give it a go. Do something like setting a time of 10 minutes to complete 25 pull ups in or you can just start with doing them throughout the day then working down to a time limit up to you. Track your progress in a little diary.
Long term I would not do pull ups every single day your body especially your shoulders need a break. That is why you see most split workouts will have an upper body day followed by a lower body day or at least a push day (Chest/Tris) followed by a pull day (Back/Bis) then a break.
Add in some push ups and situps to complete the trend. Also make sure you aren't doing the same exact pull up every day like reverse grip. Change it up there are numerous grips you can focus on and switch it up a bit to hit different muscle groups.
Different Kinds Of Pull Ups
Chin-ups – most common of the group. Palms facing toward you about shoulder width apart. You can change back and forth from overhand to underhand as well.
Wide Grip – this grip can be a bit harder to perform as it puts more work into the lats.
Close Grip – this puts more work into the arms, shoulders and chest.
Commando Pull-ups – some pull-up bars have two bars next to each so you can grip with palms facing toward each other. This is the commando grip.
Australian Pull-ups – you have probably seen some various equipment cables/bands come out with this variation and this a great beginner way to do it if you have a power rack as well. You lay on your back and pull yourself up to a bar or use ropes. Much easier then normal pullup so you can increase the amount of reps.
Behind The Neck – this is more of an advanced pullup which I personally have never done. You can practice for this with the lat pull down but that is also a workout that is not highly recommended anymore it is suggested to pull down in front of you. If you have problems with your rotator cuff like I do it may be best to stay away from. However if you have been doing pullups for a long time this may be your next challenge.
Kipping Pull-ups – you may have seen these with crossfitters where they are swinging themselves up and down on the pullup bar using their momentum. This definitely helps with becoming explosive.
Plyo Pull-ups – these are nuts I have seen videos of people doing these that go viral so that could be your goal. They involve letting go of the bar or clapping your hands like a plyo pushup.
One Arm Pull ups – this will be after you get through your challenge more then likely but they are an amazing to be able to do these. I still cannot.
So you can work your way through 2-3 of these to alternate or change things up. You can either do this every other day or every other set up to what works for you.
Best Pull Up Equipment For Home
There is a lot of equipment out here these days that can work for some if you just want to keep it simple to get started just get the original pull up and get it going.
Just The Bar – the basic bar is all you need you can find them cheap. Sunny Health is the brand we have used and they work great and hold up for heavier people like myself. They are very mobile.
Doorway Pull Up Bar – these are simple can be moved around from door to door and also work great in apartments. The one we have used is Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar. You can get all your kinds of pullups done on this along with leg raises and pushups.
Power Towers – if you have the room go for a power toward they are much cheaper and can be found at a number of retailers like Walmart. You can do your pull-ups with ease, leg raises, decline push ups, etc.
Wall Mount Pull Up Bar – these you will find in gyms a lot there are different versions. If you have a solid wall and some lags go for it. Downside is of course these are very mobile unless you want holes in your wall.
Ceiling Mount Pull Up Bar – don't want to mount on your wall you can mount on your ceiling. Similar to wall mount make sure you have a stable place to mount.
How To Do More Pull Ups?
The biggest thing about doing more pull ups is trying to push yourself past your max. This is nearly impossible however without a spot that is why I suggest you use a chair, bench or something like the chin up max to push yourself past your limits. You can also use resistance bands to keep working your muscles that will help you make gains toward more pull ups.
Related Questions From Our Readers
How Many Pull Up Should A Man or Woman Be Able To Do?
When going for how many pull ups you should be able to do why not look towards what it takes to join the service since they have to be in shape and put their lives on the line for their country. To become a U.S. Marine you have to perform 3 pull ups at least as a male that number increases more for Army Rangers and Navy Seals.
So overall after looking through lots of research anybody can find online a Male Adult should be able to do around 8 pull ups while doing 12+ means you are considered very strong where a Female Adult should be able to do 1-3 and if they can do 5+ are considered very strong.
What does this mean? Absolutely nothing really everybody is different just push to get better at pull ups and you will get stronger.
Is It Okay To Do Pull Ups Everyday?
It is not okay to do pull ups everyday the rest of your life. Your body specifically your shoulders need a break so maybe every 10 days take a couple off and work that lower body.
How Many Days A Week Should I Do Pull Ups?
Doing pull ups 3-4 days a week with a day break in between should be sufficient enough for most anybody. If you are doing a challenge like 30 days of Pull-ups make sure you take a break afterward to recover.
Conclusion
Well there you have it your road to becoming a push up master.
- Start with seeing where your max is then build from there.
- Set a schedule of either doing an allotted amount in a certain time or throughout the day
- Either do a 30 day challenge and take a nice long break or do them 3-4 times a week
- Add in some other workouts like sit ups, pull ups and some cardio to maximize your time
