#002: Developing Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups

Show Notes

Why Chest-to-Bar?

Standardization for Online Qualifiers

Open 2011-2021: CTB Appeared Every Year Except 2020

Chin-over-Bar vs. Chest-to-Bar

Mobility
Grip Width
Practice
Twist Yo Wrist
Combo of 1-4

Building Strict Strength

Strength-to-Bodyweight Ratio
1) Gain strength
2) Lose Weight
3) A Bit of Both

Strict Pulling is uncommon in Competitive Fitness

Vertical Strict Pulling

Lat Pulldown
Banded Pull-Up (or) Partner Assisted
Weighted Pull-Ups or Pausing / Tempo C2B (for Advanced Athletes)

Horizontal Strict Pulling

Lats: Straight Arm, Closing Down Shoulder Joint

Biceps: Elbow Flexion, Concentric & Eccentric

Grip: Tonic Grip

Dead Hangs
Farmers Carries
Double Overhand Deadlift (no hook, no mixed grip)
Plate Pinch

Grip – Regrip

TnG Cleans (especially from the Hang)
TnG Snatches (especially from the Hang)
Toes-to-Bar
Russian Kettlebell Swings
Beat Kips

Kipping Variations

Disclaimer: If you are doing kipping gymnastics, you should be wearing grips to prevent tearing your hands. I also find that it changes athletes movement patterns, often for the better. I usually recommend a full coverage grip, something like the Bear Komplex 3-Finger Carbon Grips.

Strong, Immobile, Poor Kipping Technique (1:1 Strict-to-Kipping)

• 10 Strict Pull-Ups, 10 Kipping Pull-Ups

Weak, Mobile, Efficient Kipping Technique (1:4 Strict-to-Kipping)

• 5 Strict Pull-Ups, 20 Kipping Pull-Ups

Similarities

• Feet opposite of hands
• Center of Mass stays under the bar
• Start under the bar (jumping up for your first rep)
• Concentric (upward) portion looks the same

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3 Levels of Athletes

Beginner (<4-5 sC2B, <10-12 Kipping)

Limiters: (1) strength (2) technique breakdown

Gymnastics Kip

More focus on Strict than Kipping

Practice in unfatigued settings until breakdown

A great way to learn both kipping variations.

Intermediate (8-10 sC2B, 20+ Kipping)

Start to Learn the Butterfly Kip

Limitations: Strength Endurance (Movement Density)

This can show up as…
• A Pump (Venous Occlusion)
• Kip Breakdown (“tired and sloppy”)

How to overcome this?

Always measure strength work with respects to time
• EMOM, E90s, E2M, Every 2:30, E3M, etc.
• Rest 60s, Rest 75s, Rest 90s, Rest 2:00, etc.

Advanced Athlete (15+ sC2B, 40+ kC2B)

• Consistent Technique
• Great Muscular Strength & Endurance
• Different set of limiters

Density (High level occlusion) accompanied by Nervous System Response (Sym), changes in fueling (lactate), Respiratory Limiters, Combination

Protocols (Examples)

Movement Interference (Rowing & C2B, Ski Erg & BMU, GHDs & C2B)
High HR & Respiratory Rate (Advanced) AirBike + C2B intervals
Breathing, State (Practice down-regulations protocols out of the gym)

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1) Muscle-Ups (Bar & Ring)
2) Handstand Push-Ups
3) Handstand Walks
4) Toes-to-Bar
5) Chest-to-Bar

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