I’m a woman and can do lots of pull ups but I couldn’t always. This is what helped me:
Best training is the pull up assist. Pulling up and lowering down are similar but not the same. Don’t try to start from a dead hang. If you must use an over the door or stationary bar, jump up to a full chin up, then lower down two inches and back up, then four inches and back up, each getting progressively lower until you can’t anymore and that’s your starting point. Eventually your arms and back and lats will get stronger and you’ll be able to more fully extend. Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:Are you tightening your whole body when you lift? Everything needs to be tight. You can even cross at your ankles and lock things up. Shoulders down. Traps engaged. 360 core engaged. Glutes firm.

OP here. I feel like I do, but maybe not? I will try focusing tomorrow and report back! I’m definitely engaging my traps because everyone I’ve consulted on this has emphasized how that is “all” I need to do. But they are all men, I don’t know if that matters? They can’t figure out why I can’t do it, either.

I love this OP! Going to try to do the same - will come back to this thread

Anonymous wrote:Are you tightening your whole body when you lift? Everything needs to be tight. You can even cross at your ankles and lock things up. Shoulders down. Traps engaged. 360 core engaged. Glutes firm.

Exactly this. Take a deep breath and hold it. Squeeze the bar as hard as you can.

Try a neutral close-grip pull-up - hands are shoulder width apart and palms facing each other. I find it easier than wide grip.

https://mirafit.co.uk/blog/neutral-grip-pull-ups/

Are you tightening your whole body when you lift? Everything needs to be tight. You can even cross at your ankles and lock things up. Shoulders down. Traps engaged. 360 core engaged. Glutes firm.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am middle aged and never exercise however I can do a pull-up. You might want to think some more.

Male or female?

Male

Well there you have it.

I can’t either. I can do them with band and the same things you talk about but can’t pull myself up an inch when I try.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am middle aged and never exercise however I can do a pull-up. You might want to think some more.

Male or female?

Male

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am middle aged and never exercise however I can do a pull-up. You might want to think some more.

I doubt you can, if you never exercise.

Starting from a complete dead hang, elbows straight. and get your chin above the bar?

Yes easily. Maybe some of you have a physical condition?

As a PP noted: scap pulls.

Also add deadlifts. Heavy deadlifts.

Anonymous wrote:I am middle aged and never exercise however I can do a pull-up. You might want to think some more.

I doubt you can, if you never exercise.

Starting from a complete dead hang, elbows straight. and get your chin above the bar?

I’ve been lifting for years and I can’t either OP. I’m convinced I have a mutant body or something.

I do pull ups (I can do 8). I started when I worked with a trainer and he would push up on my back as needed when I first started. He also says people have preferences in their hand positions. I prefer using those gymnastic ring things, and can only do 5 if I use a regular chin up bar.

You’re a bum OP

I found that focusing on the eccentric pull-up (i.e., the negative / slow, controlled lowering portion) really helped me build the necessary strength. I used a bench to get up to the bar and would lower. This was much more effective than an assisted machine.

From eccentric, I was able to move to banded.

I also did a lot of inverted TRX rows as well as pushups to build up the strength needed.