Understanding the mechanics of motion in exercises like the pull-up can enhance your workout efficiency and effectiveness. It’s essential to grasp how your body should move through each phase of the exercise. In a pull-up, for instance, the movement starts from a dead hang position at the bottom and transitions to a full pull-up position. Focusing on these mechanics ensures that you're not only strong enough to pull yourself up, but also performing the movement correctly to avoid injury.
One effective way to practice the mechanics of a pull-up is through a technique called a "negative." Instead of starting from the bottom, you begin at the top of the motion and slowly lower yourself down. This reverse action allows gravity to assist you, making it easier to work on the mechanics without the full strength required for a regular pull-up. To get started, you can use a wall to jump into the top position or a step ladder. Once there, take your time as you resist the fall, controlling your descent until you reach a dead hang. This method emphasizes the essential movement pattern without needing additional equipment, making it accessible to anyone.
While negatives are a great way to get familiar with the body mechanics involved in a pull-up, they do have some limitations. They are not scalable, meaning once you’re accustomed to the negative, there are fewer options for adjusting difficulty. Furthermore, since you’re not actually pulling, the exercise alone may not build enough strength to progress to a full pull-up. To complement your training, consider using resistance bands when practicing negatives. This can help make the exercise scalable, allowing for different levels of support as you gain strength. In summary, mastering the mechanics of pull-ups through negatives and potentially incorporating bands can greatly benefit your fitness routine.
- Practicing the motion of a pull-up through negatives allows for improved mechanics and reduces injury risk.
- Starting from the top position during negatives helps control the descent and eases the strength demands.
- Incorporating resistance bands can enhance the scalability and effectiveness of your negative practice.
0.03so a term that is used a lot is the3.149mechanics of the motion and what this6.39means is what is the actual action that9.99the body has to do to accomplish the13.2exercise now for us a pull-up the17.01mechanics of the pull-up is starting20.039from this position and pulling to this23.67position this is the mechanics so25.529getting our arms to do this action is28.439what we are trying to do so regardless32.46of the strength part of the exercise we35.61also want to make sure that we are doing39.239this action correctly now one of the43.559extra things that we can do is practice46.35the mechanics of the pull-up but doing50.399something which we call a negative so53.579let's have a look at that with a56.1negative the point of this is to do the59.85reverse action from what you would62.309normally be doing so with a pull-up you65.159start from the bottom and you pull to69this position with a negative the idea71.909is to start from the opposite position74.97so from the top and go downwards now the80.43reason we do this is because what's82.95going to happen is it is easier for us85.77to start from the top and slowly resist90.6gravity down so gravity is doing the93.57work of pulling our body down and we are96.24resisting against it ok so to start with100.17that we are going to get into the top102.869position on the bar now you can do this104.79in lots of different ways you can jump106.59up from a wall you can use the step109.2ladder whatever you need to get into the111.18top position without having to do the113.13pool first it's totally up to you I'm115.56just going to jump up into the position117.299and start from the top position so from120.689here you jump up and you're going to123.299slowly resist resist resist resist all129.84the way down to that dead hang133.829so the point of the negative is we are137.859trying to do the exact mechanics but in140.65the reverse order141.969starting from the top and working down144.819words this is going to be much easier147.609than starting from the bottom in the149.799dead hang position and pulling up152.639however there are negatives and155.379positives to this as well let's go into158.68those but let's look at some of the160.15positives of this exercise first off you164.53only need a bar okay so you only have to167.53use a bar you don't need any bands or170.049any extra equipment to do the negative171.909so it is very very open to all the175.15negative can be very useful to get used178to doing the mechanics of the pull-up181.769something else that is very very good183.969about this exercise is the negative is187even though it's going in the reverse188.59direction you are doing the exact body191.98mechanic of the pull-up so you're going194.949in the exact same path as you would be197.59for a pull-up going upwards you're just200.319doing it in Reverse so this is very good202.78for getting used to what it will feel204.879like when you are doing the pull-up this207.34does have a few issues however one of210.669which is a negative is not very scalable214.06you haven't got any other equipment215.889other than the bar it is easier than the219.25pull-up but it just means that it is one222.34step easier than the pull-up there are224.56no other variables that you can adjust227.139to make this even easier or slightly229.72harder so it is scalable it does go down234.009a little bit from the pull-up but it is236.409not scalable238.12other than that so one of the other240.459negatives is that you are not doing any243.699pulling the actual pull so this action247.93you're not doing and actually what250.93you're trying to do with the negative is252.969resist and release slowly and this257.349unfortunately does not work all of the260.139muscle groups that you require for a262.75pull-up so you the you could do264.88negatives266.169a lot throughout your training but it is269.199not going to particularly help with271.81actually getting stronger with a pull274.779you have to do pulling to be able to get277.749better at pulling okay so even though280.629the mechanics of the negative means that283.539you're going to get used to the pathway285.699that you're going to be taking it288.039doesn't mean that you're going to get289.509stronger or strong enough to do the292.389pull-up293.34something else to be aware of is because296.62this is not very scalable something that299.56tends to happen with those that are not303.069used to doing it and they first get on305.59to the bar to do the negative is the308.65speed that you will drop now if this313.029speed coming down is too quick315.52what can generally happen is the person317.77cannot hold the bottom position and they320.83will jar their arm at the bottom and we323.469do not want to do this because what325.839happens is the muscle is not engaged and328.029you're going to be hanging on those329.83ligaments you're going to be hanging on331.779the bits that you don't want to be so334.36when you come down you don't want to go337.3drop a little way to the bottom straight339.939away if this is happening then it means342.849that the person is not strong enough to345.759do this exercise and like I said the348.31scalable versions it means that this is351.189probably not going to be the best one to353.229be doing the negative is a good exercise357.49for working the mechanics but it is not360.729very scalable now we can make that363.339scalable by combining with the bands so367.509same thing starting from the top using372.879the band means that when you are slowly375.25coming down you're gonna be working377.469those pathways a lot lot better you it381.52means you can go slower the band is383.259going to be helping you more but you're386.439still not doing the pulling and it means389.05that you're still only working the391.149mechanics393.09so let's use the band and we're going to395.25start from the top again396.45from here and you can slowly lower401.4yourself to the dead hang position so408.63now using the band and the negative412.2together it means that it is a very415.95scalable exercise we can change the418.44length of the band the type of band and420.3go in the negative position however423.81remember you are not going to be doing426.24any pulling with this exercise437.15you
1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,000 so a term that is used a lot is the 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,000 mechanics of the motion and what this 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,000 means is what is the actual action that 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:16,000 the body has to do to accomplish the 5 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:19,000 exercise now for us a pull-up the 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:23,000 mechanics of the pull-up is starting 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:25,000 from this position and pulling to this 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:27,000 position this is the mechanics so 9 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:31,000 getting our arms to do this action is 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:35,000 what we are trying to do so regardless 11 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:38,000 of the strength part of the exercise we 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:42,000 also want to make sure that we are doing 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:46,000 this action correctly now one of the 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:49,000 extra things that we can do is practice 15 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:53,000 the mechanics of the pull-up but doing 16 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:55,000 something which we call a negative so 17 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:59,000 let's have a look at that with a 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:02,000 negative the point of this is to do the 19 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:04,000 reverse action from what you would 20 00:00:62,000 --> 00:01:08,000 normally be doing so with a pull-up you 21 00:00:65,000 --> 00:01:11,000 start from the bottom and you pull to 22 00:00:69,000 --> 00:01:14,000 this position with a negative the idea 23 00:00:71,000 --> 00:01:19,000 is to start from the opposite position 24 00:00:74,000 --> 00:01:21,000 so from the top and go downwards now the 25 00:00:80,000 --> 00:01:25,000 reason we do this is because what's 26 00:00:82,000 --> 00:01:29,000 going to happen is it is easier for us 27 00:00:85,000 --> 00:01:32,000 to start from the top and slowly resist 28 00:00:90,000 --> 00:01:35,000 gravity down so gravity is doing the 29 00:00:93,000 --> 00:01:39,000 work of pulling our body down and we are 30 00:00:96,000 --> 00:01:42,000 resisting against it ok so to start with 31 00:00:100,000 --> 00:01:44,000 that we are going to get into the top 32 00:00:102,000 --> 00:01:45,000 position on the bar now you can do this 33 00:00:104,000 --> 00:01:48,000 in lots of different ways you can jump 34 00:00:106,000 --> 00:01:50,000 up from a wall you can use the step 35 00:00:109,000 --> 00:01:52,000 ladder whatever you need to get into the 36 00:00:111,000 --> 00:01:55,000 top position without having to do the 37 00:00:113,000 --> 00:01:57,000 pool first it's totally up to you I'm 38 00:00:115,000 --> 00:01:60,000 just going to jump up into the position 39 00:00:117,000 --> 00:01:63,000 and start from the top position so from 40 00:00:120,000 --> 00:01:69,000 here you jump up and you're going to 41 00:00:123,000 --> 00:01:73,000 slowly resist resist resist resist all 42 00:00:129,000 --> 00:01:77,000 the way down to that dead hang 43 00:00:133,000 --> 00:01:79,000 so the point of the negative is we are 44 00:00:137,000 --> 00:01:81,000 trying to do the exact mechanics but in 45 00:00:140,000 --> 00:01:84,000 the reverse order 46 00:00:141,000 --> 00:01:86,000 starting from the top and working down 47 00:00:144,000 --> 00:01:88,000 words this is going to be much easier 48 00:00:147,000 --> 00:01:92,000 than starting from the bottom in the 49 00:00:149,000 --> 00:01:94,000 dead hang position and pulling up 50 00:00:152,000 --> 00:01:98,000 however there are negatives and 51 00:00:155,000 --> 00:01:99,000 positives to this as well let's go into 52 00:00:158,000 --> 00:01:103,000 those but let's look at some of the 53 00:00:160,000 --> 00:01:107,000 positives of this exercise first off you 54 00:00:164,000 --> 00:01:109,000 only need a bar okay so you only have to 55 00:00:167,000 --> 00:01:111,000 use a bar you don't need any bands or 56 00:00:170,000 --> 00:01:115,000 any extra equipment to do the negative 57 00:00:171,000 --> 00:01:117,000 so it is very very open to all the 58 00:00:175,000 --> 00:01:121,000 negative can be very useful to get used 59 00:00:178,000 --> 00:01:123,000 to doing the mechanics of the pull-up 60 00:00:181,000 --> 00:01:126,000 something else that is very very good 61 00:00:183,000 --> 00:01:127,000 about this exercise is the negative is 62 00:00:187,000 --> 00:01:131,000 even though it's going in the reverse 63 00:00:188,000 --> 00:01:134,000 direction you are doing the exact body 64 00:00:191,000 --> 00:01:136,000 mechanic of the pull-up so you're going 65 00:00:194,000 --> 00:01:139,000 in the exact same path as you would be 66 00:00:197,000 --> 00:01:142,000 for a pull-up going upwards you're just 67 00:00:200,000 --> 00:01:144,000 doing it in Reverse so this is very good 68 00:00:202,000 --> 00:01:146,000 for getting used to what it will feel 69 00:00:204,000 --> 00:01:149,000 like when you are doing the pull-up this 70 00:00:207,000 --> 00:01:153,000 does have a few issues however one of 71 00:00:210,000 --> 00:01:155,000 which is a negative is not very scalable 72 00:00:214,000 --> 00:01:159,000 you haven't got any other equipment 73 00:00:215,000 --> 00:01:161,000 other than the bar it is easier than the 74 00:00:219,000 --> 00:01:164,000 pull-up but it just means that it is one 75 00:00:222,000 --> 00:01:166,000 step easier than the pull-up there are 76 00:00:224,000 --> 00:01:169,000 no other variables that you can adjust 77 00:00:227,000 --> 00:01:173,000 to make this even easier or slightly 78 00:00:229,000 --> 00:01:175,000 harder so it is scalable it does go down 79 00:00:234,000 --> 00:01:178,000 a little bit from the pull-up but it is 80 00:00:236,000 --> 00:01:180,000 not scalable 81 00:00:238,000 --> 00:01:183,000 other than that so one of the other 82 00:00:240,000 --> 00:01:187,000 negatives is that you are not doing any 83 00:00:243,000 --> 00:01:190,000 pulling the actual pull so this action 84 00:00:247,000 --> 00:01:192,000 you're not doing and actually what 85 00:00:250,000 --> 00:01:196,000 you're trying to do with the negative is 86 00:00:252,000 --> 00:01:199,000 resist and release slowly and this 87 00:00:257,000 --> 00:01:202,000 unfortunately does not work all of the 88 00:00:260,000 --> 00:01:204,000 muscle groups that you require for a 89 00:00:262,000 --> 00:01:205,000 pull-up so you the you could do 90 00:00:264,000 --> 00:01:208,000 negatives 91 00:00:266,000 --> 00:01:211,000 a lot throughout your training but it is 92 00:00:269,000 --> 00:01:214,000 not going to particularly help with 93 00:00:271,000 --> 00:01:216,000 actually getting stronger with a pull 94 00:00:274,000 --> 00:01:219,000 you have to do pulling to be able to get 95 00:00:277,000 --> 00:01:222,000 better at pulling okay so even though 96 00:00:280,000 --> 00:01:225,000 the mechanics of the negative means that 97 00:00:283,000 --> 00:01:227,000 you're going to get used to the pathway 98 00:00:285,000 --> 00:01:228,000 that you're going to be taking it 99 00:00:288,000 --> 00:01:232,000 doesn't mean that you're going to get 100 00:00:289,000 --> 00:01:232,000 stronger or strong enough to do the 101 00:00:292,000 --> 00:01:236,000 pull-up 102 00:00:293,000 --> 00:01:239,000 something else to be aware of is because 103 00:00:296,000 --> 00:01:242,000 this is not very scalable something that 104 00:00:299,000 --> 00:01:245,000 tends to happen with those that are not 105 00:00:303,000 --> 00:01:248,000 used to doing it and they first get on 106 00:00:305,000 --> 00:01:252,000 to the bar to do the negative is the 107 00:00:308,000 --> 00:01:254,000 speed that you will drop now if this 108 00:00:313,000 --> 00:01:257,000 speed coming down is too quick 109 00:00:315,000 --> 00:01:260,000 what can generally happen is the person 110 00:00:317,000 --> 00:01:262,000 cannot hold the bottom position and they 111 00:00:320,000 --> 00:01:265,000 will jar their arm at the bottom and we 112 00:00:323,000 --> 00:01:267,000 do not want to do this because what 113 00:00:325,000 --> 00:01:268,000 happens is the muscle is not engaged and 114 00:00:328,000 --> 00:01:271,000 you're going to be hanging on those 115 00:00:329,000 --> 00:01:273,000 ligaments you're going to be hanging on 116 00:00:331,000 --> 00:01:276,000 the bits that you don't want to be so 117 00:00:334,000 --> 00:01:279,000 when you come down you don't want to go 118 00:00:337,000 --> 00:01:282,000 drop a little way to the bottom straight 119 00:00:339,000 --> 00:01:284,000 away if this is happening then it means 120 00:00:342,000 --> 00:01:287,000 that the person is not strong enough to 121 00:00:345,000 --> 00:01:290,000 do this exercise and like I said the 122 00:00:348,000 --> 00:01:292,000 scalable versions it means that this is 123 00:00:351,000 --> 00:01:297,000 probably not going to be the best one to 124 00:00:353,000 --> 00:01:300,000 be doing the negative is a good exercise 125 00:00:357,000 --> 00:01:302,000 for working the mechanics but it is not 126 00:00:360,000 --> 00:01:306,000 very scalable now we can make that 127 00:00:363,000 --> 00:01:312,000 scalable by combining with the bands so 128 00:00:367,000 --> 00:01:314,000 same thing starting from the top using 129 00:00:372,000 --> 00:01:316,000 the band means that when you are slowly 130 00:00:375,000 --> 00:01:321,000 coming down you're gonna be working 131 00:00:377,000 --> 00:01:322,000 those pathways a lot lot better you it 132 00:00:381,000 --> 00:01:325,000 means you can go slower the band is 133 00:00:383,000 --> 00:01:328,000 going to be helping you more but you're 134 00:00:386,000 --> 00:01:330,000 still not doing the pulling and it means 135 00:00:389,000 --> 00:01:333,000 that you're still only working the 136 00:00:391,000 --> 00:01:335,000 mechanics 137 00:00:393,000 --> 00:01:336,000 so let's use the band and we're going to 138 00:00:395,000 --> 00:01:341,000 start from the top again 139 00:00:396,000 --> 00:01:348,000 from here and you can slowly lower 140 00:00:401,000 --> 00:01:351,000 yourself to the dead hang position so 141 00:00:408,000 --> 00:01:355,000 now using the band and the negative 142 00:00:412,000 --> 00:01:358,000 together it means that it is a very 143 00:00:415,000 --> 00:01:359,000 scalable exercise we can change the 144 00:00:418,000 --> 00:01:363,000 length of the band the type of band and 145 00:00:420,000 --> 00:01:365,000 go in the negative position however 146 00:00:423,000 --> 00:01:369,000 remember you are not going to be doing 147 00:00:426,000 --> 00:01:370,000 any pulling with this exercise 148 00:00:437,000 --> 00:01:379,000 you