Operation Chin-up - the program

Over the last few weeks we’ve outlined the plan to incrementally develop the strength to get you to your first or max reps of pull ups. Now it is time to show you the program and what you will be executing on a weekly basis to achieve success. Below is an outline of your training program with a printable chart to record your progress as you go. This program has been modified from Steve Maxwell’s - Your first chin-up.

Modified Chin up Training Progression

• Week 1: Modified Chin-up training 8 repetitions  3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 2: Modified Chin up training 10 repetitions 3x week with band or leg assistance,

• Week 3:  Modified Chin-up training 12 repetitions 3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 4: Reduce amount of assistance and drop to 6 repetitions 3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 5: Modified Chin-up training 8 repetitions  3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 6: Modified Chin-up training 10 repetitions  3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 7: Modified Chin-up training 11 repetitions  3x week with band or leg assistance.

• Week 8: Modified Chin-up training 12 repetitions  3x week with band or leg assistance.

****If by this point you have made it to successfully doing 12 chin-ups with a red band only, move on to step 2.  If you are still using more than a red band, Reduce amount of assistance and drop to 5-6 repetitions 3x a week with band or leg assistance and continue this progression until you achieve 12 pull ups with a red band.

Negative Repetitions Training Progression:

• Week 1: Negative repetition training 3 repetitions followed by max reps of modified chin-ups with band or leg assistance 3x week.

•  Week 2: Negative repetition training 4 repetitions followed by max reps of modified chin-ups with band or leg assistance 3x week.

• Week 3 Negative repetition training 5 repetitions followed by max reps of modified chin-ups with band or leg assistance 3x week.

• Week 4: Negative repetition training 6 repetitions followed by max reps of modified chin-ups with band or leg assistance 3x week.

Static Hold Training Progression:

• Week 1: Static Flexed Arm Holds Part 1: 60 seconds broken up as needed.  Part 2 Static Extended Arm Holds Max effort x 2 record times.  Part 3 Max rep modified chin ups 3x/week.

• Week 2: Static Flexed Arm Holds Part 1: 60 seconds broken up as needed.  Part 2 Static Extended Arm Holds Max effort x 2 record times.  Part 3 Max rep modified chin ups 3x/week. Beat your times from the previous week,

• Week 3: Static Flexed Arm Holds Part 1: 60 seconds broken up as needed.  Part 2 Static Extended Arm Holds Max effort x 2 record times.  Part 3 Max rep modified chin ups 3x/week.  Beat your times from the previous week,

• Week 4: Static Flexed Arm Holds Part 1: 60 seconds broken up as needed.  Part 2 Static Extended Arm Holds Max effort x 2 record times.  Part 3 Max rep modified chin ups 3x/week.  Beat your times from the previous week,

• Week 5: Static Flexed Arm Holds Part 1: 60 seconds broken up as needed.  Part 2 Static Extended Arm Holds Max effort x 2 record times.  Part 3 Max rep modified chin ups 3x/week.  Beat your times from the previous week,

Negative with embedded static holds Training Progression:

• Week 1: Part 1: Negative Chin up with 2-10 second embedded static holds at 3 positions, rest 60 seconds and repeat. .  Part 2: 1 Set max rep modified chin ups. 3x/week.  Record your hold times. 3x/week.

• Week 2: Part 1: Negative Chin up with 2-10 second embedded static holds at 3 positions, rest 60 seconds and repeat. .  Part 2: 1 Set max rep modified chin ups. 3x/week.  Improve and record your hold times. 3x/week.

• Week 3: Negative Chin up with 2-10 second embedded static holds at 3 positions, rest 60 seconds and repeat. .  Part 2: 1 Set max rep modified chin ups. 3x/week.  Improve and record your hold times. 3x/week.

• Week 4: Part 1: Negative Chin up with 2-10 second embedded static holds at 3 positions, rest 60 seconds and repeat. .  Part 2: 1 Set max rep modified chin ups. 3x/week.  Improve and  record your hold times. 3x/week.

Partial repetition Training Progression:

• Week 1: Part 1: Perform as many Half Chins as possible Part 2: Perform as many partial chin-ups as possible Part 3: Perform 1 set of 6 negative repetitions.  Record your repetitions.  3x/week.

• Week 2: Perform as many Half Chins as possible Part 2: Perform as many partial chin-ups as possible Part 3: Perform 1 set of 6 negative repetitions.  Increase and record your repetitions  3x/week.

• Week 3: Part 1: Perform as many Half Chins as possible Part 2: Perform as many partial chin-ups as possible Part 3: Perform 1 set of 6 negative repetitions.  Increase and record your repetitions 3x/week.

• Week 4: Part 1: Perform as many Half Chins as possible Part 2: Perform as many partial chin-ups as possible Part 3: Perform 1 set of 6 negative repetitions.  Increase and record your repetitions 3x/week.

• Week 5: Part 1: Perform as many Half Chins as possible Part 2: Perform as many partial chin-ups as possible Part 3: Perform 1 set of 6 negative repetitions.  Increase and record your repetitions.  3x/week.

Attempt Training Progression:

• Week 1: Part 1:  Attempt 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and attempt another pull up.  Finish with 1 set max reps of modified chin ups.  3x/week.

• Week 2: Part 1:  Attempt 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat 2x.  Finish with 1 set max reps of modified chin ups.  3x/week.

• Week 3: Part 1:  Attempt 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat 3x.  Finish with 1 set max reps of modified pull ups.  3x/week.

• Week 4: Part 1:  Attempt 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat 4x.  Finish with 1 set max reps of modified chin ups.  3x/week.

Chin up Training Progression:

• Week 1: Part 1:  Perform 1 Chin-up, rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 5 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 2: Part 1:  Perform 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 6 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 3: Part 1:  Perform 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 7 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 4: Part 1:  Perform 1 Chin-up rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 8 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 5:  Perform 1 Chin-up, rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 9 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week of 6 Perform 1 Chin-up, rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 10 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 7: Part 1:  Perform 2 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 1 chin-up x 3  for a total of 5 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 8: Part 1:  Perform 2 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 1 chin-up x 4 for a total of 6 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 9:  Perform 2 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 2 chin-ups then 1 x 3 for a total of 7 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 10: Part 1:  Perform 2 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 2 chin-ups then 1 x 4 for a total of 8 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week  11: Part 1:  Perform 2 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of  8 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 12: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and repeat for a total of 10 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 13: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 2 chin-ups x3 for a total of 9 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 14: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 2 chin-ups x 4 for a total of 11 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 15: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 3 chin-ups, then 2x 2 repeat for a total of 10 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 16: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and repeat 3x for a total of 12 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 17: Part 1:  Perform 3 Chin-ups, rest 60 seconds and attempt another 3 chin-ups, repeat 4x for a total of 15 chin-ups.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.

• Week 18: Part 1:  Perform Max attempt chin-ups, record your PR.  Part 2: Finish with 1 set of negative chins with embedded 15 second holds at the 3 positions.  3x/week.