A Beginner's Guide to Working out with a Freestanding Pull-up bar

Have you ever watched Ironman 3 and noticed that scene where Robert Downey Jnr is cranking out some pull-ups in his basement? If you've ever wondered what he was using, it was a free-standing pull-up bar and its one of the best value pieces of home gym equipment you could wish for. So, whether you've been bitten by the pull-up bug or simply want to unleash your inner Tony Stark, here's a complete beginner's guide to working out with one of these bars and completely transforming your physique.

Why pullups?

Pull-ups are not only one of the most effective exercises for your back, they target almost every major muscle group in your upper body. If you want to give your torso an impressive 'V-shape' taper, pull-ups are the answer. When performed correctly, pull ups primarily work your latissimus dorsi, i.e. your 'lats'. Nothing screams "I work out" quite like a wide pair of lats. Although pull-ups sound simple to perform, statistically few people are able to do them.

Why freestanding pull-up bars?

For a variety of reasons, pullups bars that fit between or hook over doorways aren't always an option. Some doorways are the wrong size or type for these bars and may not be strong enough to support your weight. Freestanding pull-up bars, on the other hand, can be used anywhere and require no installation. They can be put up or taken down in less than 2 minutes and are fully portable, perfect for when you have to travel.

Phase One: Negative Pull-Ups

Workout Frequency: Three times per week on non-consecutive days

Duration: One to two weeks

If you can't do a single pull-up, don't worry! You aren't alone. Pull-ups are one of the most challenging upper body exercises and most people struggle with them. You should begin by practicing 'negative' pull-ups. This is the first phase and should last between one and two weeks. You should workout three times per week on non-consecutive days, ie. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Your muscles need rest days to fully recuperate and grow.

So, what are 'negative' pull-ups? Every pull-up has two phases. During the first 'positive' phase, you pull yourself up until your chin is parallel to the bar. During the 'negative' phase, you slowly lower yourself down to the starting position. If you are just starting out and cannot do a single pull-up, you need to build your strength by only completing the negative phase.

How to do a negative pullup

Place a chair in front of your freestanding pull-up bar and stand on it. Grab onto the bar with your palms facing away from you and shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower yourself down in a very controlled manner. When your feet touch the floor, let go of the bar, stand back up on the chair and repeat.

If you can repeat this eight to ten times, congratulations! You just completed your first 'set'. If you are new to working out, when you complete both the positive and negative phases of an exercise (lifting and lowering) that's called a 'rep' which is short for a 'repetition'. When you complete a number or reps consecutively, that's called a set. We suggest that you aim to complete three negative rep sets for your workout.

Phase One Workout

If you wish, you can just complete three sets of negative pull-ups and rest one minute between each set. Alternatively, you can create a longer workout by adding other exercises. Here's a sample phase one workout for building strength. Rest for 30 seconds after each set. 

Phase Two: Assisted Pull-Ups

Workout Frequency: Three times per week on non-consecutive days

Duration: One to two weeks

When you have completed phase one, you should be strong enough to try assisted pull-ups. You know those fitness bands that people use for light strength training? Buy one and tie each end of the band to opposite ends of your freestanding pull-up bar so it hangs down in a u-shaped loop.

If you put one knee into the band, you'll find that this supports some of your bodyweight, making it easier to do a pull-up. This should help you to do your first full pull-ups. You will need to experiment with different strengths of bands until you find the perfect one. There are some commercial products you can buy, such as the Taper Shaper, that work off the same principle.

How to do an assisted pull-up

Stand in front of your freestanding pull-up bar and pull the fitness band downwards. Lift up one knee (left or right, it doesn't matter) and loop the band under your knee. This feels a little odd the first time you try, but reach up to hold the bar with your palms facing away from you. Pull yourself up and feel the band taking some of the strain off. When your chin is parallel with the bar, hold and then lower yourself down. If you've set up the band correctly, you'll notice that this negative phase of the pull-up will feel easier than it did when you were doing it in phase one. Repeat this as many times as you can, up to eight or ten reps.

Phase Two Workout

As with the first phase, you can solely concentrate on the pull-ups if you wish. Below is a sample workout with pushups and the use of a jump rope. Aim for 10 pull-ups but just do as many as you can. If you are just starting out, you may only manage two or three per set. Keep going and you'll improve! Rest for 30 seconds after each set.  

Phase Three: Unassisted Pull-Ups

Workout Frequency: Three times per week on non-consecutive days

Duration: Ongoing

After a month of solid training (phase one and phase two) you should be able to complete ten pull-ups with the assistance of the fitness band. If you need longer, that's fine, keep going! When you reach this goal, you should be able to complete at least three unassisted pull-ups. Welcome to the maintenance phase!

Your goal in this phase is to increase the number of unassisted pull-ups you can complete. When you just start out, you may only be able to do three or so pull-ups. That's perfectly normal. Pull-ups are one of the toughest exercises and you're doing better than most people. Your goal should be to be able to complete three sets of ten unassisted pull-ups on your freestanding pull-up bar.

Pull-ups are deceptively simple but devilishly difficult. Don't become frustrated if you can't do them initially. With regular practice, you'll be a budding gym rat in no time. Ultimately, your muscles need time to rest, recuperate and grow so it's important to work out on nonconsecutive days if you want to make progress and see results. Good luck!