Ladders?

Anybody familiar with these?

I heard they're a good way to increase pull-up reps (what I'm trying to do).

For those who are unfamiliar - you basically do 1 rep, rest, 2 reps, rest, 3 reps, rest.. until you reach 5 reps then you repeat the cycle 3-5 times depended upon preference and your own unique strength.

Anyone tried these? Did they work for increasing your pull-up total?

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

sounds just like pyrmiding.  When i first started doing pull ups i could only do 4,  but after a few months i was doing over 20 straight dead hang pull ups with none of that marine kipp stuff.  I only did pull ups on back day and would do 4 sets till failure and would often cross my legs behind my self and get spotted for an extra 2.  then i would do 3 sets of chinups,  palms facing me.

  SOme people may hate this method, but straps really do help alot with pull ups.  I never had an issue with my grip,  but some of the big dogs in the gym told me that they were able to knock out more reps with the straps.  So i tried it and it does make a big difference.  It helps you get a few extra reps,  and those re the reps that lead to the biggest gains.  Besides when you do pull ups, your focus isn't your fore arms, it's your back.  Thats the only exercise I would use straps on.  I do my shrugs and deads with out the straps and let the forearms do their job.

  I also always followed what franco columbo said,  dont hook the bar with your thumb,  use a monkey grip, monkys have no thumbs.

I have a terribly weak grip, but it's something I don't care about so straps would sound ideal for me.

You're exactly right... when you do pull-ups the focus is to develop the back.

My grip was failing before my lats on my pull-ups at first so I took Milos Sarcevs advice and did something different with my grip, I basically made like a finger hook and pulled myself up with my fingers and it added a couple reps to the overall volume.

I don't care about grip strength, at all. Back strength is what I'm focused on.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I'm not sure pyramids would be particularly useful, but I've never tried it.  I could use some help on my pullup reps too, so let me know if it works!  

(btw, old world monkeys have thumbs!)

pyramids are a great way to switch things up. but i have never tried them with pullups.

i have tried them with barbell rows and barbell curls but i wouldnt recommend ladders for something like pullups unless u can do 10 with great form and control. i just dont see being able to do sets of ladders with pullups unless u can do at least 10.

thats why they can be effective, because ur not using a weight u can only do 5 times. u choose a weight u can easily do 10 times and just really surpass the amount of reps u could have normally achieved using short rest periods

Current: 19, 5'11", 190@7%

bench:305 squat:370(atg) deadlift:475
Goals: 4plate squat, 5plate dead

"obsessed is a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated"

I'll try them and update you guys.. not a lot of people have heard of them obviously.

My goal is to increase my upper back more than anything.. hence why I'm focused on increasing my pull-ups but not really concerned with my deadlifts.. I like rows, too. I just hate a movement that wares my grip out, leaves me barely walking and gets me so dizzy that I can't complete other movements..

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

pyramids are a great way to add reps to your pull-ups.  Another good method is to just do several sets throughout the day (if you got a pull-up bar at home that is),  do like 70-100 or whatever you can handle.   I second the thumbless grip, i have no idea why but i can knock out a few extra reps when using a thumbless grip...anyone care to explain this? lol

I can do, it's a sign of a weaker grip in the relation to your lats.

I can't do heavy deadlifts and such without straps (that involves grip) because there's a car in the center of my left hand and it aggravates it pretty severely, I had a cyst taken out of my hand... preventing me from really doing a lot of movements involving grip, pull-ups being one.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

For those still confused to what they are... here is what they would be...

Instead of doing just 3 X 5 or something, you'd do something like this.

1 rep
2 reps
3 reps
4 reps
5 reps

You'd rest about 30 seconds between those, then you'd rest about 2 minutes in between sets, ^ those wouldn't be considered a set.

Then you'd do it again.

1 rep
2 reps
3 reps
4 reps
5 reps.

It would ultimately increase the volume, for example: instead of doing 15 reps... that would lead to a total of 30 reps. Then if you'd throw another set in, 45 total pull-ups, in about 6 weeks (after doing these 2 sessions per week) your pull-ups should increase significantly.

I'm going to try them and update.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Ladders are not pyramids, a pyramid is 1-2-3-2-1, a ladder is 1-2-3, resting for a minute and starting over at the bottom. Ladders are good for doing a lot of pullups without burning out and generally keep fatigue away better than a pyramid. I did ladders after comming back from a lot of time off, my max set had fallen down but I gained about three reps back.

I'm not sure how a ladder would work for mass, but if lots and lots of pullups is your goal, then ladders will work.

There are a lot of articles on the web about Pavel and ladders, google/dragondoor is about all you need to know on the subject.

-edit-

You beat me too it, that is what I get for watching youtube.

Look up the competitive ladder, you basically do one rep and rest only the amount of time it would take for your partner to do the same rep, you can compete against yourself too.

Three week keto test run
Started July 19
It will work, or I'm done dieting.

Yep, you got it.

I realize it probably won't be the most suitable option for mass, but if I can increase my pull-ups to around 8-10 per set, then I could have more to work with.

I'm cutting, so on the contrary I won't be gaining much mass with either method.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I built most of my pullups while cutting.

Maybe you missed this one on T-nation, was a good read for me.

http://www.tmuscle.com/...w_how_to_do_1_the_pullup

Three week keto test run
Started July 19
It will work, or I'm done dieting.

Naturally your pull-ups would increase when cutting because of loss of fat. If you're used to doing 10 reps with 185lbs you should be able to do more at 160lbs.

Building mass (hypertrophy/size through a calorie surplus) was what I was talking about.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I have never tried to build mass on a calorie surplus so I have no experience as to how well pullups will work for building muscle. Supposedly pullups are good for some HGH release and it would make sense that more weight is better as long as the reps can be done in good form.

I can only speak from the endurance perspective.

But if I was trying to build big mass but could not deadlift, heavy pullups would be on my list of things to do.

Three week keto test run
Started July 19
It will work, or I'm done dieting.

If I were to do heavy pull-ups, I wouldn't be able to complete more than a couple, an insignificant amount of micro damage to my lats.

You need a calorie surplus to go, you can get stronger in a calorie deficit...but not bigger.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I've changed my routine a bit now, but currently I do 2x5 weighted pullups on monday, and 2x5 weighted chinups on friday. Whenever I can complete 2 sets completely, I add 0.5kg. I take also like 4-5 minute rest between the set :P

I wish I was still doing those weighted grip hangs.....stupid hook broke cos the weight got too heavy :p..

Nothing wrong with taking 4-5 minutes between sets, more time for ATP replenishment, better in general for strength.

That's a good way to do it vdk, when you can complete 2 X 5, move the weight up.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant