Hi there,
Welcome back to “Hey Coach Darren” – the advice column where I’ll be sharing my top three tips on a different topic each week, inspired by real-life scenarios from our current members (and you)!
Pull-ups are one of the ultimate tests of upper-body strength, requiring a combination of grip, back, core, and arm strength. Being able to do them isn’t just impressive—it also builds real-world strength that helps with everything from posture to injury prevention. But when there’s a sibling rivalry involved? Now we’re talking about real motivation!
This week, a FitTRAC member reached out with a pull-up goal that’s turned into a friendly competition. She wants to be able to do 5 full unassisted pull-ups before her sister—right now, she can only do one. She’s looking for tips to improve faster and wants to know the benefits of mastering pull-ups along the way. Here’s her question:
“Hey Coach Darren, my sister and I have a pull-up challenge, and I have to beat her to 5 unassisted reps!
Right now, I can only do 1 full pull-up, and I need advice on how to get better at them faster. Also, I know pull-ups are impressive, but I’d love to know what other benefits they have besides bragging rights.
What can I do to improve quickly and get to 5 before she does?”
Awesome sibling challenge and question! Pull-ups are one of the most rewarding strength movements, but they take dedication and strategy to improve. Here’s how you can build strength faster and leave your sister in the dust:
Why Pull-Ups Are One of the Best Full-Body Exercises: Pull-ups aren’t just about arm strength—they’re one of the best full-body exercises you can do.
When performed correctly, they engage your back, shoulders, arms, core, and even your glutes, making them one of the most efficient upper-body movements for building real-world strength. Unlike machine-based exercises, pull-ups train your body to move through space, improving overall coordination and functional fitness.
Mastering pull-ups also carries over to other areas of fitness—stronger lats and grip help with deadlifts, rows, and even push-ups, while a stable core improves performance in nearly every workout. Plus, building the strength to lift your own body weight is a huge confidence booster—there’s a reason why pull-ups are often seen as a sign of elite fitness.
So while winning the challenge against your sister is a great goal, the long-term benefits of pull-up strength will serve you in every aspect of your fitness journey!
Focus on Smart Progressions to Build Strength Faster: Since you can already do one pull-up, your best strategy for reaching five is to train smarter, not just harder. Instead of repeatedly attempting full pull-ups, incorporate progressions that strengthen the muscles needed to make the movement easier.
One of the best ways to do this is through eccentric (negative) pull-ups—jump up to the top of the pull-up position and lower yourself as slowly as possible, ideally over 3-5 seconds. This builds strength in the hardest part of the movement and helps your muscles adapt quickly.
Assisted pull-ups using a band or a spotter can also help you build endurance for multiple reps. Another overlooked but effective exercise is scapular pull-ups, which strengthen your shoulders and improve control at the start of each rep.
By training these progressions at least three times per week, you’ll see faster improvements in your pull-up numbers.
Strengthen the Muscles That Make Pull-Ups Easier: While it’s tempting to rely solely on arm strength, the real key to pull-ups is having a strong back, core, and grip. The lats are the powerhouse behind the movement, so exercises like lat pulldowns, seated rows, and dumbbell rows should be part of your routine.
Grip endurance is another game-changer—if your hands fatigue too quickly, you’ll struggle to complete multiple reps. One of the best ways to improve grip strength is simply hanging from the pull-up bar for 20-30 seconds at a time.
Finally, don’t neglect your core. Pull-ups require stability, and a stronger core helps you stay controlled throughout the movement. Adding hanging leg raises, planks, and hollow holds into your routine will give you more stability and strength when you pull yourself up.
Pull-ups aren’t just about winning a challenge—they build functional strength, better posture, and grip endurance that carry over into everyday life. But winning the family competition? That’s just the cherry on top.
Stay tuned for next week’s “Hey Coach Darren” where I’ll be sharing more valuable tips to help you become happier, healthier, and stronger.
Stronger Together,
Coach Darren
P.S. Do you need help with your health and fitness? Just hit ‘Learn more’ and I’ll be sure to give you some tips in an upcoming ‘Hey Coach Darren’ blog post.