Please, I don’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Chad Waterbury. He is a well establised, well educated strength Coach. I’m just a anonymous screen name on a message board. No, I’m not being sarcastic. The Coaches affiliated with T-Nation have dedicated their lives to the field of strength training. I am sure that Chad (and the others) wince when a newbie askes a question, they answer it, then the person states: “I’ll find out what so and so (another member) has to say”.
Sure, we all have opinions, observations that we have made through a lifetime of training. However, none of us (regular members) can compare to what T-Nation offers relative to the great talent that they have assembled this board!
I’m just a guy who has trained for a long time and found out what works for me and many others I have trained. And I happen to like doing Pull-ups (I also like the Clean and Press, what a great movement. That’s another topic). However, quite honestly I have not one shred of “science” to back up any of my claims. I just happen to enjoy helping others if I am able. Let me also add that there are plenty of guys around who can blow me out of the water when it comes to doing Pull-ups/Chin-ups (especially lately).
I have been wanting to make that statement for quite a while. Sometimes we forget the talent that surrounds us here. Good to remember these things now and then.
With that said, I think you would be well served doing some negatives at the end of two quality sets of Pull-ups. Do only two sets of negatives as they tend to have a very powerful effect on the body and you don’t want to over do it.
Don’t go to failure. If you can perform 4 reps but fail on the fifth, end it at four. When you are finished with your two strict sets wait about 3:00 then perform your first set of negatives. Three or four reps should do it. You should take about :10 to lower yourself from the bar. climb right back up when you are finished and go for another rep. Wait another 3:00 then perform your second and final set of negatives.
That will give you a total of four sets, including the negatives. Do this Pull-up routine three times per week for 6 weeks, Then test yourself for a one set max. Also, make sure that you train Pull-ups first in your routine. Always train them when you are fresh, after a good warm up.
At the end of six weeks there are other things that you can do, and ways to shake up your Pull-up training.
Let me know how you are doing if you like. Otherwise, read up on the T-Nation archives. As I stated, any one of the Coaches on this forum can help you a great deal more than me, or any other “regular” member.
Good Luck,
Zeb