Pull-Ups & Chest-to-Bar

This transfers the stimulus of the movement significantly.

Instead of being solely an upper body workout, pull-ups become a total body workout. An athlete who may only be able to do 5 strict pull-ups in a minute, may be able to do 10 or more in a minute if taking advantage of a kip.

This increases total work, which is how CrossFit measures fitness. Instead of being viewed as cheating or a short-cut, it is viewed as a means to allow for more total work to be executed by the body as a unit.

CrossFit is a Sport

Furthermore, if we are talking about the Sport of Fitness, then the only goal is to meet the movement standard as fast as possible and in the least amount of time.  

An argument made about inherent dangers posed from max loads, cycling barbells as quickly as possible, etc. are sidestepped because the conversation becomes about winning, not about what’s safe.

Of course the conversation about safety is an important one that needs to be had, but the lens of which it is view should be one of competition versus health.

This guide is meant to be a guide to how to learn and get more efficient at kipping Pull-ups and Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups, as they appear in the sport of fitness.

And yes, that will also include training the strict version.

Mobility – Strength – Skill

To maximize your potential, capacity and efficiency for Pull-up variations you must master it’s specific mobility, strength and skill demands: the three-headed monster every athlete must conquer.  Let’s take on the monster one “head” at a time.

Mobility Requirements

There are three key positions requiring mobility in the Pull-up or Chest-to-bar Pull-up.

1) Hanging: Grasping the bar while maintaining body alignment and being pain free

2) Arch Position: Both the gymnastics kip and butterfly kip require a solid reverse “C” from head to toe.  If the thoracic spine (upper back) and shoulders can’t open fully the athlete will make up the ground at the low back and rib cage.  

3) Top: The Chest-to-bar presents a unique challenge at this position because the Range of Motion requirement at the elbow and retraction of the shoulder blade is so much greater.

Here are some stretches to improve your positioning:
• Banded Lat Stretch (Hanging / Arch)
• Elevated Cat Pose (Hanging / Arch)
• T-Spine & Shoulder Opener (Hanging / Arch)
• Bicep Opener Stretch (Top)
• Seated Bicep Stretch (Top)
• Chest Stretch (Top)
• Dip Stretch (Top)
• Elbows in Rings Stretch (Top)

Strength Requirements

In order to solidly hit the positions needed and be safe the following strength baselines are suggested:

1) 60s Dead Hang [view demo]: This is largely a test for grip strength, you should not be falling off the bar in those 60s.

2) 2 Strict Pull-ups: If you want to safely do kipping pull-ups, we recommend having the strict variation first.

3) 2 Strict Chest-to-Bar [view video]: This is the same idea as the pull-up, applied to Chest-to-Bars. If you can’t do at least three strict, spend time developing strength in that Range of Motion.

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Your First Pull-Up: Free 6-Week Program

Skill Requirements

If you do not have all the Mobility and Strength requirements, time spent learning skill will be much less productive.  Build the basics, then layer on top.  

Stick to the basics and when you feel you’ve mastered them, it’s time to start all over again, begin anew, again with the basics, this time paying closer attention.”

The biggest thing holding people back from mastering pull-up variations if he or she has all the strength and mobility is timing.  Timing is developed through intentional practice.  Unless you practice skills often they will never “click.”  Put in the time.

Kipping Variations

Which is kipping variation is right for me?”

There are two different ways to kip a Pull-up: the gymnastics kip and the butterfly kip.  Each has a unique motor pattern, and as a result they are two different skills.

Deciding on a Variation

If you are new to kipping pull-ups, make sure you have the strict variation first. Once you have the strict version, I recommend starting with the gymnastics kip.

Once you have worked on the gymnastics kip for a period of time where you can string 20 or more together, then begin to work on the butterfly kip. Consider the gymnastics kip a Tier I Skill and a butterfly kip a Tier II Skill.

Gymnastics Kip versus Butterfly Kip | What’s the difference?

The butterfly kip is much faster and as a result, it is much more difficult to learn the technique, maintain the timing and sustain the movement.  Pretend you are watching the athlete from the side and tracing the ball of their shoulder through space.

With the gymnastics kip, the shoulder moves on one side of the bar…first horizontal, then vertical, then horizontal again. The shoulder changes directions at the top and at the bottom of the movement. It would make a “C” in space if you were to trace it.

With the butterfly kip, the shoulder moves on both sides of the bar…vertical behind the bar, horizontal moving through the plane of the bar, vertical in front on the descent and horizontal once again at the bottom.

Since the shoulders never abruptly change direction in the butterfly kip, it is much faster than its gymnastics kip cousin.

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Listen: Developing Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups [The Fitness Movement podcast #002]

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The Gymnastics Kip

(Variation 1 of 2)

Gymnastics Kip Focal Points

1) Shoulders Draw Half Circles: For the gymnastics kip, think about drawing half circles.  If you watch the video above from the side angle, you will see the athlete’s shoulder trace the letter “C” through space.  Any morphing of this shape or failure to trace it through space will result in loss of rhythm.

2) Feet Opposite of Shoulders: Just like the gymnastics kip, the feet will always be on the opposite side of the bar as your shoulders. Watch the above video again.  Notice how the athlete’s legs and shoulders are always opposite of each other at the top and bottom of the movement.  

3) Straight Knees: Work to keep the knees relatively straight and glue your legs and feet together.  This will keep you from ‘bleeding’ energy out into space instead of using it to do pull-ups. Over time, a soft knee can allow an athlete to relax to a greater extent, but when learning the tighter your are the quicker you will learn the movements. Also, the

4) Keep Tight Lines: From the crown of your head to your toes should be one continuous, gradual bend. It should mimic the turns of a highway, there are no pivots or turns. Any break in a line represents a failure to transfer power and a subsequent loss of efficiency.

5) Pivot Hard: The gymnastics kip requires two pivots or dramatic changes in trajectory. They happen at the ends of the “C” …the very top and the very bottom of the rep. The tension in the lats and abs create the pivot in the bottom, and you push away from the bar at the top, creating the second change in course.

Gymnastics Kip | Movement Mistakes

People often make two errors that break position and prevent the “C” shape (hollow and arch) from being created:

Mistake #1) Bending Arms Too Soon:  This results in a loss of power. Think, “When the arms bend the power ends.” Pull down on the bar (pushing yourself back behind the bar) with straight arms using the lats before you bend your arms.  The sequence is different from the strict version, where all movement is vertical.  When you watch the above video from the side view, you will see the shoulder moves back away from the bar (horizontally) before turning and moving vertically.  Be patient. Think, “wait” as you push yourself behind the bar to cue yourself to keep straight arms and waiting to bend them. Once your body starts has ascended vertically, you pull yourself almost horizontally (like a bent row) to the bar.

Mistake #2) Bent Elbow Hang: Some athletes will keep tension in their biceps (visible through bent arms) in the lower half of the movement. This tension causes the athlete to reach muscular fatigue much quicker, while simultaneously making the kip awkward and inefficient. This is often a sign of mobility restrictions in the tissues acting on the shoulder.

Mistake #3) Lifting the Knees or Feet: As people pull hard with their arms to gain height on their pull-up, often they will pull their feet or knees up towards their body at the same time. This happens because the athlete is just focused on pulling hard, and less focused on overall body position. Lifting any body part higher than it needs to be means wasted energy and stringing together less pull-ups.

This mistakes in the equivalent of touching your shins to the bar instead of your toes during toes-to-bar. Lifting higher simply makes the movement more challenging and wastes energy.

Mistake #4) Not Pushing Away at Top:  In both regular pull-ups and chest-to-bar pull-ups, you must push yourself away at the top of the rep to load up your shoulders and core for the next rep.  Athletes often fail to push away at the top of the rep, which results in them falling straight down.  Essentially, they turned the “C” shape into a “D.”  To prevent this, you must block yourself, stop your momentum and then push away from the bar. In the gymnastics kipping pull-up, the elbows should be pointed down at the top of the rep, like the video above demonstrates.  However, in the Chest-to-Bar Pull-up, the elbows should be pointed back behind you at the top of the rep.  In a freeze frame it would look like you are doing a bench.at the top by pointing elbows back behind you.  Then push away from the bar to create the top of the “C.” (Chris Spealler explains this difference well in the video below.)

The Butterfly Kip

(Variation 2 of 2)

Butterfly Kip Focal Points

1) Shoulders Trace Circles: For the butterfly kip, think about drawing circles full circles will your shoulders, instead of half circles as with the gymnastics kip. If you watch the athletes shoulder in the video above, you will see it traces the letter “O” through space.  Instead of pushing away at the top of the rep, like the gymnastics kip, you must pull through the bar.  Think about pulling your face past the bar and pulling your shoulders open.  This is make more dramatic by the leg action.

2) Feet Opposite of Shoulders: Just like the gymnastics kip, the feet will always be on the opposite side of the bar as your shoulders. Watch the above video again.  Notice how the athlete’s legs and shoulders are always opposite of each other at the top and bottom of the movement.  

3) Leg Action: A helpful cue or way to think about the leg action of the butterfly pull-up or chest-to-bar is pretending like you are pedaling a bike in reverse.  Work to keep the knees relatively straight and glue your legs and feet together.  This will keep you from ‘bleeding’ energy out into space instead of using it to do pull-ups.

To help with the timing of the Butterfly Kip, think “When my hands get heavy, sweep the feet.”  When you catch weight, your swing begins. The next step is waiting to begin your pull until you can see your toes.

4) Gaze Forward & Up: Where you look during a butterfly pull-up and chest-to-bar is important because it is easy to hit your chin, look to one side or hyperextend through your cervical spine (neck). Throughout the course of your movement, it is often helpful to focus and direct your gaze toward a point out in front of you and higher than your bar. I find looking at the far wall where it meet the ceiling to be particularly helpful. Think about tucking your chin back and down to get your chin out of the way rather than arching.

Trying to learn or perfect a gymnastics or butterfly kip? This is far and away my favorite drill and warm-up balled into one.

Butterfly Kip | Movement Mistakes

Mistake #1) Not Pulling Through the Bar: The most common error in the butterfly kip is warping the shape of the letter “O” so that it is more like a backwards “D” where the athlete does not fully pull through the bar and open the shoulder.  

Rather, the athlete pulls to the bar, often because that is what they are used to doing in the gymnastics kip. This trajectory results in the athlete falling straight down from the bar. Because the athlete never entered an arch position, all his or her tension is lost. 

To counter this, think about kipping back behind the bar and then pulling through. This can only happen if your face is out of the way (gaze is up and out).

Mistake #2) Not Breathing: Holding the breath is much more common than you probably realize in the butterfly kip. The reason for this is because the cycle speed is much quicker in the butterfly kip than the gymnastics kip.

The short pause and change of direction (pivot point) in the gymnastics kip provides athletes with an obvious time to initiate and inhale or exhale. The butterfly kip has no pivot points so athletes end up holding their breath, or at least not getting full exhale. Think about exhaling as you pull in the butterfly kip and inhale as you descend.

Mistake #3) Spreading the Legs Apart (or) A Big Bend in the Knees:

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Chin-over-Bar vs. Chest-to-Bar

1) The Significance of Bar Contact: The most obvious difference between Chin-over-Bar Pull-Ups and Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups is that in the latter you actually make contact with the bar. Although the Chest-to-Bar only requires a slightly higher & harder pull, it often makes the movement way harder for athletes. In part, this is because the contact to the bar can through off the consistency of the swing in the butterfly kip.

In the Butterfly Chest-to-Bar video below, you will see how I smack the bar instead of pull through it. Basically, this results in the butterfly kip being shaped like an “D” instead of an “O.”  

This mistake could be caused by not pulling through and into arch and/or by poor overhead shoulder mobility. Either way, you will how how I fall straight down after I smack the bar because I am unable to regain tension via the arch.

2) Elbow Position: Because of height and bar contact differences, the elbow position at the top of the rep must also change for the variation.

Chin-over-Bar Pull-Up
-Elbows pointed down
-Forearm is Vertical)

Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up
-Elbows pointed Back & Down
-Forearm is at 45 Degrees

The reason for this difference is due to the height differences in the pulls. Since you are much higher in the Chest-to-Bar, you have to pull horizontally (elbows pointed slightly back) to the bar. Since you don’t have as much height in the Chin-over-Bar Pull-Up, you continue to pull the entire rep with elbows pointed toward the floor.

3) More Height requires More Patience: It’s obvious that you must pull slightly higher for Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups versus regular Pull-ups.

However, how athletes actually accomplish this is often flawed, which is why he or she struggles to find a rhythm for the Butterfly Kip that is sustainable and predictable.  

Typically, new athletes believe they must pull harder with their arms if they wish to get their chest to the bar. True, but they usually do so with bent arms versus straight arms. Pulling with straight arms adds height to your kip, creating a moment of weightlessness in your lower body so your upper body can pull easier.  

Athletes often feel as if they won’t generate the height they need for a Chest-to-Bar unless he or she pulls harder and sooner. In reality, the athlete needs to be more patient.

Patience (i.e. pulling with straight arms for longer) will allow the “O” shape needed for efficient movement. Pulling longer with straight arms will make stringing reps with a Butterfly Kip much easier. Don’t pull until you can see your toes.

Pull-Ups, Yup. Chest-to-Bar, Nope.

Are strict pull-ups easy yet you struggle with Chest-to-Bar?

If you are proficient at Pull-ups but can’t seem to get the “hang” of Chest-to-Bars you are probably experiencing an issue with the end range of motion at the top of the Chest-to-Bar (since that is the difference between the two movements.) This is probably more common than you think. Many athletes have enough strength to do several strict pull-ups but struggle to get any strict Chest-to-Bars. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as…

1) Mobility: You aren’t able to express pulling power because you are working against a tight chest, which makes the end range of motion difficult.

2) Grip Width: Your hands are too narrow (inside your shoulders) which fails to allow your shoulder blades to fully retract and puff your chest out to kiss the bar.

3) Practice: You frankly have not spent the time working in that Range of Motion. Try implementing pause reps with a light band for assistance.

4) Twist ‘Yo Wrist: Try curling your wrist at the top of the movement when you are weightless, lessening the total distance needed to bend the arms.

5) Combo: You need to work on some form of a combination of 1, 2, 3 and 4. (This is the most likely scenario).

Thumb or No Thumb?

“Should I wrap my thumb during Pull-Ups?“

If you have never done a Chest-to-Bar or Muscle-Ups, but you are attempting them…yes.

If you have less than 20 in an Unbroken set…likely.

If you are advanced at hanging gymnastics movements and are comfortable and confident…personal preference.

The safety risk from not using your thumb has little to do with the pull (underneath the bar). If your grip is failing, it is unlikely that your thumb will save you. The difference is pretty minimal.

If there was a big difference, there would be no high-level athletes that would do it differently. For example, all Games athletes use a hook grip for weightlifting. However, not all Games athletes wrap their thumb for Pull-Ups or Bar Muscle-Ups.

Some people will make the argument that you can claim a pseudo false grip (knuckles on top of the bar) easier without the thumb being wrapped. In my experience the difference is minimal and falls under the personal preference that comes with high-skilled personal experience.

My Advice: Wrap your thumb until you are very confident with Pull-Up variations and then play around with it.

Grips or No Grips?

Do I need my grips this workout?”

I recommend every athlete buys a pair of high-quality grips that you can use in certain workout scenarios. For example, almost everyone should use grips for Memorial Day “Murph” (contains 100 Pull-ups).

Here are a few considerations whether to wear gymnastics style grip or not when completing workouts with Pull-Up variations.

Factor #1 | Movement Volume

How many Chest-to-Bar will you do in the workout? The higher the total is, the more likely it is you should wear grips. If you are a person who can only complete a few Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups it might not be worth the hassle of putting them on. Likewise, if total volume is pretty low and they are paired with movements that are annoying to wear grips for (Handstand Push-ups, Barbell Work, etc.) I would opt to not wear them. However, as soon as the total volume reaches a point where you believe there is a possibility you could rip, put on the grips. I’ve used many different brands and I recommend the Bear Komplex 3-Finger Carbon Grips to my athletes and friends.

Factor #2 | Pull-up Bar Coating

Some gyms have powder coated pull-up bars that provide little friction. Often times wearing grips on these bars makes holding onto the bar extremely challenging even with chalk. Removing grips can provide a better grasp while not resulting in tearing. Other gyms have bare steel bars (like the Speal trademark bar from Rogue Fitness) which provide lots of friction and a “sticky” feeling grip. For these bars it may be a good idea to wear grips even with lower volume workouts because the intense friction can easily tear your hands.

Factor #3 | Grip Strength

This factor ties in with the last. If you struggle to get a good grip while wearing gymnastics grips and you don’t believe you will tear not wearing them, it is a good option to ditch them for a workout.  Additionally, if your grip strength or traction feels better while wearing grips, why would you not wear them?  

Factor #4 | The State of Your Hands

How ready are your hands to handle the demands of the workout?  If you are used to high volume gymnastics, your hands are tough, your calluses are shaved, and you don’t have any tears, you will be ready to handle much higher volumes of gymnastics without grips.  If you are newer to muscle-ups and your hands are relatively sensitive, you will want to wear grips.

If you have teared recently, wear grips.  Likewise, use a callus shaver or pumice stone to keep calluses thin.  Thick calluses rip quicker. Caring for your skin isn’t just about wearing grips.  Take the five bucks and five minutes to put yourself in the best scenario for preventing a tear.

Factor #5 | Personal Preference

Lastly, it all comes down to personal preference.  Where do you feel strong and comfortable while remaining tear free?  I recommend practicing with your grips for a period of time before giving up on them…it takes some time to get used to them.  

There are some tricks for workouts with multiple movements, like spinning them on your wrist so they are out of your way (on the back of your hand) during pressing movements.  

Some athletes will simply not put their fingers in the holes so they can easily rotate them or even take them off once they have gotten through a gymnastics-dense section of the workout.  Play around with different styles and techniques and discover what works for you.

Common Movement Mistakes

How Do I String More Pull-ups Together?”

Let’s look at some common movement and breathing errors and how to address them to increase your capacity.

First, understand that different people will have different limiters, and while I am going to silo each athlete in a certain category there is almost always overlap and gray area.  

Let’s look at several common types of athletes each with a unique limiter. Figure out which you are, address your fault and begin stringing more reps together.

Athlete A’s fault: Inconsistent Kipping Mechanics

This athlete doesn’t feel particularly out-of-breath and doesn’t have high muscle fatigue, but after a few reps he is forced to drop down from the bar.

His movement looks disorganized and the rhythm is quickly lost, forcing him to drop back down from the bar.  He is able to jump back up relatively quickly, but once again the kip and timing breaks down after a few reps.

Overall, this athlete’s movement could be described as sloppy, disorganized or inconsistent.

Working on the skill of Pull-up variations, such as timing and hollow and arch positions, is going to be the biggest area for improvement for this athlete. If this sounds like you, take the time to really learn the nuances of the movement in an unfatigued setting before adding in layers of speed and fatigue (i.e. in a competitive workout environment).

I highly recommend getting an experienced coach to work with you one-on-one so he or she can quickly identity and work to rectify the issue.

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Interested in 1-on-1 Remote Coaching? Learn more here.

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The Prescription
Drills: Scap. Pull-ups, Beat Kips, Lat Activations, Box Drills, etc.
Practice: Small Sets at a Time, Non-fatigued Setting, Long Rest Periods (e.g. EMOM 10: 5 Pull-ups)

Athlete B’s fault: ‘Speed’ without Strength

Like Athlete A, Athlete B doesn’t feel incredibly out-of-breath between sets of pull-ups. But unlike Athlete A, Athlete B is forced to take a longer recovery time. She often gets discouraged because she wants to go harder, but is forced to rest while staring at the bar.  

In this case the athlete simply needs to be stronger while also improving strength endurance.  Trying to ‘speed’ through rounds of a workout without the strength to do so is like taking Spanish 102 before taking Spanish 101…it’s foolish and sets you up for failure. Reread the above quote and go back to basics.

(An important differentiation, if the athlete is very tight he may not able to express his strength due to working against the tension in his body.  This is especially true if the athlete has a tight chest and has issues with the last several inches of the Chest-to-Bar Pull-up.)

For a strength limited athlete, the fix isn’t overly complicated yet few athletes put in the time consistently over a period of several months or years to get better at a single skill.  

Simply do more strength work in unfatigued settings, focusing on upper body strict pulling in this case.

The Prescription: Strict Pull-ups, Bent Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Lat Rows or Ab Rollouts, Legless Rope Climbs, and yes Bicep Curls.  

Athlete C’s Fault: Temporary Breath Holds

If you are an athlete and you describe yourself as strong and mobile yet you find yourself having to take longer rests during pull-up variations, your limiter likely involves breathing. 

Many athletes don’t breathe efficiently (or at all) when doing pull-ups, chest-to-bar and other gymnastics movements.

If you cannot breathe in a position, you do not ‘own’ that position.”

Kelly Starrett, CPT

Just like it is common for athletes to temporarily (intentionally or unintentionally) hold their breath in the bottom of a back squat or squat clean, it is common for an athlete to stop breathing temporarily at some point in a Pull-up or Chest-to-Bar.

While the maneuver (valsalva, in fact) can be helpful for producing max tension and trunk rigidity for a 1RM or heavy, short interval, it is not helpful in creating an environment conducive for sustainability and efficiency.

There are several reasons why an athlete might hold their breath at some point during a Pull-up variation:

1) Strength

He or she is not strong enough to do many reps so the mind forces the body to produce maximum force by any means possible. There will be several systemic changes because of this but occluding the breath is a common sign. (This is the case where an athlete struggles with fault B & C due to strength.)

2) Break in the Midline

When doing Pull-up variations, or any gymnastics movement hanging from a bar, the athlete should always have “clean” lines. That is at any given moment if you would take a snapshot of that athlete in space, there should be no abrupt hinges from the crown of their head to their toes.

This harks back to the hollow and arch positions, the “C” and reverse “C.” In these fundamental positions there should long, smooth curves with no hinging.

If an athlete “breaks” the curve by bending at the knee, hip, lower back or head their body will perceive the position as threatening. When the body perceives a position as a threat, it will create tension.  This known to affect an athlete’s mobility, which I explain in this article.

To solve this problem, the athlete needs to create more systemic stability, often by engaging the gut & butt. Abs and glutes are often the cause the midline and mobility limitations, as well as common failures to keep “clean” lines. 

(For more, see this video by Gymnastics coach Pamela Gagnon.)

In this athlete’s case, he or she struggles with Skill (fault A) and it shows up as a Breath Hold (fault C).

3) Lack of Awareness for Optimal

I have found that many athletes do not what the ideal breathing pattern is for Pull-up variations. Because Pull-ups and Chest-to-Bar have a quick cycle time per rep (especially with the butterfly kip) there cannot be a breath hold inserted in the movement while they remain sustainable.

To tick through many reps at a time, an athlete must learn how to breath throughout the entire movement. The only breath ratio that works for Pull-ups and Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups is 1:1 (one breath cycle, inhale and exhale, per rep). 

This should be a full exhale and inhale on each breath to maintain efficient movement, deliver oxygen and substrate and remove wastes like CO2. If the athlete fails to complete full breath cycles, he or she will likely experience the fourth common error (fault D).

Also realize the problem could be more systematic than muscular. In other words, your biceps and lats may be strong enough, but the demands of the pull-up cause your heart rate and blood pressure to go sky high.  

This means you have to stand under the bar and wait until it comes back into a normal range in order for you to do your next set.  This is a relatively complicated and individualized problem.  

It could be due to your breathing.  People often don’t fully exhale during pull-ups so it drives their heart rate and blood pressure up.  This increased sympathetic nervous system action causes people to “blow up.”  It’s what we will focus on for athlete D.

Athlete D’s Fault: Sympathetic Tone (Heart Rate & Blood Pressure)

You walk into the gym.  The whiteboard reads…

4 Rounds for Time:
-10 Chest-to-Bar
-15/11 Calorie Assault Bike

Round 1: “I feel great!”
Round 2: “I’m holding to my pace.”
Round 3: “My heart rate and breathing are through the roof.”
Round 4: “I am feel like suffocating and I can only do a few reps at a time before I’m forced to catch my breath.”

Sound familiar? If so, you are likely Athlete D.  This athlete is able to chunk large sets of Pull-ups or Chest-to-Bars, but when he or she drops down from the bar it feels like he or she just got done with a 10-rep max deadlift.  

That feeling is the combination of a high heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP).  HR and BP are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, and in this case the Sympathetic Branch is the side activated strongly.  Activation of the sympathetic nervous system can also be known as “sympathetic tone.”

As described with Athlete C, breathing is typically much faster during Pull-ups and Chest-to-Bar than other exercises because the cycle rate of the movement is so much faster. 

Since the only breath ratio that works for Pull-up variations is 1:1 (see above), the ventilation rate (breaths per minute) is dictated by the reps the athlete completes per minute.

Basically, an athlete doing Pull-ups is breathing faster than they would normally mid-workout. This high ventilation rate (fast breathing) will additionally drive up the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and ultimately making the movement more anaerobic (less sustainable).  

Fixing this limiter is a bit more complicated in part because athletes dealing with this limiter are typically more advanced than Athletes A or B.

The Prescription: Here are some sample protocols that could help Athlete D deal with managing breathing, HR, and BP for Pull-ups and Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups.

Ways to train Pull-ups if the issue if they fatigue quickly:
• Add pull-up in more often for your traditional Met-Cons (Protocol 1)
• As part of Fatigued Intervals (Protocol 2) or EMOMs (Protocol 3)
• Immediately after strength work while heart rate and blood pressure are spiked (Protocol 4)
• Before or after cyclical work (working through fatigue or clearing fatigue) (Protocol 5)

Based on these principles, I’ve developed the following protocols to help athletes like you overcome your pull-up or chest-to-bar limiters

Protocol 1: “The Traditional Met-Con”

Description: The simplest, and frankly only, way to get better at a skill is by doing it.  Yet, many people avoid their weaknesses instead of working on them.  

If you are good at Pull-ups but suck at Chest-to-Bar guess what you should do when Pull-ups show up in the programming? …Do them!

Same thing with any skill. If you suck at pistols, skipping or subbing them (rather than finding a do-able variation or struggling through) is way of a coward. Champions attack their weaknesses.

When Fraser struggled to flip the pig at the CrossFit Games, be bought one from Rogue with his own dollar and practiced with it until he was the best out there at the movement. He did the same thing with running. Rich Froning did it with rope climbs. It’s what the best in the sport do.

Begin to program weaknesses (in this case Pull-ups or Chest-to-Bar) more frequently into your daily workouts. Here one example of literally endless possibilities:

AMRAP 10
-8 Thrusters 95/65 lbs
-8/11 Calorie Row
-8 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
-8 Bar-Facing Burpees

Protocol 2: “Fatigued Intervals”

Description: Being able to continue to move with efficiency and effectiveness while battling fatigue lies at the heart of Functional Fitness. An athlete must learn to flirt with the line between metabolic discomfort and movement economy. It is common to see an inverse relationship with these two factors in most functional athletes.

It is a rare and incredibly useful skill to be able to move well (relaxed & efficient) when in metabolic pain. Fatigued interval protocols are designed to give athletes intentional exposure and opportunities flirting with that line.

The idea isn’t complicated… put yourself (or your athlete) in a fatigued setting with metabolic discomfort and rapid breathing demands in which you must maintain skill and your composure to be successful. Fully rest and repeat.

5 Rounds
-12/10 Calorie Assault Bike (All Out Sprint)
…no rest, directly into…
-12 Unbroken Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
**Rest 3:00 after each Round**

Protocol 3: “Building Density”

Description: The most advanced gymnastics movement in Functional Fitness that is frequently tested is the Muscle-Up. In the sport of Gymnastics, the Muscle-Up isn’t even considered a skill because it is viewed as so basic. In Gymnastics, you attempt to do more and more advanced movements to get the best score.  By contrast, in Functional Fitness you get a better score or time by fitting more of the same movements into less time. This is known as gymnastic density. Once a Functional Fitness athlete has mastered the strength and skill needed for a given gymnastics movement, it’s all about increasing his or her ability for gymnastics density.  

Here is a simply 6-week progression to improve your ability to do more work in less time:

Week 1 | EMOM 8: 6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 48)
Week 2 | EMOM 10: 6 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 60)
Week 3 | EMOM 9: 7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 63)
Week 4 | EMOM 11: 7 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 77)
Week 5 | EMOM 10: 8 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 80)
Week 6 | EMOM 8: 9 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups (volume = 72) Change = +3 C2B / min

Protocol 4: “Pressure Spike”

Description: One tactic for learning to deal with sympathetic tone and the blood pressure spike that can accompany it is by intentionally putting yourself in a situation where you will have high blood pressure and force yourself to immediately go through a set of Pull-ups. This is easily accomplished by doing a strength movement that requires a high level of trunk stiffness and tension immediately into a set of gymnastics.

Every 4 minutes, x 3 Rounds
-6 Deadlift 315/225 lbs
-Max Chest-to-Bar

Protocol 5: “Clearing Fatigue”

Description: Often an advanced athlete will be perfectly capable of knocking out a set of 20 or more Chest-to-Bar Pull-up, but when he or she drops down from the bar, they can’t begin the next movement because of sympathetic tone and are forced to rest until HR and BP return within a certain range.  

In an effort to reduce this effect, from both a physiological and psychological standpoint, fatigue clearing protocols like the one below can be very helpful.

In the example below, the only goal for the athlete is to get on the rower immediately after dropping down from an unbroken set of Chest-to-Bars. The athlete will row slowly in an effort to regain composure and control of the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. As soon as the rower ticks to 14/10 Calories the athlete must immediately move to the bar and begin their next set.

3 Rounds for Time
-14 Chest-to-Bar
-14/10 Calorie Row @5k Time Trial Pace +20s

The Perfect Warm-Up

A) Thermo

Why?
Get all the systems in the body humming so you are ready to train. The goal is to take your body from a cold, likely stationary position to being literally warmed-up. Muscles are able to produce more force and joints are more resilient to impacts and torque. Basically you are ready to mobilize and hit a movement-specific warm-up.

What?
5-15 Minutes of easy “cardio.” Here is an approximate example for a Functional Fitness Competitor. The intention should be to move with better positions each round, rather than trying to increase the pace. This is NOT a workout.

4 Steady Rounds
-8 Ring Rows
-8 Wall Ball
-8/6 Calorie Row
-8 Burpees

B) Mobility

Why?
Claim the fundamental positions you will need for the workout / movement to come. In this case it’s Pull-ups or Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups. Per the mobility requirements (above), we know we need to address the hollow and arch positions, mainly with overhead mobility and the chest. I recommend choosing a favorite mobilization technique for each of those two target areas. I show you my two top picks below.

What?
Chest: The Chest Stretch (got creative on the name, I know.)
Overhead: Elevated Cat Pose

C) Movement Prep

Why?
Begin to piece together the actual movement you use during the workout.  Break down the parts and slowly add layers until its all back together. Each movement has sub-skills and you will need them for this step. This will look different for each movement, as you can see in ZOAR’s Movement Library. Lucky you, I provided four of my favorites for PU / C2B below.

What?
2 Rounds, for Quality
-5-10 Scap Pull-ups
-5-10 Beat Kips
-5-10 Lat Activations
-5-10 Strict Banded PU / C2B

D) Working Sets / Met-Con

Congratulations! You are ready to hit your workout!

Top Accessory Exercises

What are the best exercises to build strength for Pull-Up Variations?”

Click on an exercise to see a demo video.

Specific Strength (Vertical Pulling)

• Strict Chest-to-Bar (arguably the most underrated way to improve pulling of all kinds)
• Strict Chest-to-Bar with Slow Lower (learning to control each degree in the range of motion)
• Strict Chest-to-Bar with Pause at Top (for those who struggle with the last inch or two)
• Heavily Banded Strict Chest-to-Bar (big sets to build strength endurance)

General Pulling Movements (Horizontal)

• Ring Rows (a fantastic way to build pulling volume and stamina)
• Ring Row Hold at Chest (mimics position of Chest-to-Bar very closely)
• Pronated Barbell Bent Rows (often athletes struggle to touch their chest with the bar)
• Chest-Supported Rows (neutral grip)
• Inverted Rows, Bar in Rack

Lat Strength Movements (Straight Arm Pulling)

• Straight Arm Ring Row (another great transfer drill to Muscle-Ups)
• Banded Lat Row (also great for deadlifts and olympic lifting)
• Lat Activation Drill (A great drill for every gymnastics movement on the Pull-Up Bar)
• Ski Erg Sprints (a personal favorite lat / tricep exercise)

Bicep Strength Movements (Elbow Flexion)

• Barbell Curls (play around with both a pronated & supinated grip)
• Banded Bicep Curls (great for terminal elbow flexion strength)
• Dumbbell Hammer Curls (hits forearm & bicep)

Grip Strength

• Dead Hang (several hang of 60-90s in great for not only grip but shoulders)
• Plate Pinch (involves the thumb more than other grip exercises)
• Farmer’s Carry (or) Suitcase Carry

TLDR | Here’s the Summary

Mobility – Strength – Skill

Mobility Requirements: Hanging, Arch Position, Top of Pull
Strength Requirement: 60s Dead Hang & 2 Strict Pull-ups
Skill Requirements: Master the Kipping Variations: Gymnastics & Butterfly

Gymnastics Kip Focal Points
1) Shoulders Draw Half Circles
2) Feet Opposite of Shoulders
3) Straight Knees
4) Keep Tight Lines
5) Pivot Hard

Gymnastics Kip Movement Mistakes
1) Bending Arms Too Soon
2) Bent Elbow Hang
3) Lifting the Knees or Feet
4) Not Pushing Away at Top

Butterfly Kip Focal Points
1) Shoulders Trace Circles
2) Feet Opposite of Shoulders
3) Leg Action
4) Gaze Forward & Up

Butterfly Kip Movement Mistakes
1) Not Pulling Through the Bar
2) Not Breathing
3) Spreading the Legs Apart (or) A Big Bend in the Knees

Chin-over-Bar & Chest-to-Bar Differences
1) The Significance of Bar Contact
2) Elbow Position at Top: Chest-to-Bar is Back, Chin-over-Bar is down
3) More Height requires More Patience

Strict Pull-ups are easy yet you struggle with Chest-to-Bar?
Look into these fixes: Mobility, Hand Width, Time & Practice, Twist Your Wrist

“How Do I String More Pull-ups Together?”
Athlete A’s fault: Inconsistent Kipping Mechanics
Athlete B’s fault: ‘Speed’ without Strength
Athlete C’s Fault: Temporary Breath Holds
Athlete D’s Fault: Sympathetic Tone (Heart Rate & Blood Pressure)

Warming Up for Pull-Ups & Chest-to-Bars

Thermo: increase body temperature to improve performance
Mobility: claim the range of motion needed for the workout
Movement Prep: Practice parts of the movement and piece it together
Working Sets / Workout: Go Time!

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Also in the Movement Library: Toes-to-Bar

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Gymnastics Density for the Big Five (12-Week Program)

Are your gymnastics movements holding you back from reaching your potential?

Statistics show five movements are far and away the most likely to show up in local competitions and online qualifiers like the Open.  That’s why this program focuses on improving “The Big Five.”

1) Muscle-Ups (Bar & Ring)
2) Handstand Push-Ups
3) Handstand Walks
4) Toes-to-Bar
5) Chest-to-Bar

If your capacity in these movements is holding you back from taking your fitness to the next level, this program is for you!