Nothing beat pullups for building arm
and upper back strength. Static exercises based on pullups are demanding,
but they also bring some excellent results. The only drawback is that
these exercises require a piece of special equipment -- a pullup
bar.
But, that's not a major drawback. You can find a pullup bar at most
sporting goods stores. These are usually the kind that hang in a doorway, so you
should be careful where you use it. You can also sturdy tree branch to do
this exercise.
This exercise is simple. Grab the chinup bar with your palms facing you
and arms shoulder width apart. Then, pull yourself up so that your nose
is just over the bar. And, of course, hold yourself in that position for
as long as possible. Another, more challenging, variation of this
exercise is to hold yourself in position with your palms facing away from
you. This not only works the arms, but the upper back as well.
But what if you can't pull yourself all the way up? Try hanging from a
chinup bar to build up your strength.
Hanging
Hanging from a chin-up bar may seem
pointless. But if it's done properly, it really works your arms,
shoulders, and grip. The fact that it's a simple exercise shouldn't put
you off. Hanging is simple, but it is challenging.
To do it, grab the bar and hang. Make sure that your elbows aren't
extended. Rather, they should be slightly bent. This reduces the risk of
injury to your elbows. If you're using a chin-up bar that fits across a
doorway, you'll probably need to tuck your legs up underneath yourself so
your feet don't touch the floor. Try not to swing while hanging.
There are a number of ways you can spice this exercise up. One way is to
not use your thumbs when hanging on to the bar. This really works your
grip. Another way is to pull yourself half way up and hold yourself there
for as long as possible.
If you want a real challenge, hang and stretch your legs out in front of
you. Doing this works your abdominals, while also putting more load on
your arms and shoulders. An even more challenging variation on this hang
is to haul yourself up in to the full pullup position while extending
your legs. In addition to working your arms, shoulders, and abs, you'll
really feel this in your upper back.