Fitness
Struggling to Finish Pullups? Here’s How You Can Still Build Muscle.
PULLUPS ARE HARD. Managing to rip through reps of the bodyweight exercise with good form is no small feat, especially on the tail end of a set. You’ve probably found yourself straining to pull your chest up to the bar, fighting to eke out just one more—and you’ve probably found yourself tapping out before hitting your rep goal.
The good news: You don’t have to feel like a failure when you’re unable to finish your set. You can still make muscle gains without working through the full range of motion for pullups (and other exercises, too), according to Dr. Pat Davidson, PhD., the exercise physiologist and strength training coach responsible for the hellacious Recomp Blitz workout.
“For a vertical pull or any kind of movement where you’re trying to get a little bit more out of it, lengthened partials at the end of that set is a really good option,” he says.
‘Lengthened partials’ are exactly what the name implies: Fractional reps performed with the target muscle in its stretched position (think the bottom end of a pullup, biceps curl, or leg curl, with your arms or legs extended). By putting in the effort, you’re still putting the muscle under tension—and there’s evidence that even that limited stimulus can result in more gains.
“Even if you can’t get all the way to the top of that pullup and you’re down at the bottom, any kind of movement down there, the research is showing that will give you a similar response to doing the whole rep,” Davidson says.
He’s referring to a growing body of evidence, like this small study, that indicated lengthened partial reps can be effective for building upper body muscle, and this one that indicated the same for lower body movements.
Davidson warns that you can’t just do any brand of partial reps and expect results. The lengthened position is important for the process. “Don’t do it in the short position, which is what most people do,” he warns. In other words, don’t give that extra effort from the top of a rep, when your joints are flexed. You won’t get the same effect.
“In my mind, the whole thing is like a big spreadsheet, and if you’re doing more reps, you’re going to create more adaptation,” says Davidson. Follow his guidance, and the next time you fail on a set of pullups, perform a pair of lengthened partial reps before calling it quits. “It’s basically the equivalent of getting two reps at full range.”
Want more next-level tips like these so you can crush your body recomposition goals? Check out our entire program at Body Recomp Central, available only for MH MVP Premium members.
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Physical activity saves lives, but now it turns out there’s a “precise dosage” at which it becomes especially effective in preventing heart disease.
Exercising is key to longevity; it’s been associated with everything from improved cardiovascular health to increased strength to a longer life. But there’s one exercise, in particular, that a doctor says women over 50 should add to their routine.
Meet the expert: Steven Bowers, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Secrets of the World’s Healthiest People
Daily strength workouts may help boost all aspects of life, Steven Bowers, D.O., board-certified family physician and author of Secrets of the World’s Healthiest People, previously told Prevention. Physical fitness makes functional tasks like carrying grocery bags from the car, opening jars, and lifting heavy items easier.
There are plenty of moves to try, but Dr. Bowers says the one that should get top billing in your routine is the plank.
While planks challenge your whole body, they’re particularly great for strengthening your core. “Core muscle fibers tend to shrink and become less supple as we age, which can put more strain on your back,” he previously said. Having a strong core is important for balance and stability, and it can help you go about your day with more ease.
Wondering how long to hold a plank, and the proper form? First, place your forearms on the floor. Your elbows should be right below your shoulders, and your arms should be parallel—not turning in or out. Your feet should also be shoulder-width apart. Press your hands and toes into a mat on the ground, lifting your body, squeezing your glutes and quads for support. Your body should create one straight line from head to toe. Don’t lock your knees or arch your back, and keep your neck straight by looking slightly in front of you.
Hold this position for 20 seconds. “As you get more comfortable and your core gets stronger, hold the plank for as long as possible without sacrificing form or breath,” Dr. Bowers noted. It’s that simple! Whether you’re a pro or want to test your plank skills, adding the simple move to your routine may be what your core has been waiting for.
Shin splints are one of those nagging aches and pains most runners encounter at some point in their training—but that doesn’t mean you should just grin and bear it.
“We see it all the time in the clinic,” osteopath and clinical lead at The Livewell Clinic, Danny Sayandan tells Fit&Well.
Common themes, he says, are runners in worn-out shoes, heel striking instead of landing midfoot, or overstriding.
“It’s often linked to the least stretched muscle in the body—your calves—and most neglected muscle—the tibialis anterior—found on the front of the shin,” says Sayandan.
When they’re tight or undertrained, the impact of every footstrike gets pushed straight into the shins, triggering a dull ache down the front or inside of your shins.
The solution? Add these five exercises from Sayandan to your weekly workouts to stretch and strengthen these often overlooked muscles.
5 exercises to try if you get shin pain when running
1. Toe raise
Toe Raises – Ask Doctor Jo – YouTube
Watch On
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 each side
Why: Lifting your toes strengthens the front of your shin.
How:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your toes.
- Hold for two seconds.
- Lower your toes to the start.
2. Calf raise
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15
Why: Build strength and endurance in the lower legs.
How:
- Stand with your feet together.
- Lift your heels to rise onto your toes and the balls of your feet.
- Pause, then lower slowly.
You can also perform these with your heels off a step (as in the video above), lowering your heels below the step to add a stretch to your calves.
As you get stronger, progress to single-leg calf raises, then begin to add weight with a dumbbell or kettlebell held in one hand.
3. Soleus wall hold
Sets: 2 Reps: 12-15 / Time: 30sec
Why: This bent-knee heel raise targets the deep-lying soleus muscle in your calves.
How:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a bannister or other sturdy anchor point for support (an alternative is to rest your back on a wall, as in the video above).
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower into a squat, with your knees bent at 90˚.
- Hold this position and either perform 12-15 calf raises (see above), or rise up onto the balls of your feet and hold for 30 seconds.
4. Tibialis stretch
Anterior Tibialis Stretch Kneeling – Ask Doctor Jo – YouTube
Watch On
Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10
Why: This is a gentle stretch for the muscles in the front of the shin.
How:
- Kneel with your feet together, sitting on your heels with your hands or forearms on the floor to help control the load through your ankles.
- Push through your hands or forearms and carefully lift your knees to increase the stretch in the front of your shins.
- Hold for a few seconds, then lower.
Rather than an exercise, try to practice this continuously—and certainly as you move from exercise to exercise in this workout. Concentrate on landing softly through your midfoot to retrain your gait and reduce impact through your heel, ankle, calves and shins.
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