pull ups for seniors: pull up training guide for seniors
Today’s post is about pull ups for seniors. I wanted to write a pull up training guide for the over 60 crowd.
Fitness Training Advice for Seniors
I realize that a lot of training advice out there is tailored to young bucks, who have really good recovery and no physical ailments.
Conversely, a lot of the advice given to older adults is to do easy, non-taxing stuff like practice sitting down and standing up, and standing on one leg.
I don’t feel like that is really fair to older folks, and quite frankly, pretty ageist. Setting the bar (pun intended) really low by encouraging older people to play it really safe with easy stuff just sets a low expectation where they don’t believe they are capable of much more.
The reality is that old people can use their maturity and wisdom to their advantage, and with hard work and dedication, they can achieve their first (and beyond) pull ups too.
Now, if you can’t stand up from a chair with ease, or you fall over when trying to stand on one leg, this pull up program may be a bit too advanced for you.
And, if you do have serious physical issues and serious pain, please do see a physician or physical therapist before embarking on your own training journey.
With that said, if you are pretty healthy and pain-free, I am going to give you some of my most general advice, and then on to the program!
Fitness Training Tips for People 60 +
Tip 1 for Those 60 + : Do BELIEVE you can really improve. Nothing will kill progress faster than believing you can’t make any gains. If you believe you can do better and improve your pull ups, you will train hard and you will put more effort into doing your best. This will translate into more gains in the pull up department!
Tip 2 for Those 60 + : Do listen to your body and adjust as needed. I would give this advice to all age groups–even 20-somethings and 30-somethings! Listen to your body and if something hurts during training, make adjustments as needed.
I like to use a Red/Yellow/Green Light system.
Green Light: Pain-free. Be smart, use good technique but train hard!
Yellow Light: Low level pain up to a 3 out of 10. Proceed, but use caution and take a step back with loading or repetitions. Can you take the pain away by reducing the load 10-30 percent ? If you can get rid of the pain, go ahead with the pain-free load. If you can’t make it pain-free with a lighter load, continue training, but only with similar exercises that you CAN do pain free.
For instance, let us say pull ups cause you shoulder pain. Can you do an assisted pull up without pain? Or can you change your grip to a neutral grip and take the pain away?
If so, continue with that and add reps and sets so you can train that movement pattern. If not, go ahead into the next exercise in the program.
Tip 3 for Those 60 + : Plenty of protein and water in your diet, as well as plant-based nitrates! Think lean meats, Greek Yogurt, eggs, Water and vegetables like beets!
Tip 4 for Those 60 +: Train in a supportive environment, and if you can’t find one, train alone. Usually, I train alone. I trained at a YMCA recently and there were plenty of friendly people of all ages. But your gym might not be so welcoming.
If you cannot find a good place to train with others, it might be best to invest a few hundred dollars into creating a home gym (or less if you are a true purist!)
Tip 5 for Those 60 +: (Again, I would give this advice to much younger people too). Don’t train to failure. Training to failure is really hard to recover from. You will also be able to use better technique by training at sub-maximal intensities. Using better technique will help you get better faster at the SKILL of pull ups, with less risk of injury.
Ok, on to the program!
So I am setting you up for the next few months with a pull up training routine to go from zero-5 pull ups.
Beginner Pull up Training Program for People 60 +
Day 1:
1 x 10 seconds of hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 scapular Retractions
3 x 5 Underhand Grip Band Assisted Pull ups
Day 2:
1 x 10 seconds of hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 Scapular Retractions
5 x 3 Assisted Regular Grip pull ups (choose less assistance than you did day 1)
Day 3:
1 x 10 seconds of hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 scapular Retractions
2 x 8-12 assisted pull ups — Neutral Grip
I would follow this program every week for a few months. Write down your results–the amount of resistance band or weight used, and aim to slowly, little by little, progress the amount of weight YOU pull up to the bar.
Don’t start out at peak effort for each set, instead leave a few reps in the tank on each set.
Now, you might already be able to do 5 pull ups, and if so, simply reduce the resistance on each set. You might want to practice using some assistance because you won’t be able to get all those sets and reps in without a little help.
You can gradually wean off the band or assistance machine.
Every couple of months, on a day when you are feeling fresh, test out how many pull ups you can do. Once you can do 6-10 in a set, you are ready for the following program!
Intermediate Pull up Training Program for People 60 +
Day 1:
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retraction
5 x 3-8 pull ups with a neutral grip
Day 2
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retraction
3 x 8 band assisted pull ups
Day 3
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a pull up bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retraction
3 x 3 wide grip pull ups
Again, you want to slowly progress by adding a pull up or two to the reps you set on day 1. You could also decrease the amount of assistance you use on day 2. And on day 3, you could start adding a tiny teensy weeny amount of weight. You could start with an extra 2.5 lb, and then when that gets easy go to 5 lb, and so on and so forth.
Every couple months, try out the program again. When you can do 10 pull ups in a set, you are ready for the next program!
Advanced Pull up Training Program for People 60 +
Day 1:
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retractions
5 x 3 weighted pull ups
Day 2:
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retractions
3 x 7-10 pull ups
Day 3:
1 x 10 seconds hanging from a bar
1 x 5 hanging scapular retractions
5 x 5 pull ups (add weight when you can!)
Every couple months, you can test out how many you can do! This program will suit you forever. Simply add weight to the pull ups little by little. You could even work up to adding close to half your body weight !!
That would be awesome!
I really hope you will try the program, especially if you are 60 plus. Please let me know how it worked for you down in the comments section below! I will be routing for you to go out there and shatter expectations!