My old pullup cycle, which went, with waves, for about 3-4 months, saw me get up to 18 strict pullups (dead hang to chin touching bar) with a 20 lb. dumbbell held between my feet. My training was mostly with a 26 lb. kettlebell on a belt. I just started a new cycle. This time my training will be mostly a 35 lb. kettlebell on a belt, and the weekly test will be a 25 lb. dumbbell held between my feet. I did 8 reps with a pullup grip, and also 8 w/ a chinup grip, in a easy test just to have a starting point. Hopefully I can get back to 18 reps w/ the additional weight. The training plan will be the same - most days one set each of pullups and chinups, once a week some heavier work, and once a week more volume in the form of ladders.
My press strength is very slowly creeping upwards - I got 4 reps each side w/ a 24 kg kettlebell yesterday in the standing strict press, which is a post-injury best, and I hope it's onward and upward from here. The uncomfortable part is still the lowering of the weight on my injured side, and the struggle is not to just drop the weight back down quickly but to go for a controlled negative and focus on proper posture and alignment - if I get it right, then it doesn't hurt, but any lapse of concentration is, unfortunately, quickly punished.
-S-
http://www.kbnj.com



