3499: The Benefits of Pullups by Jane Chertoff with Healthline on Muscle Building

[00:00:00] I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future. This is the love story of real hinge couple Odin and Edward, written and read by me, Curtis Garner. Listen to the free audiobook now.

[00:00:32] And we've got occasional sleep support to help the whole fam chase their big dreams. Head back to class with the number one gummy supplement brand. Stock up on oli.com today. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This is Optimal Health Daily, The Benefits of Pullups by Jane Chertoff with Healthline.com. And I'm Dr. Neal Malik, reading you some of the most popular health and fitness blogs out there, with permission from the websites, of course.

[00:01:00] And don't forget, we have a bunch of shows where we narrate articles for you. Just search for Optimal Living Daily, wherever you're hearing this, to find all of them. Alright, before I get to the post, I have to admit something. For the longest time, and even after becoming certified as an exercise physiologist, I couldn't perform a single pull-up. It was my weakest movement.

[00:01:22] But I knew how important they were for me to master for so many reasons. Now, I'm not going to go into those reasons right now, because today's article will do that for me. So with that, let's get right to it as we optimize your life. The Benefits of Pullups by Jane Chertoff with Healthline.com A pull-up is an upper body strength training exercise.

[00:01:50] To perform a pull-up, you start by hanging onto a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your body extended fully. You then pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar. Pull-ups are different than a chin-up. With a chin-up, your palms and hands face toward you. The pull-up is considered an advanced exercise. It's more difficult than the chin-up. But, the pull-up can be modified or done on an assisted machine for beginners.

[00:02:18] And you'll still get the benefits from these variations. 1. Strengthen the back muscles The pull-up is one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the back muscles. Pull-ups work the following muscles of the back. Latissimus dorsi This is the largest upper back muscle that runs from the mid-back to under the armpit and shoulder blade. Trapezius This muscle is located from your neck out to both shoulders. Thoracic erector spinae

[00:02:47] These are the three muscles that run along your thoracic spine. And, the infraspinatus This assists with shoulder extension and is located on the shoulder blade. 2. Strengthen the arm and shoulder muscles Pull-ups also strengthen the arm and shoulder muscles. By performing pull-ups regularly, you'll work the forearms and shoulders. If you're looking to improve your strength in these areas, you should perform pull-ups regularly.

[00:03:15] If you can't perform the full pull-up, doing them assisted or just getting in the position, like hanging from the bar, can increase your strength as you work up to the complete movement. 3. Improve grip strength Pull-ups also help improve grip strength. Grip strength is important if you lift weights. It can also improve performance in many sports like golf, tennis, rock climbing, and even bowling.

[00:03:39] In your everyday life, a strong grip is also important for performing tasks like opening jars, walking your dog on a leash, carrying groceries, and shoveling snow. 4. Improve overall body strength and fitness level Strength or resistance training can increase your overall fitness level. When you're performing a pull-up, you're lifting your entire body mass with the movement. This can greatly improve your body strength and even improve your health.

[00:04:08] Studies show that strength training is important for promoting bone development and enhancing cardiovascular health. Strength train with exercises like pull-ups 2-3 times a week for best results. 5. Improve physical health Strength or resistance training with exercises like pull-ups may also improve your overall physical health. Studies found that regularly performing strength training may help reduce visceral fat and help you manage type 2 diabetes.

[00:04:36] It can also help reduce resting blood pressure and may reduce back pain and discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Talk to your doctor before starting the strength train as it may not be safe for you. The results may also vary for everyone. 6. Improve mental health Strength or resistance training is also beneficial for your mental health. A 2010 review of studies found a positive correlation between strength training and the following.

[00:05:05] reducing anxiety symptoms improving cognitive function reducing fatigue reducing depression and improving self-esteem. While the evidence seems positive, more research is needed to confirm these results. 7. Challenge your muscles Pull-ups are a challenging strength training exercise. Challenging your muscles with difficult moves can improve your overall fitness level too. If you haven't done pull-ups before, adding them to your routine

[00:05:35] may improve how strong you feel and look. If you do the same exercises over and over, your body can start to plateau after a while. But by adding in new and challenging exercises like pull-ups, you may see great improvements in your strength. 7. Benefits of Pull-up Variations Whether you're new to exercise or an advanced athlete, pull-ups can still be beneficial for you. You can try variations on pull-ups, including assisted pull-ups for beginners,

[00:06:03] or with your knees bent for more intermediate folks, or even with a weight belt around your legs. This would be for more advanced folks. 8. Beginner Friendly Options Even if you're new to exercise, you can still work on the foundations to get you ready to do a complete pull-up. You can start by hanging from the pull-up bar for 10-30 seconds. You'll begin to strengthen the muscles in your arms and back that are needed to complete a pull-up.

[00:06:30] Or look for an assisted pull-up machine at your gym to practice. Advanced Options If you're an advanced athlete or have been doing pull-ups successfully for a long time, you can still challenge your muscles. You can try adding weight with a weight belt or a weight vest. Or do pull-ups one-handed. These variations will keep your muscles challenged. They keep you from plateauing so you can continue to build up strength. The Takeaway

[00:06:57] Pull-ups are a challenging exercise, but they're worth adding into your weekly strength training routine. Even if you're new to pull-ups, practicing hanging from the bar or doing an assisted pull-up can help you to start to build your strength. Try combining pull-ups with other upper body exercises like push-ups, chin-ups, tricep extensions, and bicep curls to round out your routine. You can do this routine 2-3 times a week.

[00:07:23] Always allow for a day in between strength training to allow your muscles to recover. Also, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new strength training routine. You just listened to the post titled, The Benefits of Pull-ups by Jane Chertoff with Healthline.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Now, it's just me and a small team behind this show, so I get how much the right hire matters.

[00:07:51] When you need the right person, this is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs. Stop struggling to get your job post even seen on other sites. Sponsored Jobs posted directly on Indeed are 95% more likely to report a hire than non-sponsored jobs. Spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Less stress, less time, more results. When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, this is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs.

[00:08:21] And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at Indeed.com slash podcast. Just go to Indeed.com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? This is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs. Quince is all about fewer, better pieces.

[00:08:51] Premium materials built to last, designed to become the ones you reach for day after day. They specialize in everyday staples that work harder. Ultra soft organic tees and premium Mongolian cashmere sweaters that go from a casual workday to dinner out. Still hanging on to worn out basics? Their premium denim and tailored chinos start at just $60 with the fit and fabric you'd expect from a luxury designer brand. Everything is 50 to 80% less than similar brands

[00:09:21] because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. I always recommend the Quince cashmere sweater because it's great for virtually any occasion. Unbelievably soft and the fit is perfect. And don't forget, Quince has hotel quality bedding, cookware, and travel essentials. Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers or go to quince.com slash OHD. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.

[00:09:51] Now available in Canada and the UK too. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash OHD. Dr. Neal Malik here for my commentary. As today's author Jane said, pull-ups are a challenging exercise and why I would avoid them like the plague. Jane also mentioned something that I found especially helpful in my experience. Strengthening the biceps and forearms.

[00:10:18] I would perform exercises that help target those muscles specifically. That's because these muscles support the pull-up movement. I would also perform other back exercises like bent-over rows and single-arm rowing movements. Then, I would practice performing assisted pull-ups. Now, I didn't have the benefit of having an assisted pull-up machine at home where I would typically work out. So, I bought one of those pull-up bars that attaches right in the middle of your doorway

[00:10:46] and then I would use a very stable chair to place one foot on. So, I'd place one foot on the again very stable chair to help get my chin over the bar. Over time, I needed less and less pushing with my foot to get my chin over the bar. Then, one magical day, I was finally able to complete one pull-up without any help. Once that happened, it was like the floodgates opened. So, if you struggle with pull-ups,

[00:11:15] I promise there's hope. If I can do it, I promise you can do it too. Alright, that'll do it for today. I'll be back here tomorrow for our usual Friday Q&A. So, definitely stay tuned for that where your optimal life awaits.