Oct. 24th:

Today IPK had a session, but it was raining on and off, so we didn't get to do much.  I had had a cold anyways, so i took it easy.

After the session, i went on a four mile bike ride (two uphill, two down).  I was planning on training at a playground, but there were film students so I just ended up taking pictures for IPK.

Worked on upper body strength- did about 15 (modified) dips and 5 full dips.

Crabwalked upper the stairs, since I still cant do a full backwards QM up, QM'd back down

erm... not much. we practiced dive rolls, and frisbie and charles did a couple vaults... and then we hid from the rain for about an hour on and off

Divebombers!!!!! Good girl

Congratulations on realizing and deciding to go past these barriers that are hindering your training. Congrats on the climb up as well. You seem to be making progress.

Aaaalllllrighty lets dive into this one here. You have the goal to be able to do a muscle up, and that will do for now.

First I have a couple questions. What are "Modified" pullups?

Also, crunches are somewhat... useless, they serve no real purpose. I would suggest kicking them from your workout.

In order to start working towards your goal of being able to do a muscle up, there are a few things you should be doing, mainly pullups and dips (working climbups during training helps too)


Start doing pullups (From a deadhang) until you are able to do 5-10 in a single set, same for dips.  Make sure that when you are pulling up, you pull the bar as low as you can (aim for mid chest, I generally use my nipples as a good marking point) on each rep. Same goes for Dips. Work them on parallel bars if you can, or in between chairs, or even on a counter corner. Lower yourself as low as you can (Again, nipples are a good reference point). Make sure to push/pull as explosively as you can, your goal is to shoot yourself as high as possible

Also work your climbups,so you can begin to develop that transitional strength, and get a feel for the motion of a muscle up (Not exact, but somewhat similar).

Once you can do 5-10 deadhang pullups and full ROM dips, you're probably ready to start trying the muscle up (its about where I started). Look through some tutorials and try it with a good kip. Just keep working towards it, you will get it.

A good way to go about working pullups and dips is a system called "Grease the Groove". Basically, do about 75% of your max 5 or so times a day. (So if you can do an absolute max of 6 pullups, do 4 every time you pass under a bar or find a place to do dips)

Add when you can, maybe 1 rep per set every other day or so.

Good luck

rebecca- i cant kong quite yet... 



Hi Jake... to answer your first question, a modified pullup is a horizontal pullup with the feet resting, so as not to use the whole body weight.  It's a progression to a regular pullup.  Meaning, I can't do a dead hang pullup.  I haven't been able to do a pull up since I broke my wrist a year and a half ago, b/c of injury time and recovery.  In case you just read my last post and skipped the others, I have ZERO upper body strength.  Also, what ab workouts would you recommend? I know crunches and situps are what most people who have no  money or access to a gym use.  I am working hard on this progression, I'm sure I'll use your advice once I can actually do a pull up again.

Thanks again!


PS: nipples might not be as good a reference point for females o.O

Hannah- Modified pullups kill me. Vlad and I had a competition to see who could do the most for the fitness test, I beat him with 27 in like 30 seconds, haha. And I bet you're kong's better than mine.

Jake, the nipple thing made me laugh as well, haha.