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Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 2 2008 11:55:42
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brittas
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I got quite good at these a while ago, and reapted the rewards with a wider back.
But after a short break from training, I can't seem to get past 4 reps, and the width on my back just isn't there.
I used to train with my mate who held my feet for the last few reps, and sure enough the reps went up every week until I could do 3 x 8 on my own.
Now I train on my own what should I do?
Keep at them and hope my strength increases, or have a break from them, and do some heavy lat pulldowns to try and increase my back strength?
See, as I'm doing so few reps (4, 3, 2) I feel like my lats aren't getting worked at all.
Any advice?
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 2 2008 13:21:26
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Lord Monkcheese
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How long a break was this? You've gone from 3x8 to 4/3/2, is that right?
Have you put on a significant amount of weight since last doing them?
You could:
use a slightly narrower grip.
use the same wide grip but perform negatives by stepping on something to get you into position then lower yourself under control
change rep range from 3x8 to 8x3
If you were doing more reps before and your weight hasn't changed much, the likelihood is you'll soon be repping more like what you were doing previously.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 2 2008 13:33:11
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brittas
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Cheers for the reply.
I suppose there are a few factors involved. I did 3 x 8 sometime ago and I had a break due to having a baby.
I hit and miss for a while and didn't hit 3 x 8, but wasn't as bad as I am now.
I had a month break, then started my new job. I now train on a morning before work and I have my consistancy back. I'm slowly getting my strength back up and adjusting to morning training, but my WGC's aren't getting any better.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 2 2008 13:38:45
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DC77
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It takes a bit of time to get into chins I find.
When I have had a layoff from chins I work back from the total number of reps so for example if training 5 x 5 - 25 reps i try to get 25 reps total this may take me 7 sets or 8 sets etc.
To get good at chinning you have to do chins.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 2 2008 17:52:31
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cliff_vtr
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IMO dont go real wide it just makes the movement hard and reduces its range, making it less effective.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 3 2008 7:04:57
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T0NY
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I keep my grip to just outside shoulder width.
I found with chins it really was a case of just consistantly banging away at it.
If one week I managed to get a total of 10 reps over 3 sets then the week after I'd try and get 11 over the same sets. If I couldn't then I'd do an extra set.
Didn't take long to get up to sets of 10 then I started adding weight.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 3 2008 7:33:28
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TREBOR
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Do pulldowns instead.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 3 2008 7:38:02
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T0NY
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quote:
ORIGINAL: TREBOR
Do pulldowns instead.
LOL, the easy way out 
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 3 2008 10:17:54
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cliff_vtr
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quote:
ORIGINAL: T0NY
I keep my grip to just outside shoulder width.
bang on
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 4 2008 18:43:58
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Reg*
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Do pulldowns for a while
I used to be able to do like 2 WG chins, I then started training lat pulldown insted for a while. The other day in the gym I decided to try widegrips and I could get 8 out easy and this was me being about 10kg heavier than when I could only do 2.
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RE: Struggling with Wide grip chins - May 4 2008 19:00:00
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Mortimer
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Plug away at them. IMO theres this big myth that if you have a nice wide grip it'll make the lats wider etc etc and i've personally nearly always stuck to underhand chins, hammer grip chins or overhand pullups but with hands about shoulder width..maybe a tiny bit wider and i've never had problems with back width.
But as per the original question, again i'd still say if you have the patience stick with the Chins/Pullups rather than opt for pull downs. Only in my opinion of course.
< Message edited by Mortimer -- May 4 2008 19:01:45 >
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