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Pull ups on rings vs bar

The Hulk

Active Member, Site Advertiser
Has anybody had any experience with pull ups on rings vs on a straight bar?
Which do you think is easier?

Just wondering because I could only ever do about 15 strict bodyweight chin ups in the past.
I'm quite weak now from not training for about 2 months and tried some bodyweight chin ups on the rings, and suprisingly got 18 strict reps out.

All I can figure from this is that ring chin ups must be considerably easier than chin ups on a bar.

Anybody else find the same?
 
We have 3 chinning apparatus in the gym.

we have the one on your rack Adrian, we have the greatest chinning bar ever made, custom job, supported from the middle, has give like a bar, and rings.

I think one of the reasons lifters sometimes get more reps on rings is they dont pull as high as there is no bar to place your chin over, I've seen this many times at PTC.

The lifter "feels" he is going high enough, but I can see theyre not.

Just an explination.
 
I don't know Markos.

Just went to re-check my form and was definately getting my chin a good 3-6 inches above top of closed fists at shoulder width.
Elbows were going all the way back, so chin was well above fists at the top.

My only explaination is that I've dropped bodyweight from not training, but am also weaker, so thought that would cancel it out.
 
Could it be that the rings have some movement in them allowing you to move more freely along your strongest path., using a bar your hands remain static. You could also get a tad more swing on the rings, making it easier.

I know I can do muscle ups on rings but not on a bar.
 
Better grip and what PTC said (but you seem to have checked into that).
Posted via Mobile Device
 
BW could make a massive difference. When I was 71kg, I was cranking out a good 18 reps, although I had not done any weight training then so I was much much weaker than I am now at 80~81kg, yet I can only do 7-8.
 
are we talking rings with arms out to the side and grip replicating a chin up? or neutral grip where your arms are more out the front with elbows into your sides?

if neutral grip i thought that involved the bicep and made it easier to perform? i do them at the park on occassion and it hammers my biceps and into my forearm something fierce.
 
Do the exercise which is harder.

One thing to consider though, the older lifter and the oft injured lifter should probably stick to the neutral/parallel grip pullup.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
I just tried this again, still untrained, but wide grip on straight bar.
Suprisingly, got 18 full reps again.
So, results seem to be the same for me on rings or straight bar.

The strange thing I find is that, both these results were untrained for at least 2-3 months.
However, when I am training semi regularly, I can only ever get maybe 12-15 reps ???

This last effort was fasted too.
Only had a single bacon and egg roll for breakfast and did the pull ups late afternoon.
This was after doing max reps of 21 dips with 20% bodyweight added (16.25kg).
Never done this before.

I seem to be as strong, or stronger while untrained ?
 
Ring pulls would be better because they'd use more stabilisers but a standard chinning bar will get the job done for most bodybuilding/powerlifting purposes.
 
did someone make you angry before you did them? :)

No, but it was a challenge with my workmate for max reps, and he's a regular and consistent trainee for years.

He got 20 dips with 20%BW.
I went 2nd and thought I'd get maybe 12 or 15, but some how got 21, just because I had to beat him.

Then we did pull ups.
He only got 11.
I thought I'd get 14 or 15, but got to 18.

It's an amazing thing how the mind can produce extra strength when challenged.
 
There are a lot of things at play when comparing pull ups.

The length of the stroke is paramount but also in the way that on the rings it allows for rotation of the connecting arm. On the bar, obviously if you start with a prone grip you finish with a prone grip, With the rings, they are on a frictionless plane, only stable in one plane of motion.

Its very easy to be under a misapprehension when comparing pull up results.

*A supine grip, or starting in the prone position and rotating into a supine position, involves rotation to recruit more musculature than the prone grip on a fixed bar.

* Its not just how far you go up (chin touch/chest touch), its also how far you come down (rotation of the humeral head at the bottom) and scapulae elevation.

*The movement of the rings themselves enables you to store energy in them and change the angle of the pull.

* Then there is whether they are dead hang with a pause or with a slight or full kip. Using the whole body and kipping either as in a locomotive action or as single kipping reps all influence the ease of the pull up.
 
Last edited:
Hey guys, did a search on my question before posting and found this thread. Hope it's OK to dig it up as it's kinda related...?

Instead of a bar, I have a 1-inch nylon strap looped overhead (about shoulder width apart). So I slip my hands through the loops, hang on and do my pull-ups/chin-ups, whatever. It's just like rings except I'm not limited by (or improving my) grip strength.

Primarily trying to target my biceps, I keep my palms facing me throughout (rather than allowing them to rotate throughout the motion as suggested above). Again, this is because I want to activate my biceps as much as possible throughout the movement.

My general assumption is: With the straps, there is a lot more stabiliser action and possibly less stress on my elbows.

My question is: Does that mean that the workout is less concentrated on the muscles I want to work? I.e. yes, the straps seem harder to do, but does that mean I'm actually working my BICEPS harder?

Disclaimer: Newbie.
 
I've never understood why people do a movement that primarily works your back muscles to try and target the arms.
If you want bigger biceps, do curls. If you want to work your back, then do pullups, rows etc.

With regards to grip, I would go to failure using your hands first and then a couple more with straps. If you stick with the method you have been using, you'll end up with a weak grip that will hinder all your other lifts and forearms that are out of proportion to your upper arms
 
I've never understood why people do a movement that primarily works your back muscles to try and target the arms.
If you want bigger biceps, do curls. If you want to work your back, then do pullups, rows etc.

With regards to grip, I would go to failure using your hands first and then a couple more with straps. If you stick with the method you have been using, you'll end up with a weak grip that will hinder all your other lifts and forearms that are out of proportion to your upper arms

The arm fatigues much earlier, before any real significant fatigue or inroad is made on the larger back muscleture.

once you know this, it is understood why the chin-up / pull-up is a very good arm exercise
 
I have no doubt it works the arms, just don't understand why people sway towards a close underhand grip to target the biceps rather than a wide overhand grip. Is it because the exercise is a lot more difficult to perform?
 
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