| Pullups are one of the best overall strength training | | | | upper body strength necessary to do pullups is by |
| exercises players can do in their hockey workouts and | | | | doing "negative" pullups. This means that instead of |
| they are often the most challenging. I recently saw that | | | | starting from a full hang and pulling yourself up to the |
| a member of the US National Hockey Team can do | | | | bar, you start at the top (by jumping up so that your |
| 29 pullups - and this was one of the women! I don't | | | | chin is over the bar) and then slowly lower yourself |
| care who you are - male or female, hockey player or | | | | down until your arms are fully extended under control. I |
| not - being able to do 29 pullups just plain impressive. | | | | usually start my young players off with 2 sets of 5 |
| So if you want to play elite level hockey, and you can't | | | | "negatives" with a 5 second lower. It is really important |
| even do one pull-up yet, how do you get to 29? | | | | not to let your body drop down from the top position |
| First off all, the average number of pullups (palms face | | | | quickly - you need to lower under control for 5 |
| away from you) for women playing in the national | | | | seconds (or more) in order to get the strength building |
| team programs in North America is 10. NHL players | | | | effects. |
| average between 15-20 pullups. Those numbers are a | | | | 3) Start With One: |
| lot more manageable than 29, but still pretty high if you | | | | If you have never done 1 pullup before, the idea of |
| are starting from zero. | | | | doing 10 (or 29!) is really daunting. Elite hockey players |
| Here are 3 ways that you can increase your chin-up | | | | don't just wake up one morning being able to do |
| scores: | | | | double-digit pullups. It takes years and years of work to |
| 1) Perfect Form Counts: | | | | be able to get there. First, you need to set a goal of |
| Every time I go to the gym, I see people doing pullups | | | | being able to do one pullup. You may not believe it |
| completely wrong (if I see anyone doing them at all). | | | | now, but once you can do 1 chin-up, doing 5 is easy. |
| The biggest mistake people make is that they don't | | | | Do the "negative" pullups described above for a month |
| lower themselves down into complete extension on | | | | or so, and then give a full pullup from a hanging position |
| each pullup. This means that each time you lower | | | | a shot. You might just surprise yourself. Doing your first |
| yourself down, your arms need to be straight. Most | | | | pullup is a huge accomplishment and should not be |
| people I see at the gym just bring themselves down | | | | taken lightly. Make sure you celebrate by telling |
| until their arms are at 90 degrees and go back up. | | | | everyone you know. |
| That may pad your pull-up stats in your own head, but | | | | Remember - Rome wasn't built in a day. No one can |
| those won't count when you are getting tested at the | | | | do 10 pullups the first time time out. But if you put in the |
| elite levels if hockey. You have to go all the way down | | | | work and dedicate yourself to getting better everyday, |
| on each repetition or it doesn't count. | | | | you will achieve your hockey training goals faster than |
| 2) Learn By Jumping: | | | | you ever thought possible and take your hockey |
| One of the most common ways to start building the | | | | performance to the next level. |