Zero to 10 Pull-Ups in 30 Days

The Truth About Pull-Ups

Most people can't do a pull-up because they've never trained for one. It's not a strength problem - it's a specificity problem. This plan fixes that.

Phase 1: Building the Base (Days 1-10)

Train daily. Each session takes 10-15 minutes.

• •Dead Hangs: 3x max hold (build to 30s+)
• •Band-Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x5-8 (use a band that lets you complete reps with good form)
• •Negative Pull-Ups: 3x3 (jump to top, lower yourself over 5 seconds)
• •Inverted Rows: 3x8-10

Phase 2: Getting Your First Rep (Days 11-20)

• •Dead Hangs: 2x30s
• •Negative Pull-Ups: 4x3 (slow 5-second lowering)
• •Band-Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x5 (use a lighter band than phase 1)
• •Attempt 1 strict pull-up each session
• •Inverted Rows (feet elevated): 3x8

Phase 3: Building Reps (Days 21-30)

• •Pull-Ups: 5 sets to near-failure (rest 2-3 min between sets)
• •If you get 0 on a set, do negatives instead
• •Grease the groove: do 1-2 pull-ups every time you walk past the bar throughout the day

The Grease the Groove Method

This is the secret weapon. Install a pull-up bar in a doorway. Every time you walk under it, do 40-50% of your max reps. Over a day, you accumulate serious volume without fatigue.

Common Mistakes

• •Kipping or swinging - defeats the purpose
• •Not doing enough negatives - these build strength fast
• •Only training pull-ups once a week - frequency is king for this movement