100 Pull-Ups a Day Challenge
Introduction
This is a repost from my old Reddit post in 2019.
I wanted to share my experience with you all after completing a month-long challenge of doing 100 pull-ups a day.
The method I used was Greasing the Groove (GTG). If you are reading this blog, you are likely familiar with it. It’s a high-frequency, submaximal training method. Essentially, you perform sets of 50%-80% of your maximum pull-up repetitions throughout the day, with long rest periods between sets, and you never push to fatigue.
The execution
During my initial test, I could only do 10 pull-ups with very poor form. So, I started the first day with 6 pull-ups per set, completing 10 sets for a total of 60 pull-ups.
I aimed to increase the number of sets or repetitions each day. Finally, I reached my goal of 100 pull-ups on the eleventh day.
After that, I focused on form rather than the number of repetitions. I concentrated on pulling up to my chest and keeping my legs straight. I also incorporated more challenging variations, such as L-sit pull-ups.
Unfortunately, I caught the flu towards the end of the challenge. After two days of rest, I performed my final test.
I was able to do 11 chest-to-bar pull-ups. While the increase in my maximum repetitions wasn’t substantial (possibly due to the flu), my form improved significantly. If I didn’t focus on pulling to my chest, I could have done more repetitions, but that wasn’t my priority. And I can not only do pull-ups but also muscle-ups!
And while I understand that this method isn’t optimized for hypertrophy, I still experienced noticeable gains in my back (perhaps because I focused on form rather than repetitions).
Other factors that contributed to my success:
- I’m relatively short and light (170cm and 63kg).
- I have good endurance (I run about 50km a week).
Key Learnings and Insights
- Start small: and build up gradually.
- Form is important: Focusing on quality over quantity significantly improved my pull-up technique.