Starting tomorrow (Monday) we are in phase two of our program. Our exercises change as well as a slight change in diet. Anyway, starting this week, we're supposed to add chin-ups to our program. We read in the book that if necessary you should use an exercise band to help assist you with the chin-ups until you can do them on your own. So, we decided to try it out to see if it was going to be possible.
We got the largest, toughest band our gym had, and looped it around the bar. Pam (my workout partner) tried it first. She held onto the bar, I helped her loop the band around her leg, and she stepped off the chair, putting herself hanging from the bar. Well, nothing happened. She grunted, and moaned, and didn't move...no matter how hard she pushed against the band with her leg.
So, we decided I would try it next, since I had a little more arm strength than her (even though I weight a lot more!). I decided I'd step onto the band instead of use my knee, to see if I could get some additional assistance from the band.
I held onto the bar, stepped off the chair and maintained a wonderful bent-arm-hang for about 10 seconds before dropping down (due to lack of strength). I tried to extend my leg so the band would help me pull myself back up, and nothing happened...well, nothing happened except for the band snapping. Yup. Just a warning, when a band snaps that was stretched that much, it's pretty much like you'd imagine a giant rubber-band snapping. It did get a piece of my thigh, and I have a huge purple welt to prove it.
After reviewing the FAQ's on the web-site of the program we're following, and her YouTube video, it became apparent that there are SPECIAL bands you use for things like that. Our gym obviously doesn't have them, but they are available for purchase. They are much stronger, and meant to support the weight of a person's body.
A few (well, a lot) of laughs later, and $50, I have ordered the proper band, and sometime the middle of next week, hopefully we'll be able to do our chin-ups with proper assistance, and minimal damage.
Below is the description of the chin-ups with the band:
"Chin ups are a great full body, "bang for your buck" exercise in fact you'll even be sore in your abs after you do them...but I understand that they are also not always realistic for everyone to do right away. There a number of options you can do instead. Obviously doing the actual chin ups with the band is the first choice. Get yourself some bands from www.performbetter.com of all different widths and use the chin up bar in a squat rack and wheel a bench over to get up there. "
Here is the link to the video if you're interested in watching it. :)
HA HA HA! I truly was laughing when I read this. My new workout, P90X, has a lot of chin ups in the chest and back workout, but I cannot even do a single one. I use the bands, but loop them over the top of my chin up bar and kneel on one knee. If you bend forward so the bottom or your rib cage is touching the top of your leg, it somewhat simulates chin ups. Once I build up some strength, then I'll use a chair...Glad you weren't hurt!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh, I do feel better! "Any female can do a chin-up" I'll work on that. haha
ReplyDeleteBeth, where did you get your band? The ones recommended are around $50 each, and you're supposed to work yourself down from super-strong bands, to the slightly supportive ones. We figure if we buy all 4, it would be $200. I'm not feeling like forking out that kind of $ for the chance to do some chin-ups.
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