7 Pull Up Alternatives: To Increase Strength

People have different perceptions while choosing certain thing over other. We consume unhealthy food products cooked in unhygienic conditions because we do not the proportionate time and the will to prepare. We, in our busy day schedule do not have the determination to gather the courage in order to take a walk each day.

Gym in these circumstances teaches us discipline and we wouldn’t tend miss it even a single day as we have devoted our hard-earned money which will give us the motivation to take it seriously. But if you are devoted to strictly follow a work-out Schedule, here we have listed out 7 Pull up alternatives as you might not have a pull up bar 24/7 or the money to buy a doorway pull-up system.

1. Inverted Rows or Low Bar Pull or Wall MOUNT

If you are at the Gym, a smith machine can prove to be one of the most effective Pull up alternatives which is a bar at the length of your waist. It is similar to weightlifting but the only different being that you have to pull your body up, so you lie on the ground, keep your whole body straight and pull yourself up with the support of the row.

But if you are at home, you can choose any table which is of the length of your waist and can perform pull-ups in the similar way for about 10-15 times

2. Pull Up Alternatives With Resistance Bands/ Towel Rows

You can create your own Pull up alternatives techniques at home by using a towel or resistance bands. For this you can either choose a pillar or any handle at reasonable height so that your body remains standing straight. This kind of exercise is great for your lats and biceps.

If you are using a resistance band on a handle then throw it over the bar in such a way that it is divided in equal proportion on both the sides and then pull yourself up by looping it around your hands tightly.
If you are using towel rows on a handle then do it in the similar way as you did it with the resistance bands by throwing it over the bar and tie a knot at the top to prevent it from slipping and pull yourself up. Take due care while choosing a towel according to your pull-up strength and weight.
The pull up exercise is more effective with resistance bands as it regulates the strength you need to put while working on your lats.

But if you at the Gym, Half- kneeling Pull- downs could be one of the most efficient Pull up alternatives where you can perform pull ups with the help of resistance bands by

looping it around your hands tightly
Take a position of half-kneel down with front knee bend at 90 degrees.
Instead of pulling yourself up, pull the resistance band down near to your chest
Repeat it for 10-15 times

3. Pull Up Alternatives With Dumbbell

There are ample number of exercises which you can perform with the help of Dumbbell as it trains your biceps, rhomboids, lats and even your forearms.

The most common of all is Dumbbell Lat Pull down.

Stand straight up with dumbbell in each hand.
Raise the dumbbell over your head and held them in that position for about 1 minute.
Then slowly pull them down till your shoulders and held them in that position for 1 minute straight then rest.
It is a three-step exercise; first rest position, then position your dumbbell over your head, then onto your shoulders with a gap of 1 minute and repeat it 10-12 times. This type of exercise is helpful for your Arms & Upper Back.

2. RENEGADE ROW

To begin with such a style of exercise you need to stand in a high plank position with both the hands on your dumbbell.
Then slowly pull one side of the dumbbell near to your chest for 30 seconds and pull it down to the same rest position.
Repeat this with the other side and so on and so forth for about 7-10 times. It is beneficial for our chest, shoulders, triceps.

4. Plank

Plank are one of the best Pull up alternatives in a way that does not require any sort of involvement by any equipment. You can perform them at your home without making any efforts to arrange things.

ELBOW PUSH UPS

Lie straight on the ground with your elbows in plank position placing them at an inch distance from your shoulders.
Keep your legs and the whole body straight.
Then push both your extended arms at the same time and then back to rest position.
Repeated this for about 10-12 times.
This type of exercise will help your shoulders and your upper body.

5. Floor Push Ups

This is in fact one of most commonly performed ‘Pull-up Alternatives’ exercise that you can do:

Lie down on floor and place your hands near your chest in align with your head.
Then horizontally pull yourself up and repeat.
Remember to keep your whole body straight.
Contract your body hard by pulling it down and up for best results.

6. Pull Up Alternatives With TRX PULL or Suspension Trainer

For those who work out at the gym, TRX pull and Suspension trainer can be a substitute and they are helpful for your lats and traps. Resistance bands and TRX Pulls are often compared. A general difference between both of them can be that TRX is a training method which suspends your body whereas resistance bands adds resistance which makes your exercise more challenging

COMPARING THE TWO: TRX VS RESISTANCE BANDS.

TRX is beneficial for Back, chest and leg exercise.
But it only focuses on involvement of specific muscle at a time whereas resistance bands are selected for targeting selected muscles even smaller muscles.
They are usually not considered to be portable and accessible in to carry in your day to day lifestyles as compared to resistance bands.
A major disadvantage of resistance bands is that they do not provide enough resistance to work on your serious muscles which means that you wouldn’t feel that you have worked out intensively even after doing so. Moreover, you need to buy a right resistance band for your body type or exercise performed to see results.

7. Pull Up Alternatives With LAT PULL DOWN, SUPINE LAT PULL DOWN and WIDE GRIP PULL DOWN

WIDE GRIP PULL DOWN

Sit on the seat comfortably and make sure that the knee pad secures you in the machine.
Then just like regular pull-ups hold the bar in such a way that your chest and shoulders are extended.
Pull the bar down for about 1-2 seconds then return to the rest position and repeat it for the next 10-12 minutes.
Remember to not put extensive weight on your Wide Grip Pull Down machine as it can lead to an accident causing severe harm to your chest muscles.

2. SUPINE PULL DOWN

It requires an underhand grip which distinguishes it from wide grip pull down.
With the help of your Lat muscles pull the bar down.
Engage by pulling it towards chest in such a manner that your biceps should be flexed.
Remember to keep your shoulders blade or scapula in a triangular shape.

People who are determined and are health conscious have to maintain a strict workout schedule. There are times when we can’t afford gym or missed it due to some unforeseen reasons, so you need not worry as the all the mentioned Pull up alternatives are effective to maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle.