I have always been able to do pull ups – it was my university party trick that I was very proud of. At the beginning of November 2020 (going into the second UK national lockdown) I discovered that I couldn’t even do one! Coupled with the fact that my fit-as-fuck-rugby-playing little sister could – sent me into a real tail spin! There has always been a healthy rivalry between Ellen and I so she was gleeful that for once there was something climbing related that she could do better than me – I was furious!
Rugby was cancelled for the foreseeable future and the climbing gyms were all shut so in a bid to reclaim my pull up status in the family we built our own gym. Now we are each others accountability partners. We work out 4 to 5 times a week, sometimes together and sometimes apart. She is the strongest woman I know. Her grit and determination inspires me every day.
So three months ago I couldn’t do a pull up – Now I can do two and a half:
My Pull Up Routine is as follows:
40seconds Dead Hang from fingerboard
10 Scapula Shrugs
10 Reverse Pull Ups (lowering myself down rather than pulling up)
10 Pull ups with resistant bands
10 Push ups
I do this at the end of every workout.
