by Karen Bartuch

Unless you are Starla from Napoleon Dynamite, pull-ups pretty much suck for women. My original plan for this installment of Fight Like a Girl was to research the anatomical differences that account for the upper body strength disparities among men and women but then I though…who gives a crap? If you are a police officer, the bad guy certainly doesn’t care if you stand up or sit down when you piss. The same goes for the enemies our military females encounter (unless it’s to increase antipathy to an even higher level). Pull-ups are not insurmountable, they just require concentrated effort.

Here are a few tips on how to begin. No matter what your fitness level, these should help. There’s no reason you can’t own those effin pull-ups, woman.

First, do not accept failure. Certainly do not automatically dismiss the possibility of ever being able to do a pull-up or several, for that matter. I speak from experience on this. I went from the ability to do precisely ZERO pull-ups to unassisted double-digit reps. Aside from the added strength that pull-ups offer, you will see an aesthetic benefit as well. A more toned upper body is an extra bonus that happens fairly quickly.

Assisted tricep dip, can do pull-ups and/or chin-ups on the same machine

Almost every gym has an assisted pull-up machine which allows you to complete pull-ups, chin-ups or tricep dips with as much or as little amount of assistance necessary. Pictured below is a tricep dip, but there are  variety of pull-ups and chin-ups possible with the overhead grips. Select the appropriate weight, use the foot pegs, select your grip and kneel on the pad (which will move downward fast or slow depending on the amount of assisted weight) and aim for a set of 10-12 reps. Gradually decrease the amount of assisted weight each workout until you can complete unassisted.

Rubberbands are another good way to assist with your transition to unassisted pull-ups. The bands are available in various thicknesses, each providing a varied amount of assistance. The band is looped over the pull-up bar (detailed instructions provided with purchase of bands). You can place either one foot or both knees into the band and complete your set.

Just a girl? All the more reason to own those effin' pull-ups.

After a few weeks you should be able to perform pull-ups unassisted. Even if it is only one or two at first, keep at it and eventually all eyes will be on you at the gym as you wow everyone with your tremendous upper body strength – especially since you are just a girl. The last part is all the more reason to work hard and prove it can be done.

I highly recommend that you combine pull-ups with a complete weight training and cardio regimen. It is important to note the same applies for push-ups, typically not easy for women but with effort can be done. Look out for my first of a series of weight training articles complete with an entire body part split workout guide in the May issue of Law and Order magazine. The first body part covered is chest, your first step towards that set of 50 push-ups.

One last thing for the record: there is no such thing as “girl” push-ups – it’s either a push-up or it’s not.

About the author: Karen Bartuch is a veteran police officer of a major metropolitan agency. She has worked assignments in Counter-Terrorism, Gang unit, Targeted Response Unit, Intelligence and of course patrol. She is the founder and current President of the Women’s Tactical Association and remains as passionate a student as she is an instructor and like many of the WTA could easily be considered what editors of the BOLO Report call the “warrior scholar”. We are happy to have added her to the BOLO Report staff.