I think it’s a good idea to have the ability to stop at any point during most strength training exercises (excluding some ballistic exercises: e.g. the clean and jerk). Having isometric strength throughout the full range of motion will ensure that you’re not training something that your body is not ready for yet. If you can’t stop and hold a pose during a particular range of motion, then chances are, you’re having to force yourself past that point when you’re doing sets of multiple repetitions, which isn’t an efficient, nor effective, approach to training. We should train to be strong throughout the entire range of motion of each exercise we perform.

Now, I’ve already posted several pullup training tutorials and workout programs over the years (see links at the bottom), and many of you have written to me expressing how proud you are of yourselves since you’re now able to dominate this popular, yet challenging, exercise. But today, I want to find out how long you can survive just one maximum-duration pullup.

Here is a video of my first attempt from earlier this morning.

My First Attempt at the 1 Minute Pullup Challenge

Note: I’d caution against trying this if you haven’t included some form of pulling exercise in your routine in the last few months. If that’s the case, spend at least a couple of weeks practicing your pullup technique to groove the movement pattern and secure some initial conditioning adaptations BEFORE attempting this test.

Tips For Maximizing Your Performance

Obviously, adhering to proper technique will get you the most mileage out of this test, but here are a few other things that will help, too.

1) Going up is harder than going down. Take your time on the ascent (concentric portion) of the repetition and the descent will take care of itself. If you time the ascent right, and manage to make it to the top, then when all else fails, just try to hold on for dear life to extend your time.

2) Unless you’ve never trained in this way before, use a neutral grip (parallel bar grip at approximately shoulder width apart) to maximize muscle recruitment. If that’s not available, then simply choose the style that you’re most familiar with.

3) Keep a steady exhale going throughout the duration of the set, and when necessary, allow a little bit of air to get sucked back into your lungs by relaxing your throat (without actively inhaling).

Scoring

Level 1 (beginner) – 30 seconds total (approximately 15 seconds up, 15 seconds down) – You’re just getting your feet wet, but you’ve ensured a good base to build off from in the future.

Level 2  (intermediate) – 1 minute total – You’ve got a solid foundation of conditioning in this exercise now – well done.

Level 3 (advanced) – 2 minutes total – Now, you’re just showing off. Quit making the rest of us look bad!

Level 4 (mastery) 3 minutes total – This is simply for bragging rights. You have some character flaws that happen to come with fitness benefits. Carry on.

If you try it out, please post your results below!

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P.P.S. Hat tip for this challenge goes to bodybuilding expert, Marc David, who is a contributor at the Burn The Fat Inner Circle.

More Pullup and Chinup Training Information:

The Right Way to do Pullups and Chinups

How to Rapidly Increase Your Pullup Numbers in 3 Months or Less

How to Achieve Your First Unassisted Pullup

9 Different Types of Pullups (Demo Video)

Kipping Pullups VS Deadhang Pullups

Doorway Pullup Bar – Product Review

Now, let’s see here:

• Dropping barbell on head – check
• Filing down teeth from excessive gritting – check
• Knees bowing inward/outward during jerk catch phase of the lift – check
• Breaking spinal alignment – really check!
• Hyper-extending neck – check
• Nearly being crushed by barbell – check
• Trying to do something again that you clearly couldn’t do the first time – check
• Not paying attention while barbell falls to the floor – check
• Bent elbows during the clean portion of the lift – check
• Lifting weights that are clearly too heavy for you – double-check
• Nearly killing oneself in the pursuit of better health – check

And if that wasn’t enough already, here’s a little snippet I took from the Youtube video description (bolding mine):

“Taken from an event with veteran CrossFit athletes. Hitting axle clean and jerks. Supervised by Strongman Certified Coaches. Axle weight is about 10-15lbs. This lift is not a standard Clean and Jerk.”

So, those are veteran CrossFit athletes, eh? I can see that. Although, I’ll be honest when I say I’ve seen a lot of scary things both online and offline, but I’ve never seen anything this bad. And if that’s what we can expect from veteran CrossFit athletes, then I think there’s no hope for this community. They will continue to churn out very fit-looking, albeit broken people.

Of course, they’ve made sure to inform us that “This lift is not a standard Clean and Jerk.”

REALLY? I couldn’t tell. For a second there, I almost thought I was watching the Continental Clean and Jerk, but it couldn’t be that… Actually, it doesn’t look like a standard anything, except maybe a standard operating procedure for herniating a spinal disk, dislocating a shoulder, or giving yourself a sudden brain aneurysm.

It’s good to know these good people were “supervised by Strongman Certified Coaches,” too, because that makes everything so much safer and acceptable. Give those guys a raise!

All kidding aside, I know that not all CrossFit gyms would allow this type of nonsense to happen. The quality of CrossFit training has entirely to do with the individual professionals doing the coaching, and the standards of quality control upheld at each particular gym. But suffice to say, CrossFitters are infamous for neglecting basic technique methods in exchange for higher intensity, or a new personal record.

Now, I know some CrossFitters who clearly do not match the description above, and I’ve also spoken before about the positive aspects of CrossFit here and here. So, that’s why I’m hopeful when I announce…

A Challenge to the CrossFit Community

I’m busting out the BIG #1 HEADER because I want everyone to see this.

I’d like to see one – JUST ONE – CrossFit workout video where everyone shown is using good technique in whatever exercises are being performed – preferably by a group of athletes (not just one or two). If you know of one, please post a link in the comments below.

Honestly, I’ve watched dozens of CrossFit videos over the years, and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen one where everyone was using good, or at least fair, technique. Most of the time, I’m looking for the odd guy or gal who is actually adhering to most of the common technique recommendations, and I literally have a hard time finding them. I see this as a fundamental problem with the CrossFit system. Using good technique in an exercise program is just one of the BASICS, folks, and an extremely important one at that.

So, the first person who finds a CrossFit video that passes my technique rating meter (completely based on my judgment) will win a free coaching video not available to the public.

And you’ll get Siffer-points if it’s footage taken from the CrossFit Games.

So, CrossFitters, what say ye?

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Of course, you have the usual culprits of over-extending the neck backwards, and letting the hips sag, both of which detract from spinal alignment, and thus, greatly inhibit maximal strength and power potential. But even people who do pushups with a “flat back” often still haven’t learned how to truly push something with optimal alignment, range of motion, breathing, and ultimately with the greatest force production potential. You’ve got guys and gals who can successfully flex their triceps, delts, and pec muscles, but still don’t know how to actually transfer immense force into something in front of them (i.e. the ground) again and again.

Given that this is such a foundational strength training exercise that provides a host of benefits, I wanted to finally give it the attention it deserves. Check out the following video to learn exactly how to do pushups with optimal technique – including some subtle nuances in the movement that have the potential to sky-rocket your performance and pushup numbers. Even if you’ve been doing pushups for a long time, you’ll probably learn something new that will help you to do pushups even better.

How to do Pushups with Optimal Technique

Note: much of what applies to the plank exercise is also relevant in the pushup. Click here to check out a detailed plank instructional video that will help you refine some of the primary pushup technique points.

Pushup Technique Tips to Help You Master Proper Pushup Form

If you learn how to do pushups with optimal technique, you will ensure that you squeeze as much benefit out of every repetition as possible – and that means more results and less injuries. So, here are the main coaching points for the pushup exercise, in order of importance (they’re all important to a degree):

1. Hand positioning – Hands should be placed directly underneath your elbows, which should be directly beneath your shoulders. Make two vertical pillars with your arms, instead of allowing your hands to deviate either inward or outward. Spread your fingers, and grip the ground with your hands during the exercise.

2. Elbow positioning – Elbows should be fully extended and externally rotated in the top position – elbows pits facing forward. This direction is to be maintained throughout the entire range of motion. During descent and ascent, elbows should be kept tight into the torso, and should track just off of the ribs – NOT flaring out to the sides.

3. Shoulder positioning – Shoulders should be packed down onto the ribs (ie stabilized on the core) throughout the entire range of motion. Pull the shoulders directly downwards in relation to your torso (the opposite motion of a shoulder shrug) to pack them down properly. Do not allow the shoulders to unpack during any part of the exercise.

4. Spinal alignment – Keep the spine neutral throughout the entire range of motion, lengthening it in both directions. Reach with the crown of your head above and away from your body (in combination with shoulder pack), and also reach your tailbone in the opposite direction with a slight tailbone tuck as described below.

5. Hip activation – Tuck your tailbone down and rotate your pelvis backward slightly with a gentle abdominal and gluteal contraction (in combination with an exhale – see below). Think of a dog tucking its tail between its legs.

6. Leg and foot positioning + leg drive – Resting on ball of foot, the feet should be placed about hip-width apart, if possible. Deviating from this position will not likely affect the performance of the exercise much, but a hip-width stance allows for optimal leg drive, which can be accomplished by extending the knees to lockout and pressing the heels backwards. Maintain this leg drive throughout the entire range of motion of the exercise.

7. Breathing – For most people, exhaling during the effort portion of the exercise is ideal. So, when pushing yourself up, that’s when you perform a strong exhale. When lowering yourself back down, allow a passive inhale to get sucked back into your lungs, but don’t actively breathe in, which will over-oxygenate your blood and possibly make you lightheaded.

8. Range of motion – Descend as deeply as your range of motion allows, until either a) your chest/sternum touches the floor, or b) you cannot maintain one of the above technique cues. Ascend until achieving full elbow lock.

Wrap-Up

Using optimal technique in your exercise program is not just the best way to train, it’s the only way to train if you want to succeed for the long-term. When you integrate all of the above components into the pushup exercise, you ensure that ongoing improvements can be made over the long term because you’re practicing optimal technique. If you’re using a less efficient technique or if you’re neglecting one or two of the components, then you put a limit on your performance right from the start. Train smart and watch your performance skyrocket!

More Information:

5 Steps to Master the Front Spinal Wave Exercise

Sophisticated Pushups Using Elbow Rotation

Are Pushup Handles Really That Great?

The Pushup Board: Review of the Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

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Here are 5 incrementally more challenging versions of the burpee exercise that will help you build a foundation of conditioning in prep for the traditional burpee and the many advanced variations thereof. Even if you’ve done burpees before, you’ll find benefits from working on the components in this video.

5 Beginner Level Burpee Exercises

Note: If you’re struggling with achieving a deep rock-bottom squat, then check out this video for tips to improve your squat range of motion.

Technique Instructions

Level 1 – Squat down to the depth that you’re comfortable. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, and then place your feet back behind you one at a time. Once you have stabilized in the top portion of a pushup position, place your feet back forward, until your knees are beside your elbows. Push back until you are flat footed in the bottom squat position. Press your feet into the ground until you are standing again.

Level 2 – Squat down to the depth that you’re comfortable. Place your hands on the ground in front of you, and then place your feet back and knees down onto the ground – one at a time. Perform one knee pushup, going down as far as you are able. Place your feet back into the forward position, get into your rock-bottom squat position, and stand back up.

Level 3 – Squat down, and once you’ve gotten into the rock-bottom squat position, bounce/kip the feet back into the top of pushup position. Once you have stabilized, bounce/kip your feet back forward, achieve flat foot squat stance, stand back up.

Level 4 – Squat down, kip your feet back, perform a pushup, kip your feet forward, achieve flat foot squat stance, stand back up.

Level 5 (classic burpee exercise) – Squat down, kip your feet back, perform a pushup, kip your feet forward, achieve flat foot squat stance, perform a squat jump.

Wrap-Up

Well, there you go – 5 beginner level burpee exercises to help you build up to the classic burpee and beyond. If you’d like a complete burpee workout, using some less conventional burpee exercises, then please check out my article: Beyond Burpees – 3 Ground-Engagement Bodyweight Workouts.

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