Calisthenics

We’ve all grabbed a bar and tried to hit a few chin up reps before – whether it’s at the gym or down at the park as a kid, it’s almost an instinct to try and do a set of chin-ups when a bar presents itself! As mature(ish) adults we like to take things more seriously, so if we want to actually TRAIN our chin up, just what grip width should we use to get the most bang for our training-buck? At a glance… Most people should start with a ‘normal’, shoulder width grip for their chin ups Narrow grip …

Chin up grip width: How WIDE should you go?! Read More »

Hammer grip pull ups are performed with the palms of your hands facing each other. From a dead hang pull yourself up until your chin is above your hands. Sound simple? Well there is a BIT more to it than that… At a glance… Hammer grip pull ups are easier than traditional pronated pull ups, but harder than chin ups Follow the 4 steps below to perform a PERFECT neutral grip pull up The hammer grip is FAR easier on your shoulder and elbows – ideal if you are rehabilitating from an injury The downside is the need for a …

4 steps to the PERFECT hammer grip pull up! Read More »

Forearm (and elbow) pain when weightlifting is, unfortunately, pretty common. I’ve experienced it a few times in my lifting career to date and each time it takes me by surprise how debilitating it can be as they are the supporting muscles in a TON of movements so LOADS of things end up being sore! Chin ups specifically trigger forearm pain in lots of people – fortunately there are a few easy ways to troubleshoot the basic issues which I’ve used up over the years to self diagnose some of the simpler injuries I’ve faced which have – fortunately – been …

Chin up induced forearm pain: Causes and cures Read More »

Chin ups vs pull-ups – the great debate! When we start training it’s one of the first things we try (and fail) – or at least it was for me! Throughout my training history I’ve ALWAYS found chin ups easier than pull-ups and most people find the same. Even if you’ve frantically trained your chin up attempting max set of pull-ups can be humbling. So what is the ideal ratio of chin ups vs pull ups? Let’s jump in and take a look. At a glance… Chin ups and pull ups are very similar, with chin ups being a little …

Chin up to pull up ratio: Is there a magic number? Read More »

With the summer around the corner (or what passes for summer here in the UK!) I’m revisiting something I have never QUITE managed to pull off – a GARDEN gym! Yep – moving from the garage to the garden.  That is harder than it sounds with a climate as varied as it is here in the UK – the constant threat of rain means a permanent base outside can be… Challenging! Which brings me to Parallettes – a cheap, portable and viciously effective way to train if you are prepared to put the hard yards in to LEARN how to use them. They’re super easy to pick up to …

The BEST parallettes in the UK (2 choices!) Read More »

I’d had my eye on these for a few months before I bit the bullet and ordered a pair of the Bulldog Large Paralletes to review. Having mistakenly overlooked these as a training tool for YEARS I wanted to share my review with everyone. So what made me want to give them a go? Ultimately after some research I realised what an awesome tool they are to to amp up my GPP (general physical preparedness) days! Abs, triceps, obliques, deltoids – you name it, I have been working them with these the Bulldog large parallettes. Here’s my review: At a …

THE “Bulldog Parallettes – Large” review (10/10) Read More »

I admit it – I find it easy to get overly excited by gym equipment… To the point where I ordered not one but TWO pairs of Bulldog Parallettes to review for the site! Let’s take a look at the smaller version today – I hope you enjoy the review, and if you’re on the fence choosing between the tall or short bars then maybe just do what I did and buy BOTH 🙂 Now jump in to find out why I think these are one of the best pairs of parallettes available in the UK… At a glance… Tall vs short parallettes is a personal decision …

My Review of the Small Bulldog Parallettes (9/10) Read More »