why oh why?!

[Llamageddon]

Right intelligent people.

Why is it that when I do normal grip pull ups (see fig. 1) I can only do 1 or 2 pull ups (yes, I am embarassed), but when I use a slightly narrower grip (fig. 2) I can do lots more? It doesn't seem to be that big a difference, but everything just seems more... effortless?

FIG 1.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/dirtyleftie/normalgrip.jpg

FIG 2.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/dirtyleftie/narrowgrip.jpg

[jwt]

Muscle recruitment.

Over to fish, slip, coma or cosmic for the better explanation of specifics. :)

[Llamageddon]

Muscle recruitment.

Over to fish, slip, coma or cosmic for the better explanation of specifics. :)

My eyes have been opened, John :p

I bet it's because I'm using my biceps more :( I hope it's not, but I bet it is

[Fish Of Doom]

film yourself doing them, see how your shoulder girdles move. that should tell you which muscles you're using with each grip, and let you strengthen them separately.

afaik, wider grip pullups use the back a bit more, particularly the lats, so maybe the weakness is in your arms?

[Gary]

jwt nailed it. Wider grips recruit a lot more of the back, so your arms are probably stronger than your back (for this exercise!). I could go into muscle groups and all that but if an exercise is hard it's usually a good sign you should do it more often.

Try something like Grease the Groove for a wider grip pull up.

[Moi]

You're not the only one

[Fish Of Doom]

d'oh, i got it backwards :p

work your lats then :D