# Do You Ever Experience Mental Blocks on progress



## transcend2007 (Jul 30, 2014)

I'm on week 4 of my test cyp 750mg 300mg Mast P (soon to be 450mg) per week.

I am making good progress on some exercises and none on others.

As an example I'm up to benching 255 lbs for 4 reps (225 for 12) which is a huge improvement for me (I am a 48 year desk jockey - just to give you some context).  Other lifts like rows, dead lifts, squats also all up.

But, pull ups have not moved.  I could do 7 before I can do 7 now....WTF????

Am I experiencing mental block here or do some exercise improve and others not so much?

Today this 5'5" bean pole who was right next to me while I was doing my pull-ups strapped on a 45 lb plate to his waist and proceeded to knock out 12 reps perfect form (no kick or sway - was fvcking impressive).  How is tar-nation do I do that?

I am starting to think I have a problem with gravity.  I am 5'10" and weigh 210 lbs  (so its not like I am a huge porker).

Any of you guys experience nice increase in some exercises on cycle and other not so much?


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jul 30, 2014)

Has your bodyweight gone up? If so then you're doing more work in the same amount of reps. Another factor is when in your workouts are you doing the pull-ups? Doing them at the end will have accumulated fatigue from the rest of your workout limiting you from a true max.


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## Pinkbear (Jul 30, 2014)

I hate pull ups...
Probably cuz I can only do 10 max


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## transcend2007 (Jul 30, 2014)

Hey Doc, good point.....my weight is up about 7 pounds.  I do them first with the hopes I can eek out a few extra....lol  But, so far no luck.

Does it count if I do 25 with that rubber band strap that you step into like the girls do?  I can do them all day long when I use the rubber band....lol



Docd187123 said:


> Has your bodyweight gone up? If so then you're doing more work in the same amount of reps. Another factor is when in your workouts are you doing the pull-ups? Doing them at the end will have accumulated fatigue from the rest of your workout limiting you from a true max.


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## DF (Jul 30, 2014)

I can't do pullups my shoulders would divorce me.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jul 30, 2014)

transcend2007 said:


> Hey Doc, good point.....my weight is up about 7 pounds.  I do them first with the hopes I can eek out a few extra....lol  But, so far no luck.
> 
> Does it count if I do 25 with that rubber band strap that you step into like the girls do?  I can do them all day long when I use the rubber band....lol



Of course they count....just like hip thrusters in CF  lol

But if you've gone up 7lbs and doing the same amount of reps then you have gotten better at them.


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## j2048b (Jul 30, 2014)

Yeah pull ups are a bitch for me too, one way to over come pull up fatigue, is to do more sets thru out the day, hell 7 is 7, but broken down thru out the day, u can get way more than 7, switch to pull downs and focus on the scapula and rear delta imo, then thru out the day bust out pull ups when ever possible, u will break that plateau, after a while u shod be able to do more per set then u first did, ive done this in the past at just say 2 pull ups super setted with my back routine, and i was able to work up to a few sets of 10, yeah it took me a very long as time, but shit of u do this thru out the day a few at a time ull build up that scapular/rear delt area and it will work over time, 

Hell i hardly do pull ups any more, but thats one way i was able to work out that plateau....


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## woodswise (Jul 31, 2014)

My pullups got a lot better after I improved my mind muscle connection to my back muscles, and stopped bringing my knees up while doing them.  

Now I keep  my feet behind me, and at the top, I squeeze the heck out of my back muscles, and pull my shoulder blades together.  My back is slightly arched when I do this and I am able to get my head way over the bar for the first time in my life, even on the last few reps.  And I am a big guy, weighing 215 lbs ATM!


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## BigGameHunter (Jul 31, 2014)

Yes everyone does, though in this case your issue is not mental.  Don't make it into one. 

Pull ups are a bitch when your starting out, your pulling over 200lbs.  Follow the advice in the two posts above and change your grips, go wide then narrow.  Variety will isolate other parts of your guns and slowly increase the bigger picture.


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## stonetag (Jul 31, 2014)

I believe forearms which equate to grip play a part in pull-ups, forearms fatigue quick in a pull-up. A lot of folks say just lifting strengthens forearms, which it does to a point, but nothing like some hard high rep forearm isolating exercises will do. Amazing what strong forearms can do for you. Make you a badass arm wrestler too. I'm 252 and bang out 15. JMO on the forearms.


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## anewguy (Jul 31, 2014)

I hit brick walls every ****ing day at the gym. There's always at least one set that I'm Unsatisfied with. Failure isn't necessarily a bad thing. Do the assisted pull ups and lower the weight of assistance each week... Or if using bands just grab a dumbbell and keep using bands. A little progress is still progress brother.


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## transcend2007 (Jul 31, 2014)

J20, Wood, BGH, Stone, and ANew all great advise.  I am going to incorporate these into my back routine.

You'll be calling me Tony Horton Jr. (the P90X guy that does 25 pull-ups) in no time and is 52.


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## BigGameHunter (Aug 26, 2014)

transcend2007 said:


> J20, Wood, BGH, Stone, and ANew all great advise.  I am going to incorporate these into my back routine.
> 
> You'll be calling me Tony Horton Jr. (the P90X guy that does 25 pull-ups) in no time and is 52.



Hows the pull ups going?


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## SuperBane (Aug 26, 2014)

I'm just going to throw this out there.
If you aren't already doing wide grip and reverse grip Lat pulldowns?
Add in 4 sets of each.
Concentrate on form and muscle activation before trying to go heavy.
(Don't sling the weight, Look for the pause. - As we all know but surely forget from time to time.)

This has improved my pull ups for sure. 
GL


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## stonetag (Aug 27, 2014)

Update Trans??


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## Luscious Lei (Aug 27, 2014)

stonetag said:


> Update Trans??



I heard trans?


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## transcend2007 (Aug 27, 2014)

Hi guys....I am trying some of the new things.....however at 210 pounds I am only up to 8......so like today...I was doing a warm-up set and then 4 sets.....so on my 4 sets I got 8, then 7, then grabbed the band got 15 (rubber band assisted), and 12 on my 4th using the band.

I have moved it to my first back exercise of the day.  So, I am really going to focus on getting those number up over the next few months.

I will say, back when I hurt my knee like 3 to 4 weeks ago I felt weaker over all....I am amazed just this week feel like I am back to full steam.  Pain really zapped me....and I hate to admit one of the weeks directly following my injury I missed 2 or 5 days and 1 out of 5 the next.

I also say to others getting to the gym is all about discipline and I will make no exceptions or excuses for myself.  I have simply changed my leg routine now to work around my knee which feels way better but not ready for squatting like before.  

No missed workouts in the past 2 weeks and ready to keep gaining!!

I will NOT quit though.  And, I will not be happy until I can get 12 real pull-ups unassisted!


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