Hello Jason,

Thanks to your suggestions and cues and sheer patience and practice with the regressions, I’m now at a point where I can do 5 sets of 4-5 reps of strict chin ups. I think my repetition max lies around 7 reps and I would like to take it to 10 or beyond before moving to the MA pulls and then strict pulls because I feel there’s still more that could be gained from this movement. Considering that basic linear improvement of one extra rep per session is seeming to stall at times, as retraction gives up in the latter sets, I devised a routine (2x week) that I’d run for a phase and would really appreciate your feedback on it.

DAY 1:

Main:

Strict chin ups accumulated reps (max reps x6): 42 reps week 1, 50r w2, 55r w3 and so on until 65 reps in week 6 and then a max rep test in the beginning of the phase after. The idea is slowly ramping up volume without focusing on sets so much.

Accessory: elevated rows: 2 sets of 6-8 reps increasing elevation slowly.

DAY 2:

Main:

Strict chin up with top iso hold: starting with 5 sets of 2 reps with a 5s hold each and progressing to a 5x5 over a phase.

Accessory: elevated rows again.

I’m always running arch hang development in the back as priority.

What do you think? My main goal here is to solidify the retraction and capacity for strict pulling since I feel I got some but it’s not solid yet. For example, I noticed I can already do multiple MA pronated pulls but there’s no way I can hold the CTB for those, only a quick touch…

M,

Great to hear the reps are building in your CTB chinup project! Sounds like fantastic progress so far.

I would firstly try the plan you propose for a phase a reassess from there, as you've constructed it from embodied prior knowledge of what's been working. The only thing I would perhaps say is increase the ring-rows to 8-10x, working toward the milestone of also locking in the 10x TTC in a deficit position. This will give a nicely balanced stimulus to the lower reps 4-5 you're working for work sets with your vertical pulling at the moment.

Also consider alternating the 'strict chinup iso.' with the 'CTB extend & flex' context, as this also includes valuable patterning and carries milestones in and of itself too. It will all contribute to the bigger picture of working toward the 10x solid 'strict' CTB chins, which is a fantastic foundational milestone to achieve.

Lastly - if all is feeling well with the volume, you could even add in a 'grease-the-groove' protocol of just 1 set of 5 chins at any time of the day, 3-5 x per week. This can be fantastic for consolidating previous gains. But, again, only if everything is feeling great.

Now if after the 6 weeks phase all has developed and still room to grow, continue it. If it stagnates again, there's a couple things you can try adding a third day, but UNDULATING heavy/medium/light days in the chinup, determined by the protocol you use. E.g.:

Heavy - 10-15' AMRAP, with an increasing objective
Medium - 5x 5, with the rest you need to achieve it.
Light - 2-3 sets of chinup, submaximal, and 2-3 sets of row.

The above is just an example, and only if you need it. You might not. It can be adjusted as fits your needs, as long as it follows the sequence.

All the bets for the ongoing work! Let's keep refining the rocket fuel which will fire you to the moon

J

Thank you for the gameplan and suggestions. I will re-assess after this current phase!

As for the TTC rows in the 8-10 rep range, do you see it necessary to hold the TTC isometrically as well? I spent a couple of phases with a strict 2s iso hold with the ring row with 5-6 reps per set until horizontal, but now, if I’m to add a deficit and also add more reps I see that the isometric TTC doesn’t hold. I can definitely touch my chest every rep with “strict” form, but then I’d go straight into the eccentric. What do you think? This is mainly a pull-up accessory for me..