On your phone: tap Log under a day to save your numbers, with the level you chose for each movement. Tap a drill's name on page 3 to watch it. Printing gives you the three pages.

Keep it on your home screen. iPhone, in Safari: tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. Android, in Chrome: tap the ⋮ menu, then Add to home screen.

Your log saves on this phone first. Once you've told us who you are, the gym keeps a copy too, so your own link brings it back on a new phone.

CrossFit Bodmin · free resource · page 1 of 3

First Pull-Up: how the programme works

An add-on, not a stand-alone programme: 10 to 15 minutes, three times a week with a day off between, alongside your CrossFit sessions or whatever else you train, with a bar, bands and a box. Four weeks, then repeat. The three methods move a day each week; the test week ends with bands.

Before you start, you need to be able to hang from a bar for 20 seconds, with your shoulders, elbows and wrists pain-free.

Influences: Steven Low (Overcoming Gravity) and Power Monkey Fitness (Dave Durante).

Pick your level

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 2–4

rest 2 min

Pick your level

1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band
2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band
3Strict pull-up, then weighted

Level 1 is aimed at no strict pull-up yet.
Level 2 is aimed at one or two strict pull-ups, or very close.
Level 3 is for three or more strict: more reps, then weight.

The three methods

Variable resistance: a band takes some of the load; at level 3, weight adds to it.
Negatives and tempo: lower smoothly over the seconds given, every rep, then step back up to the top. Never a drop, never a jump.
Pauses and holds: hold still in the position the drill names.

A quick warm-up

Band pull-aparts × 15.
Band pass-throughs × 10.
Scap pull-ups × 8.
Active hang, 20 s.

After week 4

Start week 1 again with one step less help: a thinner band, one foot then none, or more weight.
Check your level against the targets above. Move up when you reach one.

Got your first pull-up?

Keep running this programme, and leave a rep in the tank.

First Pull-Up · page 2 of 3

The four weeks

	Day A	Day B	Day C
Week 1	Negatives and tempo Lower smoothly, step back up 5 × 4, each rep lowered over 3–4 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Foot-assisted pull-up negative 2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative 3Pull-up negative	Pauses and holds Still, in the hard position 5 × 8–12 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping 2Chin-over-bar hold 3Halfway hold	Variable resistance Bands or weight 5 × 2–4 rest 2 min Pick your level 1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band 2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band 3Strict pull-up, then weighted
Week 2	Pauses and holds Still, in the hard position 4 × 10–15 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping 2Chin-over-bar hold 3Halfway hold	Variable resistance Bands or weight 5 × 4–6 rest 2 min Pick your level 1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band 2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band 3Strict pull-up, then weighted	Negatives and tempo Lower smoothly, step back up 5 × 3, each rep lowered over 4–5 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Foot-assisted pull-up negative 2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative 3Pull-up negative
Week 3	Variable resistance Bands or weight 5 × 6–8 rest 2 min Pick your level 1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band 2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band 3Strict pull-up, then weighted	Negatives and tempo Lower smoothly, step back up 5 × 2, each rep lowered over 5–7 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Foot-assisted pull-up negative 2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative 3Pull-up negative	Pauses and holds Still, in the hard position 3 × 15–20 s rest 90 s Pick your level 1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping 2Chin-over-bar hold 3Halfway hold
Week 4the test	Negatives and tempo Lower smoothly, step back up 5 × 1, as slow as you can, score the seconds rest 90 s Pick your level 1Foot-assisted pull-up negative 2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative 3Pull-up negative	Pauses and holds Still, in the hard position 4 × 1, as long as you can, score the seconds rest 90 s Pick your level 1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping 2Chin-over-bar hold 3Halfway hold	Variable resistance Bands or weight 8, then 5, then 3, each a band thinner · then 1 with no band rest 2 min Pick your level 1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band 2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band 3Strict pull-up, then weighted8, then 5, then 3, each heavier · then 1, heavier still

Day A

Day B

Day C

Week 1

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

5 × 4, each rep lowered over 3–4 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Foot-assisted pull-up negative
2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative
3Pull-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

5 × 8–12 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping
2Chin-over-bar hold
3Halfway hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 2–4

rest 2 min

Pick your level

1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band
2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band
3Strict pull-up, then weighted

Week 2

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 10–15 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping
2Chin-over-bar hold
3Halfway hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 4–6

rest 2 min

Pick your level

1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band
2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band
3Strict pull-up, then weighted

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

5 × 3, each rep lowered over 4–5 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Foot-assisted pull-up negative
2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative
3Pull-up negative

Week 3

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 6–8

rest 2 min

Pick your level

1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band
2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band
3Strict pull-up, then weighted

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

5 × 2, each rep lowered over 5–7 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Foot-assisted pull-up negative
2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative
3Pull-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

3 × 15–20 s

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping
2Chin-over-bar hold
3Halfway hold

Week 4the test

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

5 × 1, as slow as you can, score the seconds

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Foot-assisted pull-up negative
2Single-leg assisted pull-up negative
3Pull-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 1, as long as you can, score the seconds

rest 90 s

Pick your level

1Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping
2Chin-over-bar hold
3Halfway hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

8, then 5, then 3, each a band thinner · then 1 with no band

rest 2 min

Pick your level

1Band-assisted pull-up, thick band
2Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band
3Strict pull-up, then weighted8, then 5, then 3, each heavier · then 1, heavier still

First Pull-Up · page 3 of 3

The movements: what good looks like, and the easier option

The pull-up

	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Variable resistance	Band-assisted pull-up, thick band Your thickest band. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick. Easier: two bands together.	Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band The band where the last rep is hard but clean. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick. Easier: one band thicker.	Strict pull-up, then weighted No band. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick. Top of the range on every set? Add 2.5 kg: a dumbbell between the feet or a vest. Easier: the thinnest band for the reps you can't finish.
Negatives and tempo	Foot-assisted pull-up negative Box under the bar, both feet on it. Chin over the bar, lower until the arms are straight. The legs take only the weight you need. Easier: more weight through the feet, or a band.	Single-leg assisted pull-up negative One foot on the box, the other leg hanging. Chin over the bar, lower until the arms are straight. Easier: both feet on the box.	Pull-up negative Step up from the box, feet off, chin over the bar. Lower until the arms are straight. Easier: one foot back on the box.
Pauses and holds	Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping Chin above the bar, feet on a box taking some of your weight. Shoulders down, body still. Easier: more weight in the feet.	Chin-over-bar hold Step up, chin above the bar, feet off. Shoulders down, body still. Easier: toes on the box.	Halfway hold Elbows at 90 degrees, where pull-ups stick. Shoulders down, body still. Easier: chin over the bar instead.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Variable resistance

Band-assisted pull-up, thick band

Your thickest band. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick.

Easier: two bands together.

Band-assisted pull-up, thinner band

The band where the last rep is hard but clean. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick.

Easier: one band thicker.

Strict pull-up, then weighted

No band. Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick. Top of the range on every set? Add 2.5 kg: a dumbbell between the feet or a vest.

Easier: the thinnest band for the reps you can't finish.

Negatives and tempo

Foot-assisted pull-up negative

Box under the bar, both feet on it. Chin over the bar, lower until the arms are straight. The legs take only the weight you need.

Easier: more weight through the feet, or a band.

Single-leg assisted pull-up negative

One foot on the box, the other leg hanging. Chin over the bar, lower until the arms are straight.

Easier: both feet on the box.

Pull-up negative

Step up from the box, feet off, chin over the bar. Lower until the arms are straight.

Easier: one foot back on the box.

Pauses and holds

Chin-over-bar hold, feet helping

Chin above the bar, feet on a box taking some of your weight. Shoulders down, body still.

Easier: more weight in the feet.

Chin-over-bar hold

Step up, chin above the bar, feet off. Shoulders down, body still.

Easier: toes on the box.

Halfway hold

Elbows at 90 degrees, where pull-ups stick. Shoulders down, body still.

Easier: chin over the bar instead.

On a phone, tap a drill's name to watch it. Videos by CrossFit and Power Monkey Fitness.