So, one of my favorite strength training coaches is Charles Poliquin. He has trained a number of professional athletes and olympic gold medalists. I have used these two routines he has written with great success. I highly recommend them:

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If you can do at least 6 strict form pull-ups then this one is for you:

One effective system I use to improve pull-up performance in more advanced individuals is to do 10 sets of the exercise. If you can do six pull-ups by yourself, divide that by two, so that’s three pull-ups. Do 10 sets of 3 reps. In the next workout you try to increase the total number of reps until you can do 10 sets of 6. The day you can do 10 sets of 6 you’ll be able to do 12 by yourself. I’ve seen trainees accomplish that in as little as three weeks.

I did this when I was at 6 pull-ups and I got to the 12 in a exactly three weeks performing it ones every 5 days. Now, what it does not tell you is where it got it's roots from. This is a classic GVT (German Volume Training) routine. I superset this with weighted dips. As a result both of them went through the roof. Keep the motion as slow as is realistic. I used 1-2 seconds on the pull and 4-5 seconds on the release. Make sure chin is above the bar at the top and arms are fully extended at the bottom. You will not use momentum with this routine or you will just be cheating yourself. By itself you can do 60-90 seconds rest between sets. If you superset it with dips then use 90 seconds rest between all exercises. You will likely find yourself failing in the 5th or 6th set. That is normal. Continue to do all 10 sets allowing yourself to hit failure in each set. Just do not add reps. Also you may find that on the 8th or 9th set you will pull one more rep than the 7th set. When you can do all 10 sets of each exercise (so 10 sets of pull-ups superset with 10 sets of dips), without missing any of your target reps, then you will be ready to add a rep. I would not take this above 10 reps per set. If you are looking to add mass then go to 10 reps per set and start adding weight instead of reps. If you are looking for strength gains as a priority then start adding weight after you can do 10 sets of 6 reps. I also would not do this routine for more than 6 weeks or 4 weeks if you are running 5 day cycles of GVT (this will give you 6 of these workouts in that time). Instead do some other routine for 3 weeks and then you can return to this program. You can research GVT on the internet for incorporating a complete GVT routine in your weekly strength training.

Also, research the advance GVT workouts. There is a good prescription in getting over plateaus for the advance athlete using a 10 set method that pyramids weight and reps across many weeks.

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If you can perform 12 Strict form chins then this one is for you:

The Gymnast's Extended Set Back Routine


This routine is for the advanced trainee only, it is inspired by the routines that Olympic gymnasts do to condition their enormous backs. You must be able to do 12 strict form shoulder width supinated chins, to do this routine.

1. Wide grip Pull-ups , as many reps as possible
2. 10 seconds rest pause
3. Medium grip Pull-ups , as many reps as possible
4. 10 seconds rest pause
5. Medium grip Chin-ups , as many reps as possible
6. 10 seconds rest pause
7. Narrow grip Chin-ups
8. Rest 3 minutes
Repeat steps 1 to 8 twice, cry and curse me.

Poliquin has some great training info. Definitely don't underestimate his knowledge.

Nice routines , well i guess it will be ok if i do it about 2-3 times per week for both pushing and pulling movements? I m thinking to do something like that but changing grip like more wide more narrow , chin up , pull up , neutral between each set so i ll do 10 sets of general pulling movements, how it sounds?

Interesting Post.

I've just started looking into his work.

I'm a Gray Cook and Mike Boyle trained guy.

Thanks for sharing!

hmmm best gains come from the 1st hour? i workout about 3 hours (including warm up and calm down) so it means that only the 1st hour is so worthy? I do about 3h because i do full body so it means if i workout upper 1st legs doesnt improve that much?

Anyway i ll try maybe today ur 2 repeating 2-4 times and maybe do something like that with straight bar dips-a bit wide push ups-parallel dips- diamond push ups

ChimarraoMate, hey there.
I have a couple of questions about the 1st method. So if my max is much more than 6 ,then can i still use this routine simply by deviding the max reps by half. And the second question is: can i use this routine more than 1 time a week, or is it worthless then?

I tried the 2nd today , well on wide i was ok done max after in normal as i was w8ing i done much less than my real max but the truth is that i was able to do in every exercise about 1 rep more than if i was doing all time normal with 10 secs so yeah it looks like it works and its an easy and fast way to have a workout i guess i done the same with Dips, wide push ups , diamons and normal push ups.

Thnx for the routines maybe one day i ll try ur 1st one too

Nice material

Have couple questions about it:

1.When it says every 5 day it means that Saturday and Sunday is rest days and from Monday routine starts again?
2.Lets say I am able to do 10 strict form pull ups.So I should work with 5x10 until I can reach level where i can complete 10x10?And if its true it should give me 20 repetitions after that in one single set?
3.As you said you mixed with with dips.Could this GVT method be using with 3 exercises in same day like pull ups-dips-push ups but not in one super time but as different work outs or it will lead to overtrain and method will fail?

Thanks for helping

aight so i tried the max pullup one today, and dam did i get a pump. Instantly. It was pretty awesome but i only got out 2 medium grip chins and 4 narrow chins, i was so dead from the first two max-outs. I made sure to use no kip BTW. I like testing out basically all of the workouts i read on the forum out and this one is def going in my arsenal. Thanks ChimarraoMate!