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Simple Inexpensive Exercise Tip

Hello. This is Dr. Mercola, and today, I've got a little exercise tip for you, something that I've learned in the last few months that I really thought I should share with you.

You see, I've been exercising since 1968, when I first read Dr. Cooper's book, Aerobics, and for the most part, I've done cardiovascular, aerobic, long-distance running. But in the last few years, I've shifted away from that, and tried to adopt more strength training and more anaerobic types of activities.

One of these strength-training activities I'm using now is just a simple pull-up, or a chin-up. These are very effective exercises. In fact, many personal trainers think this is one of the best exercises you can do, and one of the great benefits of it is that it doesn't take very long. It takes literally a few minutes, and you're finished with the exercise. When I started, I could only do about four. But over the last few months, I've been able to progress to the point to where I can do 12 now. This is an exercise you can do pretty much every other day.

So, I want to show you a little pull-up bar that I picked up, and actually demonstrate how I do these exercises. This piece of equipment I've found is only $15. I found it on Amazon, and it's just an amazing piece of equipment. I remember when I did these in high school, there were these bars that were attached to the wall, and those can cost $400 to $600. But, you can pick up the same type of pull-up bar that I'm using now. It inserts right into your door jamb, and it's and it's really wonderful.

[Dr, Mercola demonstrating pull-ups on video]

Okay. Now, as I mentioned, when I first started these chin-ups a few months ago, I could only do four. I'm going to see if I can do 12 or more today. So, I just grab onto the bar, and I bend my knees, and come on up.

[counting to 12 pull-ups]

[Dr. Mercola pointing out how bar attaches to door jamb]

It looks like there's a little bracket that this bar goes into, and it's really important that you drill that into the door jamb, because if you don't and you just tighten this up into the wall, it'll definitely fall out. So, make sure you put one on both sides.

Hopefully, you can start doing these chin-ups and pull-ups, because I think it'll really make a big difference in your total health. So, you can start to take control of your health.

PLEASE NOTE

I purchased the bar seen in the video for $15 at Amazon but as soon as the video went out this UNSCRUPULOUS vendor, Fitness Giant, increased the price to $32.  I would NOT recommend buying it anymore from this Amazon vendor as they are obviously a VERY low integrity vendor.

GoFit Chin Up Bar




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Article's Comment     ( 71 Comments )
 
 
 +15 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Lucas_Chohany   
  
[ Joined on 10/06 ]
[ Posted on July 05, 2007 ]
Post Reply
An extremely easy way to increase total reps is to simply do a small number of pullups (far below failure) every time you walk past the bar. Perhaps 10 or 15 sets of 2 pullups per day.
 This seems illogical but I assure you it works. Pavel Tsatsouline from dragondoor.com callls it "grease the groove" or GTG.
For a while I did only high set, low reps pullup workouts without evenr attempting max out sets. Later I tested myself and my total pullups had increased dramatically.
Give it a try.
 

 +6 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY Dr. Mercola   
  
[ Joined on 12/97 ]
Author of the Article [ Posted on July 05, 2007 ]
 
Thanks,  I love Pavel.  He was the person that actually finally convinced me to start doing the chin ups.

An interesting aside is that my girlfriend saw me watching Pavel's instructional kettlebell DVD and she thought it was me as we look remarkably alike.

I will definitely give this a try!

 +2 Points           
 
Author of the Article
BY KathieJamisonCote   
  
[ Joined on 04/07 ]
Author of the Article [ Posted on July 12, 2007 ]
 
In the 45 years (yikes! long time) that I've danced (been teaching for 30) and being a woman with a center of gravity lower than a man's might I offer the most INCREDIBLE overall body strengthener, muscle toner I've ever encountered - (I've done them all - ballet, jazzercize, aerobics, yoga, pilates) and the PLANK or BOARD LIFT as my dancers know it - IS THE KING!
......Since adding this to our conditioning just four years ago, I can flex and tighten to rock hardness every single muscle in my body........my husband loves it.......It has toned my abs, my gluts, my thighs, my arms, my pecs, shoulders, inner muscles - etc.............every part, as it takes every muscle to self-support the move.

Lie on your frontside on the floor, prop up your upper body with your forearms (elbows under shoulders and fingers clasped in line w/your chin) and then with only your toes on the floor, lift your entire body and hold.  FLAT LIKE A BOARD.  To increase difficulty, lift one leg at a time and increase that difficulty by pointing and flexing the foot - or try opening and closing the legs a few times.

Your body will quiver when you first start this - start slow and easy.  Even my 3yr old dancers can hold it after a few weeks.  (depending on the age of our dancers determines the length of the hold - it literally takes only a couple of minutes and day and is AN AMAZING ADD TO ANYONE'S WORKOUT.
best wishes.....Kathie

            
 
Author of the Article
BY imagine   
  
[ Joined on 05/07 ]
Author of the Article [ Posted on July 10, 2007 ]
 

TRY ANOTHER BAR

I was planing to buy the GoFit Chin Up Bar until I learned about a problem, the spinning or rotating of the bar is a common problem, after some research I found TKO Doorway Pull up bar which designed to solve the spinning bar problem. The ends are hexagonal shaped and they fit into the brackets in a way that they can't spin.

I got it from eBay for 12.99$
it's safer and cheaper and got same quality.
just wanted to share with you.


            
 
Author of the Article
BY Hot Soup   
  
[ Joined on 06/06 ]
Author of the Article [ Posted on July 06, 2007 ]
 
He also recommends a ladder approach. 1,2,3,4,6,7,8, etc (stop before your max and start over) with rests in between. I prefer this approach because the only time I walk by my chin-up bar (park near my house) is when I am walking to the chin-up bar.

            
 
Author of the Article
BY Lucas_Chohany