I get a lot of questions from guys wondering if they can or if they should include Pull Ups or Chin Ups to their kettlebell programs.

(For the record, so we’re on the same page here: Pull Ups palms face backward, Chin Ups palms face toward you .)

My answers are usually one of the following:

1- Based upon the program, there’s usually no need to.

What most guys don’t know, is that based upon the original kettlebell research by Voropayev (see Pavel’s, The Russian Kettlebell Challenge), the “kettlebell only” group improved their calisthenics numbers - including Pull Ups - by “just” doing kettlebell work.

“Wait - they didn’t do any calisthenics - like Pull Ups at all??”

Apparently.

That was one of the initial appeals of the kettlebell:

Instead of spending a ton of time doing 55-11 different exercises, you could just do a few and see greater results to traditional training / programming.

And many guys who take the time to learn proper kettlebell technique notice the same thing from exercises like Snatches, Presses, and Clean and Presses, and for some, even Swings.

Guys who have bad or “good enough” technique usually don’t see any results in their Pull Up / Chin Up numbers.

Worse, they suffer - shoulders, elbows, lower backs.

How would you know if your kettlebell training is helping your Pull Up numbers?

Simple - test them.

Run a KB training cycle - about 8 weeks - and test them again.

More Pull Ups?

Awesome . Your programming and your technique is on point.

Less Pull Ups?

You better go back and make sure your -

[a] KB technique is dialed in

[b] Your programming is “smart.”

By the way, if your programming is good, then you’ll be able to measure strength gains on whatever lift or lifts you’re training.

So, most likely, it’s your kettlebell technique.

If you need to learn appropriate technique, use this for singles, and this for doubles (which play by different rules than the singles).

2- What’s the reason you want to include them? What is your end goal?

Look, I see where you’re coming from - you may want to add them in for the sake of variety, for training diversity, or maybe you have a PT test to succeed in that includes them.

The problem is, most guys just tack on Pull Ups / Chins to what they’re currently doing.

And that can lead to complications such as overtraining - like elbow tendonitis.

Remember, more doesn’t mean better, it just means more .

That’s why I recommend several different strategies if you insist on adding them in :

#1 - Use low reps , and stay away from failure

#2 - Separate Pull Ups / Chins from KB training days to boost recovery

#3 - Halve more info your existing volume or duration, then add Pull Ups / Chins if training on the same days

#4 - Make your reps be comfortable - no “grinding ” - regardless of how many in a set you’re doing

If you need some help programming, use Schedule B in Rebuilt After 40 .

Inside you’ll find exercises like Chins, Dips, Clean and Press, and Squats.

Remember, one of the original promises of the kettlebell was “do more with less, in less time .”

And the keys to doing that are -

1- Proper technique

2- Intelligent programming

And if you need to learn proper technique AND want intelligent programming , I’ll leave some tools.

Hopefully you found this useful .

Stay Strong,

Geoff