# Suddenly unable to do pull-ups



## sPwism (May 12, 2011)

I have been able to do 5-8 unassisted pull-ups since 2 years ago.
I do them pull ups always twice a week.
Recently i joined Kayaking and we had highly intense training on our upper body. These training happens on Monday.

After my first training,my upper body was sore for 3-4 days.
On my next training, I was told to do pull-ups but i realise my hand lost it strength, i was unable to do a single one. I presume it can't be the soreness as I rested my whole upper body for a full week. I thought it could be because i did 100 pull ups.

So after the 4 days after the 2nd training,which is today,i tried to pull again,but again,i can't do a single one.

Anyone experienced this before ? I'm afraid i lost all my strength unexpectedly for those 5-8 pull-ups i usually do and it's worrying me badly.


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## ponyboy (May 12, 2011)

Something like kayaking can cause a lot of rotational torque through your cervical and upper thoracic spine, which can impact on your brachial plexus, hence inhibiting your shoulders/arms ability to fire properly.  

Can you do something like a pronated pulldown with any kind of weight?  If one hand is weaker than the other you probably need to go have your neck/upper spine looked at to make sure you haven't screwed anything up.


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## sPwism (May 12, 2011)

ponyboy said:


> Something like kayaking can cause a lot of rotational torque through your cervical and upper thoracic spine, which can impact on your brachial plexus, hence inhibiting your shoulders/arms ability to fire properly.
> 
> Can you do something like a pronated pulldown with any kind of weight?  If one hand is weaker than the other you probably need to go have your neck/upper spine looked at to make sure you haven't screwed anything up.



We haven't really started on kayaking.
We are currently into alot of PT right now.
Bench presses, Push-ups , Crutches.
We do alot of reps and also alot of running.

In any case,does imbalanced strength render you unable to do pull-ups ?
Cause it was a drastic change of reps,from minimum 5 to 0.


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## zok37 (May 12, 2011)

You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.


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## OneWheyOrAnother (May 12, 2011)

Agreed. Just over training. Increase calories, rest. Decrease lifting volume in gym.


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## sPwism (May 12, 2011)

zok37 said:


> You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.



I fixed out a schedule according to what you said.

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues  - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

I also make sure to more complex carbs, so does my schedule works theoritecally ?



chronicelite said:


> Agreed. Just over training. Increase calories, rest. Decrease lifting volume in gym.



Pls comment on my schedule 

Monday - Kayak PT
Tues  - Rest
Wed - Rest
Thurs - Weights.
Friday - Rest
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

Just devised this out , enough rest time ?


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## Merkaba (May 12, 2011)

Eat


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## mlc308 (May 12, 2011)

I agree that you need to eat and rest.  Also, consider that how you are doing pushups can also effect your ability to do a pullup.  If you are doing more "scapular Pushups" during pt, this will effect your entire back and shoulders.  You might need to adjust how you are performing them...


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## zok37 (May 13, 2011)

That's a good start for now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 As you get stronger increase your workout days to 3 days a week...like mond/wed/frid.  






sPwism said:


> I fixed out a schedule according to what you said.
> 
> Monday - Kayak PT
> Tues - Rest
> ...


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## sPwism (May 13, 2011)

mlc308 said:


> I agree that you need to eat and rest.  Also, consider that how you are doing pushups can also effect your ability to do a pullup.  If you are doing more "scapular Pushups" during pt, this will effect your entire back and shoulders.  You might need to adjust how you are performing them...



I thought no matter how you do a push-up,you would still use ur arms and back.. So my pull-ups will be affected ultimately if i do my push-up before my pull-ups. please correct me if i am wrong.



zok37 said:


> That's a good start for now
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ok  thank you for your advice.


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## sPwism (May 17, 2011)

Still unable to do pull-ups... what is going on T_T anyone experienced this before ? i really need help. My fitness trail for my kayak team is coming soon.. if i fail the pull-up components,i have to leave the team..


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## primo33333 (May 18, 2011)

decrease lifting volume


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## barc77 (May 18, 2011)

zok37 said:


> You are doing more than your body can handle right now. Because you are doing pt and weight training your strength has gone down. If you stop doing pt i'm sure in a week your strength will come back. If you are gone continue doing both make sure to increase your calories, specially complex carbs.



Agreed.  You are probably just over doing it.


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## LAM (May 18, 2011)

a decrease in functional strength is a sure sign of over-tranining.....


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## sPwism (May 19, 2011)

I just did a research. I guess i am really suffering from overtraining. I can't even do a bicep curl with a 2kg dumbbell now. my arms just wont bend.
Same case for my pull-ups.

Does this means i have to cease all arms exercises till i full recover ? Is it still ok to do occasional push-ups and bench dips as i have kayak training which i am not allowed to miss.

Furthermore, is there anything i can do to speed up the recovery ?


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## amonroe (Jun 11, 2011)

Give yourself more rest time...also, did you gain any weight in the last week or so? An increase in 2kg can make pullups a lot more difficult.


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## wolf2009 (Jun 11, 2011)

Hmm..give it some time...u'l be back to the original reps in no time..rest its all in your mind..try overcoming it


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