Many people begin their weight loss efforts with visions of washboard abs, toned and lean arms, and a back that would make ‘the Governator’ green with envy. Here’s a surprising tidbit for ya: a pull up workout can get you well on your way to the body you’ve been dreaming of!

[The right pull up workout requires the right pull up equipment. Invest in a door frame pull up bar and improve upper body strength!]

[A well-rounded pull up workout will give you a strong and toned back.]

I know it seems so right now, but you don’t have to put off a pull up workout until you have the abs and arms to do it all the way. There are easy pull up workouts for beginners that will slowly build your muscles so you can do a pull up like a champ!

Forget about how hard you think pull ups are, they are great for upper body strength and muscle mass–two keys to successful weight loss.

Pull Up Workout #1–Pull Up Bar Hang

Ok so the pull up bar hang isn’t a workout per se. It is however, a great way to build your grip so you don’t slide off easily or injure your hands while trying to hold on. Another added benefit of the pull up bar hang is that it helps relax those overworked and totally stressed back muscles.

[The pull up bar hang is the perfect beginner pull up workout to get used to the movements and to stretch all the right muscles!]

If you sit in a chair all day working, the pull up bar hang is a great way to loosen up those muscles before you begin any other physical activity. If you don’t have proper pull up strength, this pull up workout will help you get used to what it means to add a pull up workout to your existing exercise plan.

Pull Up Workout #2–Outer Grip Pull Up

Burning fat and building muscle are major components of weight loss and physical fitness, and whether or not you can complete an entire rep of pull ups you’ll need to add the outer grip (knuckles facing you) pull up to your pull up workout.

The outer grip pull up will help improve strength in your shoulders, biceps, chest, back and lats. It is a well-rounded upper body pull up workout that will slowly help you increase your strength. This exercise MUST be part of any pull up workout even if you can only complete a few to start. Do as many as you can each time and you’ll notice yourself getting noticeably stronger.

[Outer facing pull ups force you to use your entire upper body, rather than just your arms for well-rounded strength.]

TIP: The inner grip pull up (fingers facing you) is similar but the inner version is easier because it requires more arm strength than upper body strength.

Pull Up Workout #3–Lift Ups

A strong core is crucial to any pull up workout, particularly if you want to avoid injury and lift ups can help. To do lift ups you hang from the bar (see pull up workout #1) and try to bring your knees up to your chest to strengthen your abs. Improved abdominal strength will allow you to complete more pull ups with each pull up workout.

Whether you need improved core strength for a more productive pull up workout or you need an easier way to strengthen your abdominal muscles, lift ups are the answer. Bring your needs up and to the side if you need to strengthen your obliques, and honestly who doesn’t need a good oblique workout?

Lift ups are great for every beginning pull up workout because it allows you to improve your muscle strength while increasing your overall upper body strength.

Pull Up Workout #4–Resistance Band Pull Ups

Ever get the feeling that your weight is what’s making it hard to do pull ups? Well get that feeling out of your head because pull up workouts are all about strength, not body weight. You need a pull up workout to improve your bodyweight strength, and if you’re lacking in that area consider resistance band pull ups.

A pull up workout that uses a resistance band lets you perform the movements correctly while helping you get the lower part of your body UP. Although it only helps from the bottom up, a resistance band pull up will help you get used to performing a pull up correctly while improving your arm and back strength. A pull up workout using the resistance band is an easy way to improve strength until you’re ready to hit the pull up bar without any help.

[Resistance band pull ups like these will give you a boost until you can complete a pull up workout without assistance.]

Pull ups are a good way to improve your upper body strength. Beginners can uses these 4 exercises to take the steps needed for a successful pull up workout. A good pull up workout can be done in the home with a portable pull up bar, so there’s no excuse for a weak and flabby upper body!

Read our review of the Fat Burning Furnace and see if you can get more burn out of your regular exercise regimen.

With the NFL season well underway (Lions’ and Browns’ fans, my condolences) and the Fall TV programming schedule in full swing (high-five for House and Glee anyone?) it’s very easy to get cozy on your sofa and do some mindless channel surfing.

[Ever had days where you didn't change out of your pajamas and wonder what the hell did I do today? Not a good feeling is it?] 

Throw in the fact that life is a hell of a lot busier during this time of year – school, social gatherings, volunteer commitments, or an increased work schedule, now competing for our time – it’s not that difficult to pull a 180 and return to your lazy self and stop your regular exercise regimen. Not so fast…

Besides the numerous distractions mentioned above, the Fall season is a great time to re-visit our fitness goals and re-commit towards achieving them. I know what your thinking… Sounds like the usual re-commitment to my fat loss goals whatever-type-of-plea. But hear me out…

What I’m really trying to convey is the need for some change and excitement in the way you go about in achieving your fat loss goals. These methods – working out at the gym or playing outdoor sports – may be boring you out by now so it’s time to take a look around your community for physical activities that can put a pep back in our step.

These boots were made for walking

Just because it’s colder outside, doesn’t mean you have to batten down the hatches until spring. Throw an extra layer of clothing on and explore the great outdoors when the weather is suitable. NOTE: If it looks like the movie set from The Day After Tomorrow outside your window then exercise your common sense instead. Risking a finger due to frost bite is just a tad stupid in my opinion.

Join a class

An untapped pipeline of physical fitness options can be found at your local community or recreation center. Sometimes you’ll find a Recreation guide tucked into your weekend newspaper or available at your neighborhood grocery stores, but if hard copies are unavailable then go look online. I’m surprised every time I look at the program guide and the variety of things to try out such as dancing, pilates, badminton, and cardio-kickboxing! Don’t believe me? Check out what programs are available in my area.

Jump in a lake

If you’re in the northern hemisphere then going to the beach probably isn’t as fun as it is in the summer months. No worries, your local indoor pool is the place to be now. Swim a few laps and see how ridiculously slow you are compared to an Olympian like Michael Phelps and then keep practicing. As far as a total body workout, not many activities can stand toe-to-toe with swimming. Plus… this activity gives you another motivation to not let-yourself-go because you’ll have to bare your midsection in that fantastic summer swimsuit.

Take your jumper indoors

Ever see a giant bubble on the side of a highway road that resembles a cross between a military testing facility and a giant insect? OK… maybe it’s a warehouse or a building in your city but these indoor sport facilities are a paradise waiting to be discovered. Practically any sport played outdoors can be played indoors such as soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, football, and even rock climbing. If you’ve never tried rock climbing, I highly recommend. Great combination of mental and physical strength with loads of burning endurance!

With the cold weather coming, this is no time to excuse yourself from regular physical activity. If your looking for inspiration I definitely recommend checking out Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. If you’ve never tried bodyweight exercises then prepare to be rejuvenated by this excellent fat loss activity.