tips for wrist strength and pull ups? my main goal is more pull ups and it's just not happening
about 6 months ago, i started riding my bike again. got up to about 90 minute rides 3x a week. then a friend and i signed up for a tough mudder. switched to 'cross fit' style workouts for cardio and lifting again. it's been at least 8 years since i lifted regularly, but my bench was coming back. dips improved rapidly as well. pull-ups just don't seem to be going anywhere. any real increase in numbers is probably more form than strength, i try not to 'kip'. aside from a week before and a week & 1/2 after the race, i've been fairly consistent w/ training. occasionally 2-a-days if i can get hard cardio in the morning (typically weekends). otherwise, it's push, pull or cardio every day.
on push days, i do flat bench, free weight flys, overhead tricept extension, typically 12/10/8. when my last set is 10 instead of 8, i know next rotation to start at 5 pounds heavier. i might toss in something to focus on my delts, but not in a rush. i end w/ sets of push-ups. last night i could only do 10/8/6, so i knew i pushed hard.
on pull days, i start w/ pull-ups. i've tried using bands, switching grips, jumping up or negatives. numbers just don't seem to move. i then do single hand bent over rows, curl bar, pull-overs while flat on the bench, and added in reverse grip dumbbell curls last night, as i think the top of my forearm might be my weakest point for pull-ups. when i do curls (i have a curl bar, but have been using straight bar lately), there's a bit of pain in both wrists.
for cardio, sometimes it's just a run. one 'workout' that tough mudder recommends is this. i feel stupid doing this alone in my garage after the family is alseep, but it's killer and over in a small amount of time
30 jumping jacks
20 squats
30 high knees
20 sit ups
30 tuck jumps (by far the hardest part of the rotation)
20 reverse lunges
30 mountain climbers
repeat 3 more times
so everything is progressing, cardio is improving, runs are getting longer, bench is getting stronger, pull ups aren't going anywhere.