Chin ups are one of my favorite exercises to give clients. They target the biceps, lats, shoulders and forearms. Many of my clients are unable to do them when we first start working together. In order to master them, we start with inverted rows on a TRX or squat rack. If we have access to an assisted chin up machine, we'll do that as well, decreasing the counterweight every 4-6 weeks.
The strict pull-up was the bodyweight progression that surprised me most - both in difficulty and effectiveness. In nearly five years of training, I had never attempted a pull-up - not because I didn't train hard, but because I was afraid of failing. In early February 2025, I finally tried one...and as predicted, I failed. So, I set it as my goal for the year - to complete a strict pull-up, unassisted, by December. I procrastinated, of course - but I put my foot down (with myself) in September. That's when I stopped avoiding it and started training it properly. The result of my hard work? I managed to complete that first unassisted pull-up by Christmas Eve. I stripped things back to the foundations: dead hangs, scapular pull-ups, slow negatives, and assisted reps - focusing on full range of motion, control, and upper-back engagement rather than rushing progress. As my grip strength and positional awareness improved, so did my confidence. What surprised me most was how much that strength carried over. Improving my pull-up strength translated into stronger rows, better pressing stability, improved core control, and even more confidence in other compound lifts. Once I stopped chasing shortcuts and focused on quality reps, the strength finally clicked.
The exercise that humbled me the most was the single-leg Swiss ball hamstring curl. From the outside, it looks harmless. You are just lying on the floor with your feet on a ball. I assumed it would be an easy finisher after heavy squats. I was wrong. The first time I tried it, I couldn't stop the ball from moving out sideways. It surprised me because, unlike a machine curl that locks you into a fixed path, the ball requires 100% stabilizer engagement. If your core or glutes don't engage for a second, you fall. How I mastered it: I had to drop my ego and go back to basics. Phase 1 (The Bridge): For weeks, I just did the two-legged version. I didn't even count reps; I just focused on keeping my hips elevated without wobbling. Phase 2 (The Negative): I would curl up with two legs, lift one leg, and slowly lower myself down with a single leg. This built the tendon strength I needed. Phase 3 (The Full Rep): Once I could do 12 clean reps with two legs, I switched to the single-leg version. It took months to get right, but mastering that instability has improved my main lifts significantly because my hips are now stronger.