For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a knack for pull-ups. You might say I owe it partially to my physical difference. For bodyweight exercises, the congenital absence of my left leg is actually a blessing; my prosthetic leg weighs only a fraction of what a human limb does.
Back in elementary school, I remember testing max rep pull-ups in gym class each year. Cueing up some inner rage at whichever crush had recently broken my young, naïve heart, my seven or so reps consistently scored tops among my peers. Being sore in the biceps for days thereafter was like my badge of honor.
Fast forward a decade and change to my mid-20’s, when double digit pull-ups became my norm. Needing a new challenge, I began adding extra weight via a dip belt. One day, about three years ago, I decided to test my one-rep max. After a thorough warm-up, I threw 90 pounds on the belt and asked my co-worker to film my attempt. Surprising even myself, I busted out three reps.
And so a new quest was born: a double bodyweight chin-up....
Read the rest of my article for The Fitness Handbook here:
