Kipping and butterfly pull-ups

Now let's talk about pull-ups, but not the strict ones; we're discussing kipping and butterfly pull-ups. These techniques have become very popular thanks to the rise of CrossFit. According to CrossFit rules, when doing pull-ups, your chin must be above the bar at the top position, and your arms must be fully extended at the bottom. That's it—no mention of swinging. Thus, kipping and butterfly pull-ups have become prevalent, as they allow you to save energy and time by utilizing body momentum. Below we will discuss these two types of pull-ups.

Key nuances:

1. To start, you need to master the swing. Make swings with your legs and pull yourself up in half-reps, meaning not raising your chin above the bar. Once you master the swing, you can perform full-rep pull-ups.

2. Before learning kipping, it's advisable to be able to do at least 10 strict pull-ups.

3. Try to avoid hyperextending your lower back during the swing, as this can be dangerous for your spine.

4. It is undesirable to drop straight down after a pull-up. You should descend in an arc to save time for the next swing. Otherwise, you will have to swing up again each time.

5. Try to maximize the use of momentum and minimize the effort from your arms.

6. Train your shoulder flexibility, practice the swing, and perform strict pull-ups to increase strength.

Butterfly Pull-Ups (Technique and Training)

The butterfly technique can be characterized as a non-stop swing. The foundation of the technique is the same swinging motion used in kipping, but it is performed continuously in a way that the body moves in a circular motion, rather than just up and down.

Key nuances:

1. Only learn the butterfly technique after mastering kipping.

2. To begin, you can practice the butterfly pull-up technique while standing on a box. The box should be tall enough so that your forehead is at bar level. Your task is to pull yourself up while standing on the box and then go back down, moving your body in a circular motion.

3. Next, you can place the box lower and do something similar, but now push off with your legs from the box.

4. If you start swaying side to side, try refining your butterfly technique by performing pull-ups to the halfway point. That is, do swings with a small amplitude, gradually increasing it. This will make it easier to maintain and master the correct technique.

A Few More Words

Kipping and butterfly pull-ups are great for training endurance but not suitable for strength development. So, before you start using these pull-up methods, you should be able to do at least 10 strict pull-ups.

With good kipping technique, you can perform about 1.5 times more pull-ups than with strict form. With good butterfly technique, you can perform about 2 times more than with strict form.

The grip width in CrossFit competitions is allowed to be any. However, reverse grip or mixed grip is not permitted. Chalk is allowed, and a lock grip is also permitted. The use of straps is prohibited.