Back in 2011, during my Level II RKC, there was a pull-up requirement that humbled many strong people.

You had to perform a strict tactical pull-up:

— Start from a complete dead hang
— Thumbless grip
— No kicking, no swing
— Chest or neck to the bar
— Full controlled lower

Additionally, it had to be weighted.

— If you weighed under 220 lbs → 53 lb kettlebell
— If you weighed over 220 lbs → 35 lb kettlebell
— Hanging from your foot.

At the time, I was around 240 lbs.

Now. I was a former college and NFL offensive lineman. I’d spent years being strong, powerful, and hard to move.

But pull-ups? They were never my thing.

Even years after dropping 50–60 lbs post-NFL, I could only manage about 4 clean pull-ups when I started preparing for that cert.

So I had a very specific goal:

– Get strong enough to pass the weighted pull-up
– And get my bodyweight pull-ups up into double digits

What worked wasn’t grinding max reps or testing myself every week.

It followed a structured progression—very similar to what I now outline in my 0 to 20 Pull-Up Program—and layered in the right accessory drills at the right time.

Over about 10 weeks, I went from 4 pull-ups to 11 clean reps, and hit the required weighted pull-up.

Two drills in particular made a big difference once I could do a few solid reps.

Drill #1: Top-position push-away negatives

You start at the top of the pull-up (use a box or bench if needed), squeeze your back hard, touch chest or neck to the bar, then actively push yourself away from the bar and slowly control the descent.

Drill #2: Scapular pull-ups with a lean-back

From a dead hang, you pull your shoulders down and back without bending your elbows. Then you lean back slightly and push yourself “down” using your lats while looking toward the ceiling.

I didn’t replace my pull-up training with these.
I used them alongside it.

Now beginners need things like assisted vertical pulls, band-assisted reps, ring work, and negatives. But once you’re at 3–5 clean pull-ups, these drills train the stabilizers, clean up your mechanics, and help you progress without wrecking your elbows.

That exact structure is built into my 0 to 20 Pull-Up Program.

And right now, it’s bundled with:

– Bodyweight Strong 1.0
– Bodyweight Strong 2.0
– The 14-Day Steel Mace Challenge

All at a special, limited-time price.

This is the last call I’m sending for this bundle.

If you’ve been stuck at the same pull-up number for years—or want a smarter way to build them—this is the system:

–> 0-20 Pull Up Plan + Bodyweight Strong + 14-day Steel Mace Challenge

– Forest

PS – Even if you don’t grab the program, once you can do a few clean pull-ups, start incorporating those two drills. They’re a big reason I finally broke past my own plateau.