Liu is also a fan of isometric pull-ups or chin-ups where you hold your chin above the bar.
- Place both of your hands on a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you (pull-up) or facing toward you (chin-up).
- With a neutral spine and your abs engaged, pull yourself up so that your chin is just above the bar.
- Hold this position, and focus on engageing your back muscles and keeping your shoulders pressed down away from your ears.
- Liu suggests starting with 10- to 15-second holds where you can maintain tension in your upper back and core, then work your way up to 30- to 45-second holds.
- To make this move a bit easier, stand on a chair or stable surface and jump up so that your chin is above the bar (meaning you don't have to do an actual pull-up or chin-up before going into your isometric hold).
- You can also do this hold with a large resistance band around the bar (like you'd use if you were doing assisted pull-ups), placing your foot in the bottom of the band and pulling yourself up that way.