Sonu Sood sets massive fitness goals as he crushes pull-ups: ‘My day has 22 hours…’

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood is taking his fitness game to new heights as he prepares for his upcoming directorial debut — Fateh. 

In a recent social media post, Sood showcased his impressive strength and dedication with a series of high intensity pull-ups, reminding us that this classic exercise is a powerhouse for building upper body strength. 

Sharing a clip of his workout on Instagram, Sood wrote, “My day has 22 hours. Rest 2 hours are for my fitness.”

 

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While pull-ups are renowned for sculpting arms and back muscles, they also engage the core in a way that many might not realise. 

As the actor demonstrates his commitment to fitness, fitness trainer Allan Thomas, owner at Zealbox, explains how pull-ups can be a game-changer for both arm and core development.

How pull-ups engage and strengthen the arms and core

Thomas says, “The pulling motion primarily involves the biceps. As you pull yourself up, your biceps contract, bearing much of the weight. Grip strength is crucial for pull-ups. Holding onto the bar engages the muscles in your forearms, improving overall grip strength.”

Muscles like the deltoids (shoulders) and the latissimus dorsi (lats) in the upper back are heavily engaged during pull-ups, he states, providing significant upper body strength.

When it comes to your core, to stabilise your body and prevent swinging, your rectus abdominis (the ‘six-pack’ muscles) is engaged when performing this exercise. Additionally, your oblique muscles help to stabilise your torso and maintain proper form. Transverse Abdominis is another deep core muscle that helps with overall stabilisation during the pull-up motion, Thomas explains.

Use a resistance band or an assisted pull-up machine to support some of your body weight (Source: Freepik)

Variations of pull-ups to incorporate into a workout routine to target your core

Thomas elaborates on the variations of pull-ups you can try to target the core more effectively:

– Hanging knee to chest: While in a pull-up position, lift your legs straight up to form an L-shape with your body. This intensely engages the abs.

– Toes-to-Bar: Similar to hanging leg raises, but you lift your legs higher until your toes touch the bar. This is an advanced move that heavily targets the abs.

– L-Sit Pull-Ups: Perform pull-ups while holding your legs straight out in front of you, forming an L-shape. This requires significant core strength to maintain the position. Sonu Sood does this movement flawlessly, simply because of his consistency and excellent core strength.

Progressive exercises for beginners

For beginners who can’t perform a full pull-up yet, Allan suggests the following progressive exercises they can use to build up to pull-ups:

Scapular Pull-Ups: Hang from the bar and perform small, controlled shoulder blade squeezes. This strengthens the muscles needed for the initial pull-up motion.

Assisted Pull-Ups: Use a resistance band or an assisted pull-up machine to support some of your body weight as you build strength.

Negative Pull-Ups: Jump or step up to the top position of a pull-up and then slowly lower yourself down in 2-3 secs. This focuses on the eccentric contraction and builds strength.

Bodyweight Rows (Inverted Rows): Use a low bar or suspension TRX trainer . Keep your body straight and pull your chest to the bar. This exercise builds pulling strength with less body weight.

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