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You are here: Home / Training Tools / Bars / The Tornado Pull-Up: Strength With a Twist

The Tornado Pull-Up: Strength With a Twist

May 21, 2012 by Mike Fitch 9 Comments

Mike Fitch - Global Bodyweight Training

Adding rotation to the standard Pull-Up turns it into a true total body movement

The Tornado Pull-Up is a great variation on the timeless pull-up exercise. It’s no secret that Pull-Ups and Chin-Ups are one of the best exercises around. Sure, it might be impressive to see someone grunt out a ton of weight on a lat pull down machine, but the simple Pull-Up will always be a display of strength. While the basic version is itself to be admired, there are numerous variations that can be used to challenge the muscles involved, and additional movements that can be added to make it a full body exercise.

The Tornado Pull-Up accomplishes both of these, incorporating trunk rotation and leg movements to make this one killer exercise.

Trunk Rotation

I’m a big fan of rotational trunk exercises. They have a very high carry-over into sports performance, and are excellent for improving spinal health. Trunk rotation is a major source of power. Think about punching, swinging a bat or club and throwing a ball. All of these movements require major rotation at the trunk.

Total Body Exercise

Mike Fitch - Global Bodyweight Training

The movement should be fluid and controlled throughout the exercise

The Tornado Pull-Up gives you a major bang for your buck. We can break it down and look at all of the joint actions to get an idea of just how powerful this exercise can be:

  • At its base, this is a vertical pulling pattern , incorporating the elbow flexors like bicep brachii and brachialis.
  • The large lats and teres major play a major role at the shoulder joint.
  • The internal and external obliques rotate the spine as the hip flexors, like the psoas, begin to flex the hip.
  • The adductors of the inner leg pull the straight leg up towards the ceiling as the ipsilateral (same side) obliques, with the QL, laterally flex the spine.

As you can see, this exercise really is a total body movement!

Perfecting Your Tornado Pull-Up

Mike Fitch - Global Bodyweight Training

This Pull-Up variation is great for strength and trunk

The key to this exercise is fluidity. All of the joints should be moving simultaneously, whether it be on the wind-up or the release.

While the goal with a regular Pull-Up is to get the chin over the bar, with the Tornado Pull-Up you only need to get your forehead to the bar. This is because the goal is to touch your elbow to the knee, getting your elbows to at least a 90 degree angle. Keep your focus on the rotation and movement of your legs.

Take your time with this exercise and be sure to perfect your standard Pull/ Chin-Up before progressing into the Tornado Pull-Up.

Check out the video below for step-by-step instructions for learning and mastering this exercise:




Want to see lots more on Pull-Ups? Check out these videos:

Learning the Kipping Muscle-Up:
The Complete 4-Part
Lead-Up Exercise Series


The Band-Assisted Muscle-Up:
Master Your Technique!
(Full article here).



The Archer Pull-Up:
Add this to Your Ring Training!
(Full article here)


Filed Under: Bars, Exercise Tutorial, Features, Instructional, Vertical Pull Patterns Tagged With: chin up, pull up, trunk

Comments

  1. Brandon Cook says

    May 21, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    This is an interesting variation that I’ve never seen before. Did you come up with this one Mike?

    Reply
  2. James says

    May 27, 2012 at 7:44 am

    Tweeted! Keep up the good work Mike – your stuff is great.

    https://twitter.com/abbottjam/status/206710470508412930

    / James

    Reply
    • Mike Fitch says

      May 30, 2012 at 10:40 pm

      Thank you James for the comments and for spreading the word!

      Reply
  3. Colt says

    May 28, 2012 at 9:59 pm

    Very clever title! I feel as if the hip work is minimal at best. I can see real benefit coming from greater force on the elbow flexors. Love the variations though. Sure makes working out more interesting.

    Reply
    • Mike Fitch says

      May 30, 2012 at 10:59 pm

      Hey Colt, thanks for the comments. The hip actions are mostly sagittal and frontal plane movements, while the rotation comes from the spine. BTW, great job on your site, I look forward to checking it out more.

      Reply
      • Colt says

        June 7, 2012 at 6:52 pm

        I appreciate you checking it out. I’m studying for the NASM cert and only have 3 subscribers to my site. But I want your job!

        Reply
  4. michael mellner says

    June 1, 2012 at 10:45 am

    Hi Mike………..I tried it after watching it on youtube when first posted. I have to say that it is excellent and besides all the muscle you mentioned I felt the abdominals a more the obliques working hard since the body is not moving vertical compared to the ground as in a normal pull up but at the end it ia angled at some angle which resembles the first part of the front lever. this makes my abs working hard……………hope I could explain…………..take care……….michael, Italy

    Reply
  5. Rayvon Grayson says

    October 30, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    I have added this to a daily routine of mine, thank you for being such a great inspiration, I only hope to inspire the masses, and save lives through the education of fitness and health. I discovered you on Equinox’s website, I hope to become a trainer there soon.

    Reply
    • Mike Fitch says

      November 15, 2012 at 2:32 pm

      That’s great news Rayvon! Maybe you’ll be in one of my workshops if you make it on to the Equinox team. Keep up the good work my friend.

      Reply

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