This is a question with very straightforward answer – yes! But does everything become clear after such an answer? I believe – not really. So I will unfold my first experience, to show how weighted pull ups affected my bodyweight reps count.
As we know, when you can do at least 10 bodyweight pull ups, it is getting to harder to make progress, as you are working more on endurance, not strenght. It is good, however, getting stronger is way to make regular bodyweight pull-ups easier in order to make more reps. Solution is to add such weight, so that you can do 3-6 reps that works best on strength.
Getting ready for weighted pull ups
As I wrote in one of my older monthly report, when I was able to do 10 pull ups, I felt I reached that point, where progress was not so fast anymore. That was a moment when I started to do weighted pull ups. I have never done any weighted pull ups before that, and I had high hopes for them in future.
At first, I had to find appropriate weight to start with, and I tested 4kg, 8kg, 12kg. That day, I went with 4kg only, as I wanted to start slowly, to get my body warning, not shock, that weighted reps will be included in my workout routine.
First month with weighted pull ups
In the first month I did first weighted pull up workout with +4kg additional weight, second and third workouts with +6kg, fourth and fifth workouts with +8kg.
When I am able to do 6 or more reps, I know it’s time to add more weight, to stay in 3-6 reps range.
After first month of doing weighted pull ups, I tested my max pull ups, and I was thrilled on progress I made! I did 12 pull ups, and that was +2 reps increase! In few previous months, I was adding +1 rep monthly and last month it was very hard to add even that one rep. At that point, adding +2 reps is very good achievement. And overall feeling when doing bodyweight pull ups was much better than previous. I felt much stronger, first pull ups felt very easy and explosive.
Second month with weighted pull ups
Second month, I started with the usual +8kg, then few workouts with +10kg and then few workouts with +13kg. I am adding weight when I can do 6 or 7 pull ups and I am not in rush with that. I want to do it safe, to let my tendons and ligaments to adapt to additional load. I felt very good after my workouts and I felt effect was noticable on my muscles. I did 5 or 6 workouts during the second month again. As usual, at the end of every month I was testing my max pull ups again. And again – second month in a row I added +2 reps! I did 14 consecutive pull ups!
Progress after two months of weighted pullups
After two months of doing weighted pull ups, I added + 4 reps, and went from 10 to 14 pull-ups!
It feels awesome and brings a lot of confidence and motivation.
My progress is much better. I feel better and more energetic. Bodyweight pull ups feels very rewarding and easier to do, when you get accustomed to additional weight.
Since I started training, my average progress was +1 rep in a month. It took me 5 months, to get to the 10 pullups, and then my progress started to slow down.
Switching to weighted pull ups helped a lot and progress was faster than ever.
So I can confirm, that doing weighted pull ups is the most effective way to increase bodyweight pull up reps.
What about further progress? New and very important circumstances have arisen, as I started to take statins to lower cholesterol level. The effect on my performance was quite noticeable and I wrote my conclusions here how it affected me.