Eero walks through an effective pulling workout you can do at home as long as you have a pull up bar. This workout consists of advanced basics.

For this workout, you should already have a good foundation of strength. We would consider this an "advanced basics workout" because it doesn't have the most advanced exercises but the basics done in a quite advanced manner.

If you are struggling with chin ups or cannot do a single one yet, Movement 20XX Method can fix that for you.

In the program, everything starts from the basics and gradually gets harder at your own pace. We start with exercises anyone can do and progressively increase the difficulty. The first months are quite easy but the harder months will challenge anyone.

What makes Movement 20XX Method unique is that it's truly one of the most balanced & holistic programs out there.

You see, in the beginning of our training journey, we developed countless imbalances in our bodies because we favored certain exercise variations over others and we also lacked the proper methodology to do the exercises correctly. 

What I mean is that in my early years I would do a lot of chin ups. A LOT. My vertical pulling was over 75% chin ups because that's where I felt the strongest and most comfortable. I was obsessed with getting stronger.

Here is my full story and the transformation from the early days.

Due to this obsession and lack of knowledge, I didn't have a balanced approach to the workouts. My lats became overdeveloped while I had weaknesses in my arms and many of my back muscles. 

And my legs? There were too many problems to count despite being able to deadlift 400 pounds (200 kg in fact)!

Video from 2017, filmed in Croatia next to the Jarun Lake in Zagreb!

Me and Eero suffered many injuries from our reckless approach. Today, we have no pain, no aching joints and no imbalances causing us grievances.

This is an issue 99% of beginners will experience which a lot of people will never overcome. We still see people in the gym with a horrible exercise form even when it looks they have been training for decades.

This is how Movement 20XX Method can help you too. It will give you a balanced and holistic approach to calisthenics & movement training which can be a lifesaver when it comes to pain, restrictions and lack of progress.

More On The Unique Pulling Exercises

Below you can find more information about the unique exercises demonstrated in the video.

These are great alternatives but the basic wide pull ups and regular chin ups are equally important. 

Before each workout, you should also warm up your shoulder girdle and the back muscles by doing the exercises Eero demonstrated in the beginning of the video. 

By doing the muscle activation drills, you will improve the activation of your muscles by a big margin, develop better mobility and warm up the joints decreasing the risk of injury!

Arched Lat Chin Up

If you are unable to do horizontal rows such as the inverted row, then the arched lat chin up is a great alternative.

This chin up variation incorporates both vertical and horizontal pulling. While you pull yourself up from the bottom hang, arch your spine and allow your ribs to stretch pulling your head and chest backwards instead of straight up.

This exercise will truly emphasize the lats and will help a lot with bodyweight skills such as the front lever.

Shield Chin Up

Shield chin up is a classic we invented almost a decade ago. In this variation, you are pulling the elbows together. 

This will produce a tremendous workout for your chest. Typically, pulling exercises do not target the chest so in this regard shield pull up is quite unique. 

However, if you are interested in one arm chin ups, it's another pull up variation that requires a lot of strength from your chest (stabilization and even pulling).

For martial artists this is one of the best pull up variations you can do because it develops the high guard and your ability to keep elbows close to your body.

You will be surprised how much this exercise will train the chest and how much it can improve the mobility of your arms. Other muscles that get nicely targeted are the biceps and lats.

Horizontal DIY Rows

Obviously, you can do inverted rows with rings or a TRX but this is also an excellent choice. 

To do these rows, you only need a martial arts belt and a stick. The martial arts belt in general is an amazing tool for any fitness enthusiast. 

For example, I have never used a weight belt for chin ups – I have always used a martial arts belt for adding weight to my chin ups. The setup is fast, the belt is extremely comfortable and you can easily carry the martial arts belt anywhere you go.

The benefit of training horizontal rows is that different back muscles get emphasized compared to the vertical rows that tend to develop more the arms. 

The muscles that get worked on the most are the lats, teres minor, infraspinatus, posterior deltoids and middle/lower traps.

Horizontal row as done in the picture (transverse abduction) is also a different shoulder articulation compared to the vertical row (shoulder extension & adduction) which is why it should be thoroughly trained.

The Truth About Muscle Mass

Recently, some people have commented how Eero looks smaller than he did many years ago and it has created discussion whether Eero's training has changed recently. 

In reality, Eero has been around the same weight for the last 5 years since 2019. When we filmed the calisthenics video in 2017, Eero weighed +7 kilos (16lbs) but at the time, his body fat percentage was a lot higher and he was carrying more water bloat as well.

Where training makes the biggest difference is in your strength, athleticism and movement ability. Obviously, proper training is necessary for building muscle as well but without the right diet nothing will work.

Especially Athlete 20XX Method and Warrior 20XX Method will build muscle as long as you are following the right diet for building muscle. 

To build muscle, you need to eat a surplus of calories and plenty of protein. Supplements such as creatine will help you look bigger due to increased water retention in your muscles.

You also want to optimize your testosterone levels (as a man) by reducing stress (cortisol), following an animal based diet, training rigorously and getting lots of sleep. 

At this point in our training careers, muscle mass is not a priority for us anymore. We prioritize health, strength and excelling in movement & martial arts. 

The fluffy buff look a lot of people admire on social media screams incompetence in athleticism and martial arts, it's just not functional although there are exceptions.

However, your situation might be different and you might benefit from focusing on muscle building. In that case, I recommend following Athlete 20XX Method. A lot of people have built a lot of muscle with this method without sacrificing their athletic ability.

Iron King Method is also great and emphasizes the arms, forearms and grip a lot more than Athlete 20XX Method does. Together they make a great combo.

Stay strong.