Pull-Up Progress: 6 Reps on the Assist Machine

Pull-ups always felt impossible to me. Today I finally tried the pull-up assist machine, and I managed six solid reps with 180 pounds of assistance.

I was nervous about breaking the machine, so I checked the weight limit first. (400 pounds. Good to know.)

It felt good—calm, even. I could hold myself there, moving through each rep, and look out across the street at the vintage store. It felt like leveling up in a game I never thought I’d play.

I’m halfway to my weight-loss goal now. I’m 65 pounds down, and this felt like proof that showing up week after week is working.

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Why I Started with the Pull-Up Assist Machine

The assist machine’s great if you’re starting out. It lets you train the full range of motion and build strength gradually. It also gives you a confidence boost because you feel the real movement even if you’re not close to a bodyweight pull-up yet.

I track all of this in the Hevy app. It helps me see progress and notice changes I would’ve missed.

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What’s Next

The goal’s simple: reduce the assistance, one rep at a time, until I hit my first unassisted pull-up. I’m tracking my pull-up progress every week.

📹 I recorded a quick update over on TikTok. Check it out here: 👉 Watch on TikTok

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