Product Review - The Ultimate Pullup Program by Meghan Callaway

              Earlier this month I was touched when my fellow Canadian friend and colleague Strength Coach Meghan Callaway messaged me and asked me to review her new pull-up program "The Ultimate Pull-Up Program." Ever since I discovered her work a couple years ago I’ve became a big fan of her serious, no-nonsense approach to strength training and nutrition as well as her authentic personality. So, towards that end, when she asked me to review her program I was excited and could not say no.

Side note: before anyone says anything NO I am not an affiliate of Meghan’s and as such I am not getting any money from this.

The program consists of four progressive phases that start with very regressed versions of pullups and progress to (and even beyond) regular pullups. If you follow Meghan on social media you’ll see her doing some very advanced (and by her admission sometimes crazy) progressions of pullups and other exercises, some of which are included in the program as bonus content.

What amazed me about the program was the level of detail Meghan put in to describing each of the exercises and the various cues she uses to ensure proper performance as well as the amount of progressions and regressions available for each exercise. One of my hesitations in recommending people to do specific programs comes down to whether or not they can do the exercises properly but Meg has this taken care of.

One of the biggest themes in the book is that of creating full body tension in order to do pull ups as opposed to the traditional focus on just treating it as a back & arm exercise. This concept was first taught to me by my friend and mentor Dr. Stuart McGill and he learned it from the popular kettlebell expert & strength coach Pavel Tsatsouline.

As I was reading the book I also thought to myself that it makes a good overall strength training program for pullups and for progressing bodyweight exercises in general. I’ve often said bodyweight exercises can be quite effective but past a certain point you can only do so many reps of pushups & bodyweight squats before they quickly hit a point of diminishing returns.

            Overall I quite enjoyed the program and enjoyed reading it. I will definitely be taking a lot of these principles and applying them to my own training and that of the patients and clients that I work with.

The only two things I would have liked to have seen included in the program are

1) Some tips for fat loss for larger clients who may struggle to do pullups (or bodyweight exercises in general) due to their weight. Obviously being a bigger powerlifter I am biased.

2) Exercises and guidance for people who may lack the mobility to perform pullups (or any of the other exercises) properly.

I might be wrong – but I do feel the program is more intended for healthy people who are already working out and have a good base of fitness. Some of the exercises may not be recommended for people due to certain injuries and/or medical issues.

            All in all I think Meghan’s Pullup Program is one of the most well thought out and well written programs I’ve ever read and if you’re an avid gym goer who wants to improve your pullups I highly recommend it. The program is available at this link and will be available for a discount launch price until Friday at midnight.