Q: MIKE! i'm trying to train my pull ups, currently i'm doing pull ups everyday and normally i can only do 4 proper pull ups till failure for the first set, for the other 4 sets i'd probably be able to do 1 or 2 till failure maybe for the last set i can't even pull up, i'm aiming to do 20 pullups by the next two months, is this possible?

A: It's possible but difficult to progress from 4 pullups to 20 pullups in just two months. That would require increase of strength of around 50% -- those kinds of strength increases are definitely possible for novices but over the course of maybe half a year and not just two months.

If you are currently overweight, then losing some fat and weight can make pullups a lot easier. Pullups are one of the few exercises that gets easier when you lose weight. You will lose strength when you lose weight, but because you weigh less each individual pullup becomes easier and more than compensates for the lost strength.

An excellent way to improve your pullups, especially when you are unable to do more than a couple, is to do negatives or reverse pull-ups. Start yourself in the pulled up position (stand on a chair) and then fight gravity for 5 seconds or so to lower your body down as slow as possible for one rep. Do 5-10 such reps per set. It may take more than a couple of months, but you should be able to reach your goal of 20 pullups. Good luck!