Pull · Pull-up bar
How to do pull-ups
The pull-up is the cheapest test of relative strength there is: nothing but a bar, your bodyweight and whether you have kept it honest.
Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, Biceps brachii, Mid traps and rhomboids
How to do it
- Take an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulders and hang with the arms straight.
- Before pulling, set the shoulders down and back — imagine putting your shoulder blades in your back pockets.
- Drive the elbows down toward your ribs and pull the chest to the bar rather than the chin over it.
- Pause briefly at the top with the shoulders still down, not shrugged.
- Lower all the way to straight arms over two to three seconds.
Mistakes to avoid
- Kipping with the legs on a set that is supposed to be strict.
- Stopping halfway down, which cuts out the strongest part of the range.
- Shrugging at the top so the traps take over from the lats.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Prescription |
|---|---|
| First rep | 4 sets of 3 slow negatives, 5 seconds down, 3 times a week |
| Size | 4 sets of 6–10 reps, adding weight once you clear 10 |
| Volume | Greasing the groove: 3–5 easy reps several times through the day |
Swaps and alternatives
- Lat pulldown — Same pattern with a load you can dial in exactly.
- Band-assisted pull-up — Keeps the full range while you build strength.
- Inverted row — Builds the mid-back that stalls most pull-up attempts.
Common questions
Keep training
- Barbell row
Barbell
- Lat pulldown
Cable machine
- Face pull
Cable and rope, or band
- Hammer curls
Dumbbells
- Dumbbell shoulder press
Dumbbells, bench
- Incline dumbbell press
Dumbbells, adjustable bench