Intermediate 2 min read

Pull-Ups

The pull-up is one of the most effective upper body exercises, developing the lats, rhomboids, rear delts, and biceps. It directly improves hanging capacity, overhead positions, and general upper body pulling strength.

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Setup

  1. Grip a pull-up bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing away from you (overhand/pronated grip).
  2. Start from a dead hang with arms fully extended and shoulders engaged — pull the shoulder blades slightly down and back (active hang).
  3. Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down and back, as though you’re trying to put your elbows in your back pockets.
  4. Pull until your chin clears the bar, keeping your core braced and body relatively still.
  5. Lower under control back to a full dead hang. That’s one rep.

Coaching Cues

What to feel:

  • Lats and upper back doing the primary work — not the biceps
  • Shoulder blades retracting and depressing as you pull
  • Core engaged to prevent swinging or kipping
  • Full range of motion — dead hang at the bottom, chin over the bar at the top

Common mistakes:

  • Using momentum (kipping) — keep the movement strict for strength development
  • Not reaching full extension at the bottom — always return to a dead hang
  • Chin jutting forward instead of pulling the chest to the bar — aim to bring your chest up, not just your chin
  • Grip too wide — this reduces range of motion and overloads the shoulders
  • Shrugging the shoulders — keep them depressed (pulled down) throughout
Tip

If you can’t do a full pull-up yet, start with band-assisted pull-ups or negative pull-ups (jump to the top, lower yourself slowly over 5 seconds). Building the eccentric strength first is the fastest path to your first strict pull-up.

Video and animated demos coming soon.

Programming

Parameter Recommendation
Reps 3–8 for strength; max reps for endurance
Sets 3–5 working sets
Frequency 2–4x per week
When to do it Upper body focus, pre-workout (after warm-up)

Progressions

  1. Beginner: Band-assisted pull-ups or negative pull-ups (5-second lowering phase).
  2. Intermediate: Strict bodyweight pull-ups with full range of motion. Vary grip width and orientation.
  3. Advanced: Weighted pull-ups (belt + plates), L-sit pull-ups, archer pull-ups, or muscle-ups.