Skip to content
pullcompoundbeginnermachine

Assisted Pull-Up (Machine)

A counterweighted pull-up that lets you practise the full vertical pull with less than bodyweight. Ideal for building toward unassisted reps.

Muscle activation

  • Lats50%
  • Biceps20%
  • Rhomboids12%
  • Traps10%
  • Rear delts8%

Approximate share of work; varies with grip, stance and tempo.

Add to a workoutCheck my form Pro

Step by step

  1. 1. Start position

    Select the assistance weight — more weight means more help.

  2. 2. Mid-rep

    Drive your elbows down and back until your chin clears the handles.

  3. 3. End of the movement

    Pause for a moment at the top without shrugging.

  4. 4. Common mistake

    Using so much assistance the set feels effortless

Ways to do it

Vertical pull on 6 different setups — pick whatever is free in your gym. Progress is tracked separately for each.

How to do it

Setup

  1. 1Select the assistance weight — more weight means more help.
  2. 2Step or kneel onto the platform and grip the handles slightly wider than shoulder width.
  3. 3Lower slowly until your arms are straight and the platform supports you.

Execution

  1. 1Pull your shoulder blades down to start the rep.
  2. 2Drive your elbows down and back until your chin clears the handles.
  3. 3Pause for a moment at the top without shrugging.
  4. 4Lower under control to straight arms.

Breathing

Breathe in at the bottom, breathe out as you pull up.

Tempo

3-0-1-1 (eccentric-pause-concentric-pause)

Muscles worked

Primary

Lats

Secondary

Biceps, Rhomboids, Traps, Rear delts

Key form cues

  • Shoulders away from ears
  • Elbows down and back
  • Chest up
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Using so much assistance the set feels effortless

    Reduce the counterweight until the last 2–3 reps are genuinely challenging.

  • Bouncing off the platform at the bottom

    Pause in the stretched position before pulling again.

  • Pulling with the arms only and shrugging

    Start each rep by setting the shoulder blades down, then drive with the elbows.

Range of motion

From straight arms with a full lat stretch to the chin clearing the handles.

Variations

  • Easier

    Lat pulldown

  • Harder

    Band-assisted or negative pull-up

  • At home

    Band-assisted pull-up

  • Machine / cable

    Lat pulldown

Related exercises