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pullcompoundintermediatepull-up barbodyweight

Pull-Up

A bodyweight vertical pull that builds a wide back and strong arms. One of the best measures of relative upper-body strength.

Muscle activation

  • Lats45%
  • Biceps20%
  • Rhomboids10%
  • Traps10%
  • Forearms10%
  • Rear delts5%

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

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Step by step

  1. 1. Start position

    Grip the bar overhand, slightly wider than shoulder width.

  2. 2. Mid-rep

    Drive your elbows down toward your hips to pull your chest toward the bar.

  3. 3. End of the movement

    Continue until your chin clears the bar.

  4. 4. Common mistake

    Kipping or swinging to finish reps

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. 1Grip the bar overhand, slightly wider than shoulder width.
  2. 2Hang with straight arms, legs together and slightly in front of you.
  3. 3Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body doesn't swing.

Execution

  1. 1Start by pulling your shoulder blades down and back.
  2. 2Drive your elbows down toward your hips to pull your chest toward the bar.
  3. 3Continue until your chin clears the bar.
  4. 4Lower under control all the way to straight arms before the next rep.

Breathing

Breathe out as you pull up, breathe in as you lower.

Tempo

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

Muscles worked

Primary

Lats

Secondary

Biceps, Rhomboids, Traps, Rear delts, Forearms

Key form cues

  • Shoulders down first
  • Elbows to your back pockets
  • Chest to the bar
  • Control every inch down

Common mistakes

  • Kipping or swinging to finish reps

    Keep a tight hollow body and stop the set when strict form breaks.

  • Partial reps that never reach straight arms

    Return to a full hang each rep; use band assistance if needed to keep full range.

  • Craning the neck to get the chin over

    Keep the neck neutral and pull the chest up toward the bar instead.

Range of motion

From a full dead hang with straight arms to chin clearly above the bar.

Variations

  • Easier

    Band-assisted pull-up or slow negatives

  • Harder

    Weighted pull-up

  • At home

    Doorframe pull-up bar, or inverted row under a sturdy table

  • Machine / cable

    Lat pulldown or assisted pull-up machine

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