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Exercise Library / Pull-Up

Pull-Up

The pull-up lifts your body until your chin passes a bar, with your palms facing away.

Strength Training

What this exercise does

The pull-up lifts your body until your chin passes a bar, with your palms facing away. It builds the back and arms and is a classic test of relative strength.

At a glance

Body part
Back, Arms
Muscles worked
Lats, Upper Back, Biceps
Experience
Intermediate
Equipment
Pull-up Bar

How to do it

  1. Grip a pull-up bar with your palms facing away, a bit wider than your shoulders.
  2. Hang with your arms straight and your shoulders pulled down.
  3. Pull your elbows down and back to lift your chin over the bar.
  4. Pause for a moment.
  5. Lower under control. Do 1 to 5 reps.

Common mistakes

  • Kipping or swinging.
  • Half reps from a bent-arm hang.
  • Dropping quickly.

Make it easier or harder

Make it easier

Use a resistance band for assistance, or lower yourself slowly from the top with a chair.

Make it harder

Add a pause at the top, or hang a weight from a belt.

Keep it safe

Hanging loads the shoulders and elbows. Use a lat pulldown instead if hanging is uncomfortable.

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