Pull-up
- Muscle group
- Back
- Primary muscles
- Lats
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Forearms, Upper back
- Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away), with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Hang with your arms fully extended.
- Pull your body up by driving your elbows down towards the floor. Continue until your chin is over the bar.
- Slowly lower yourself with control until your arms are straight again.
Tips
- Before pulling, think of driving your elbows down and back toward your hips rather than simply bending your arms, which keeps the movement focused through the back.
- Lower yourself with control until your arms are fully extended at the bottom, completing the full range of motion on every repetition.
- Keep your chest up and avoid letting your upper back round as you pull, so your torso stays in a stable position throughout the movement.
Common mistakes
- Stopping the descent before the arms are fully extended cuts the range of motion short and leaves the repetition incomplete.
- Jerking or swinging the body upward at the start of the pull, rather than initiating the movement with a controlled pull from the arms and back.
- Allowing the chin to barely reach bar height by tilting the head back rather than actually pulling the body high enough.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
