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Pull-up
The pull-up lifts your body until your chin clears a bar from a dead hang, training the lats, biceps and upper back.
- Primary
- Lats
- Secondary
- Biceps, Upper back
- Equipment
- Pull-up bar
- Type
- compound
Why it earns a spot
It is the standard bodyweight pull, builds a wide back, and can be loaded with a belt once reps get easy.
How to do it
- Hang from the bar with your hands just outside shoulder width and your arms straight.
- Pull your shoulder blades down and back, then drive your elbows toward your hips.
- Pull until your chin clears the bar without craning your neck.
- Lower under control to a full hang before the next rep.
- Keep your legs still and your ribs down to avoid swinging.
Common mistakes
- Kipping or swinging to get your chin over; keep the reps strict.
- Stopping short of a full hang; the stretched position counts.
- Doing sets of one and dropping off; use bands or negatives to build volume instead.
How to program it
| Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 | 5-10 | 2 min |
Add one rep per week, or add 2.5 kg (5 lb) with a belt after you can do 3 sets of 10. If you cannot do one yet, practice slow lowering from the top.
Swaps and alternatives
Fortis · free while in beta
Log every pull-up set.
Fortis keeps your sets, reps and weights in one place and shows the trend over time, so progress is a number instead of a feeling.
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