Pullups

How to do the Pullups

1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using the prescribed grip. Note on grips: For a wide grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance wider than your shoulder width. For a medium grip, your hands need to be spaced out at a distance equal to your shoulder width and for a close grip at a distance smaller than your shoulder width.
2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
3. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	lats
Secondary	biceps, middle back
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

Train the same muscles a different way

6 alternatives for the same lats, with and without kit.

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Kneeling High Pulley Row Cable Machine Kneeling Single-Arm High Pulley Row Cable Machine Leverage Iso Row Machine One Arm Lat Pulldown Cable Machine

Harder than the Pullups

Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover intermediate · Barbell Elevated Cable Rows intermediate · Cable Machine Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up intermediate · Bodyweight

Superset the Pullups with

Opposing chest work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Decline Push-Up chest Incline Push-Up chest Incline Push-Up Medium chest Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip chest

Common questions

What muscles does the Pullups work?

The Pullups primarily works the lats, with the biceps and mid back as secondary movers. Chin-Up, Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown, and Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Pullups?

None — the Pullups is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Chin-Up and Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown also need nothing.

Is the Pullups suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Pullups is rated beginner. Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover, Elevated Cable Rows, and Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up are the progressions from here.

Where should the Pullups go in a workout?

Early — the Pullups is compound, working 3 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Decline Push-Up and Incline Push-Up later.

Similar exercises

Chin-Up Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Gironda Sternum Chins Other Equipment Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment Kneeling High Pulley Row Cable Machine