V-Bar Pullup

How to do the V-Bar Pullup

1. Start by placing the middle of the V-bar in the middle of the pull-up bar (assuming that the pull-up station you are using does not have neutral grip handles). The V-Bar handles will be facing down so that you can hang from the pull-up bar through the use of the handles.
2. Once you securely place the V-bar, take a hold of the bar from each side and hang from it. Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
3. Using your lats, pull your torso up while leaning your head back slightly so that you do not hit yourself with the chin-up bar. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion.
4. After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly lower your body back to the starting position as you breathe in.
5. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	lats
Secondary	biceps, middle back, shoulders
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 Underhand Cable Pulldowns Cable Machine V-Bar Pulldown Cable Machine Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Wide-Grip Pulldown Behind The Neck Cable Machine

Harder than the V-Bar Pullup

Elevated Cable Rows intermediate · Cable Machine Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover intermediate · Barbell Weighted Pull Ups intermediate · Other Equipment

Superset the V-Bar Pullup 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 V-Bar Pullup work?

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

What equipment do you need for the V-Bar Pullup?

None — the V-Bar Pullup is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown and Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown also need nothing.

Is the V-Bar Pullup suitable for beginners?

Yes, the V-Bar Pullup is rated beginner. Elevated Cable Rows, Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover, and Weighted Pull Ups are the progressions from here.

Where should the V-Bar Pullup go in a workout?

Early — the V-Bar Pullup is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Decline Push-Up and Incline Push-Up later.

Similar exercises

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment Muscle Up Other Equipment Rocky Pull-Ups/Pulldowns Other Equipment Rope Climb Other Equipment