Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up

How to do the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up

1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
3. Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. 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, shoulders
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	intermediate
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

Easier than the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown beginner · Cable Machine Underhand Cable Pulldowns beginner · Cable Machine V-Bar Pullup beginner · Bodyweight

Superset the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up with

Opposing chest and shoulders work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Clock Push-Up chest Single-Arm Push-Up chest Decline Push-Up chest Handstand Push-Ups shoulders

Common questions

What muscles does the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up work?

The Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up 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 Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up?

None — the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up 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 Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown, Underhand Cable Pulldowns, and V-Bar Pullup and work up.

Where should the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up go in a workout?

Early — the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Clock Push-Up and Single-Arm 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