What is Pull Up?

What is a Pull Up? A Pull Up is a compound bodyweight exercise performed on a bar, pulling the body up until the chest reaches the bar. It primarily targets the latissimus dorsi, biceps, shoulders and upper back. Difficulty: medium—requires upper-body strength and practice; scalable with progressions and assisted variations.

How to Do Pull Up

  1. Establish Grip: Grab the bar palms forward at chosen width; wrap thumbs around, engage shoulder blades and hang with arms fully extended to set starting tension.
  2. Set Body Angle: Lean torso back about 30 degrees, stick chest out and create a slight lumbar curve; brace core to stabilize the spine before pulling.
  3. Initiate Pull: Draw shoulders and upper arms down and back, then pull your chest toward the bar using lats and biceps; exhale during the concentric phase.
  4. Hold Top Position: Pause briefly with chest near the bar, avoid shrugging or swinging; keep torso rigid and shoulders packed for one second before lowering.
  5. Controlled Descent: Inhale and lower slowly until arms fully extend and lats stretch; maintain scapular control to protect shoulders and avoid dropping with momentum.

Muscle Groups

Biceps, Chest, Shoulders, Trapezius, Forearm, Latissimus, Back

Description

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.

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.

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.
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.

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.

Movement Group

Pull

Required Equipment

Pull-Up Bar

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of pull ups?

Pull-ups build upper-body strength by targeting lats, biceps, traps and rear shoulders, while improving grip strength, posture and core stability. They enhance functional pulling power and translate to better performance in climbing, lifting, and sports.

What are common pull up mistakes to avoid?

Common mistakes include using momentum (kipping), incomplete range of motion, flared elbows, shrugging shoulders, weak scapular control and poor breathing. Fix with controlled reps, full extension, scapular pulls, and lighter assistance until proper form is consistent.

How do I progress to full pull ups or find alternatives?

Progress with assisted methods: resistance bands, machine assistance, negatives, eccentric-focused reps, and isometric holds. Complement with rows and lat pulldowns for strength. For alternatives, try inverted rows or lat pulldowns until you can perform unassisted pull-ups.