What is Wide pull ups?

Wide pull ups are a medium-difficulty pulling exercise performed with an overhand wide grip that primarily targets the lats and upper back. They also engage the biceps and rear shoulders, making them ideal for intermediate trainees seeking greater upper-back width and pulling strength.

How to Do Wide pull ups

  1. Grip the bar: Grab the bar with an overhand grip wider than shoulder-width, thumbs wrapped and wrists neutral to reduce strain.
  2. Engage your body: Hang with arms fully extended, brace your core, retract shoulder blades slightly to preload the lats and prevent shoulder shrugging.
  3. Drive the pull: Pull your chest toward the bar by driving elbows down and back, squeezing the lats until your chin clears the bar.
  4. Control the descent: Lower slowly with a two- to three-second eccentric, fully extending arms while keeping scapula engaged to protect shoulders.
  5. Progress safely: Use band assistance, negatives, or scapular pull-ups if needed; increase reps or add a weighted belt once strict form is consistent.

Muscle Groups

Back

Description

Perform Wide Pull-Ups to strengthen your back, arms, and shoulders. Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms fully extended and your body straight. Pull yourself up until your chin is level with the bar, focusing on engaging your back muscles. Lower yourself down with control to complete one repetition. Wide Pull-Ups effectively target the lats and upper back, helping to build strength and muscle mass in the upper body.
Movement Group: Pull
Equipment: Pull-Up Bar

Progressions and Regressions

None

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of wide pull ups?

Wide pull ups increase lat width and upper-back strength, improve scapular control, and support better posture. They place more emphasis on the lats and rear delts, helping develop broader pulling muscles useful for bodyweight and weighted movements.

What common mistakes should I avoid doing wide pull ups?

Common mistakes include using momentum (kipping), incomplete range of motion, shrugging shoulders, flaring elbows excessively, and poor grip position. Focus on full hangs, scapular engagement, controlled pulls, and slow eccentrics to reduce injury risk.

How can I progress or find alternatives to wide pull ups?

To progress, increase reps, add weight, train negatives, or use band assistance and paused reps. Alternatives include Australian rows, lat pulldowns, and close-grip pull-ups to build pulling strength with different muscle emphasis.