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Pull · Pull-up bar

How to do pull-ups

The pull-up is the cheapest test of relative strength there is: nothing but a bar, your bodyweight and whether you have kept it honest.

Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, Biceps brachii, Mid traps and rhomboids

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How to do it

  1. Take an overhand grip a little wider than your shoulders and hang with the arms straight.
  2. Before pulling, set the shoulders down and back — imagine putting your shoulder blades in your back pockets.
  3. Drive the elbows down toward your ribs and pull the chest to the bar rather than the chin over it.
  4. Pause briefly at the top with the shoulders still down, not shrugged.
  5. Lower all the way to straight arms over two to three seconds.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Kipping with the legs on a set that is supposed to be strict.
  • Stopping halfway down, which cuts out the strongest part of the range.
  • Shrugging at the top so the traps take over from the lats.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
First rep4 sets of 3 slow negatives, 5 seconds down, 3 times a week
Size4 sets of 6–10 reps, adding weight once you clear 10
VolumeGreasing the groove: 3–5 easy reps several times through the day

Swaps and alternatives

  • Lat pulldown — Same pattern with a load you can dial in exactly.
  • Band-assisted pull-up — Keeps the full range while you build strength.
  • Inverted row — Builds the mid-back that stalls most pull-up attempts.

Common questions

What people ask about pull-ups

This guide covers pull-up form, how to do pull-ups correctly, pull-up muscles worked, pull-up sets and reps for muscle growth, pull-up bar latissimus dorsi exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

Training the same muscles from another angle? Start with the full exercise library or let the free workout plan generator slot pull-ups into a four-week block.

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