A vertical pulling exercise that lifts your body toward the bar and primarily works the lats and upper back.
How to do the Pull Up#
- Grab the bar with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and hang with your arms fully extended.
- Set your shoulder blades by drawing them down and back before initiating the pull.
- Drive your elbows down and pull your chest upward until your chin clears the bar or your chest approaches it.
- Hold briefly at the top while contracting the lats, then lower yourself slowly back to a dead hang.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions with controlled, even tempo.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Lats, Upper back
- Secondary: Biceps, Forearms, Abs
Common mistakes#
- Using momentum or kicking the legs to propel the body upward.
- Shrugging the shoulders instead of starting the pull from scapular engagement.
- Stopping short and not fully extending the arms at the bottom.
- Relying mainly on the arms and not engaging the back muscles.
