Pull-Up
Few numbers say more about upper-body strength than how many strict pull-ups you can do. Hauling your bodyweight over a bar builds the lats and the rest of the upper back, with the biceps and grip working overtime. It beats the lat pulldown for building relative strength, and once you own ten clean reps, a dip belt turns it into a heavy progression lift for years.
How to do the pull-up, step by step
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with palms facing away.
- Hang with straight arms, then pull your shoulder blades down and together to start each rep.
- Drive your elbows down toward your hips, pulling your chest toward the bar.
- Keep your legs quiet — a slight hollow-body position stops swinging.
- Finish with your chin clearly over the bar and your chest close to it.
- Lower yourself under control for two to three seconds back to a full hang.
Form cues that fix most reps
Pull the bar down to you, not yourself up to the bar — it switches the lats on immediately.
Lead with your chest, not your chin; reaching with the neck is a fake rep.
Start every rep by setting the shoulder blades first, like tucking them into your back pockets.
Common mistakes (and the fix)
Pull-Up sets and reps
Match the rep range to your goal, not the other way around. These are the standard evidence-based ranges:
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 8–12 | 60–90 sec |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–20 | 30–60 sec |
How our free programs prescribe it
Upper B4 × 8–10PPL 6-day
Pull A4 × 8–10Powerbuilding 5-day
Pull · volume4 × 6–10Home Bodyweight
Day B3 × 5–10
Pull-Up FAQ
What muscles do pull-ups work?
The lats do most of the pulling, supported by the rest of the upper back — traps, rhomboids, rear delts — plus the biceps and forearms. The core also works to keep the body from swinging, which is why strict reps feel like a full-torso exercise.
How do I get my first pull-up?
Train the pieces: slow negatives of three to five seconds, flexed-arm hangs at the top, and lat pulldowns or band-assisted reps for volume. Two or three short sessions a week, 3–5 sets each, gets most people their first strict rep within a couple of months.
Pull-ups vs lat pulldowns — is one better?
They train the same muscles. Pull-ups demand more core control and build relative strength; pulldowns let you fine-tune the load and push higher reps safely. If you can do pull-ups, lead with them and use pulldowns for extra volume afterward.
More upper back exercises
Track your pull-up progress.
Log sets in two taps, see last session's weights pre-filled, and watch your e1RM climb — free in your browser, works offline in the gym.