How to Do Pullups the Right Way to Build Up Your Back

The pinnacle of bodyweight exercises is the pull-up. This exercise is one of the few that you can utilize to successfully train your back muscles without the need for an external load, and it’s also one of the purest representations of relative strength—that is, your strength in relation to your weight and height—that you can incorporate into your training.

You already know that pullups are one of the hardest workouts in all of fitness, whether you’re a pro at them or you’re still working on perfecting your first rep. Since you’re essentially lifting your entire body weight off the ground and above the bar, you’re actually working against yourself. Because of this, form is very crucial, especially if you want to gain strength and muscle via your training. Pullups involve much more than merely bringing your chin up to the bar.

“A proper pull-up is a total-body tension workout.” Follow the instructions below to discover how to master pullup dynamics and build that tension.

How to Do a Pull-up

Bar Setup

Grasp the bar with both hands, making sure to place your palms over it. Instead of leaping to grab the bar if you are unable to reach up to it, move closer to it. While a narrow grip can help you leverage your biceps, a wider grasp will reduce the range of motion you’ll need to go through.

How to Hang


After you’ve grasped the bar, you must position yourself to prevent energy leaks. Squeeze and depress your shoulder blades to create tension, then tighten your abdominals and squeeze your glutes. Your feet should not be straight down, but rather somewhat forward of your torso. To rotate your shoulders externally, move your elbows forward. If you have trouble maintaining this pose try hanging for three sets of thirty seconds while maintaining proper form.

How to Do Pull-up Reps

• Strike a strong hanging pose and hold it there by contracting your glutes, abs, and shoulders.
  
  Pull yourself up to the bar by pressing your elbows into your hips. Continue, pausing slightly at the top, until your head is above the bar.
  
  Remaining in control of the pose and maintaining tension, lower your back until your elbows are outstretched.

How to Scale Pullups

Use these exercises as pullup regressions to enhance your capacity by strengthening your muscles and learning the movements before you attempt your first rep. Alternatively, use them to assist you improve your pullup form.

Scapular Pullup

Why? Because it facilitates the hang the initial movement into the shoulder and upper back repetitions, and the pull-up position.

Method:

• Take a comfortable hanging position on the bar.
  
• Raise your neck as high as you can after extending your arms.
  
• After a count of pause, descend once more.
  
• Reps and sets: Warm-up: 2 sets of 8–10 repetitions; working sets: 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions

Pullup Hold

Why: To strengthen your lats and mid-back, focus on the squeeze at the top of the pull-up exercise as you progress towards the complete version.

Method:

• Ascend to a comfortable hanging position over the bar.
  
• Squeeze your mid-back muscles and lift yourself up to the top (if you are unable to pull yourself up, start at the top using a box).
  
• As long as you can, maintain that posture (start with 10 seconds and work your way up).
  

• 3 sets of 10–12 seconds each are the sets and reps.

Eccentric Pullup

Why : If you are unable to raise yourself this exercise will be quite helpful. As your body adjusts to the movement you’ll be in the right position.

Method:

• Ascend to a comfortable hanging position over the bar.
  
• Squeeze your mid-back muscles and lift yourself up to the top (if you are unable to pull yourself up, start at the top using a box).
  
• After holding the pose for a beat, carefully lower yourself. As you lower yourself, maintain your full-body tension.
  
• Exercises: 2–3 sets of 3–4 repetitions

Pull-up Grips

Overhand Grip

• This is the position that most people refer to as “pull-ups,” and it’s the hardest one to perform because you have to work hard to twist your elbows forward in order to achieve external rotation at the shoulder joint.

  Underhand Grip

• Alternatively referred to as a chin-up, the underhand grip facilitates the recruitment of more biceps. Pulling your body up becomes a little bit easier and more comfortable as a result.

  Neutral Grip

• Your shoulders will feel more comfortable when your hands are facing each other.

  Pullup Muscles Worked

Sure, most people think of pullups as a workout for the arms and back, but when done properly, it should work the entire body. Your lats are the main mover in your mid-back muscles, which are quite important. Additionally essential for grasping the bar and supporting the pulling motion are the forearms and biceps. When you use good form you will brace to create tension and engage your core muscles notably your abs and glutes.

Advantages of Pullup

A useful bodyweight exercise for developing muscle and strength, particularly in the back, is the pull-up. There are benefits in the real world as well. This is a great exercise if you’ve ever engaged in hanging-related sports like rock climbing.

Typical Pullup Errors

Any type of pullup is tough, but perfect form pullups are considerably more challenging. Exercisers may become overly focused on finishing reps, which can lead to poor posture and energy leaks (losing tension across the entire body). It’s crucial to control momentum when doing rigorous pullups, swing the body, and completely extend the arms at the end of each rep.

The Butterfly Pullup

Should you have witnessed someone engaging in CrossFit, you may have observed individuals swaying back and forth towards the bar. The goal of these kipping pullups, commonly referred to as butterfly pullups, is different from that of tight pullups.

Butterfly pullups are not a good way to gain muscle and strength. The emphasis is mainly on honing gymnastics abilities and getting a lot of reps in fast. Stick to strict form pullups if you’re not a CrossFit.

How to Include Pullups in Your Exercise Routine

Pullups are going to be the cornerstone of your bodyweight exercises. Add them to your upper body workout regimen by starting with three to four sets of six to eight repetitions.