intermediate · back
Pull-Up
Vertical pull for lat width and upper-back strength—scale with bands or negatives.
Quick answer
Hang from a bar with hands slightly outside shoulders, pull chest toward the bar, then lower with control to a full hang (pain-free).
If you can do clean pull-ups, celebrate—then add reps or load instead of kipping for Instagram. If you can't yet, band-assisted, foot-assisted, or slow negatives all count as real training.
Form cues
- Start the pull by depressing the shoulder blades
- Think 'elbows to ribs' more than 'hands to ceiling'
- Avoid excessive swinging
Common mistakes
- Chin-only half reps
- Shrugging into the traps without lat engagement
- Kipping when the goal is strength
Programming notes
3–5 × max clean reps (leave 1–2 in reserve). Alternate with lat pulldowns in the same week if needed.
pull-up bar