Calisthenics
Lats
Biceps
Intermediate
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Calisthenics
Pull-up
Hang from a bar with an overhand grip and pull your chin over it. The gold standard of relative upper-body strength and the ultimate back builder.
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Suggested use
Sets
4
Reps
4-8
Rest
2m 30s
Calisthenics
Advanced
Strength
Hypertrophy
Pull
Muscles worked
Primary
Lats
Secondary
Biceps
Rhomboids
Rear delts
Forearms
Abs (rectus abdominis)
Equipment
Pull-up bar
How to do it
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with palms facing away.
- Hang with straight arms, shoulders active — pulled slightly down away from your ears.
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your trunk to stop swinging.
- Pull your elbows down toward your ribs until your chin clears the bar.
- Keep your chest moving toward the bar rather than reaching with the chin.
- Lower under control to a full hang before the next rep.
Common mistakes
- Kipping or swinging to cheat the pull when the goal is strict strength.
- Cutting the range short at the bottom instead of reaching a full hang.
- Craning the neck to sneak the chin over the bar.
- Letting the shoulders shrug into the ears at the bottom.
Safety first
- Build up with inverted rows and lat pulldowns before chasing full reps.
- Use a box to step down instead of dropping from the bar.
- Stop the set when reps get ugly — grinding half-reps invites tweaks.
Who should avoid or modify
- Recent shoulder or elbow injury or surgery — consult a licensed clinician first.
- Pain when hanging with straight arms — regress and seek qualified assessment.
Breathing and tempo
Breathing: Exhale as you pull up, inhale on the controlled lower.
Tempo: 1-1-2 — pull up in one, chin over the bar for one, lower over two.
