3 Common Pull-Up Mistakes: How To Fix Them For Faster Progress!

Last week I addressed a common pull-up mistake that is preventing countless fully capable people of achieving their pull-up goals. You can read this article below.

Common Pull-Up Mistake #1 – Lack Of Tension Around The Torso, Spine, Hips, And Lower Body

The second huge pull-up mistake I see, and this includes in countless “STRONG” people, is probably holding you back from achieving your pull-up goals.

I hope what I’m about to share, and the solutions I’m going to provide, will give you a huge “aha” moment!

Common Pull-Up Mistake #2 – ONLY using your arms, and neglecting your back muscles!

Do you ONLY feel your arms working during pull-ups?

No matter how hard you try, you just can’t feel your back doing the majority of the work, which is how it should be when you are doing pull-ups?

I know this is something a LOT of people can relate to!!

A huge step to getting your first pull-up, improving your PR for reps, and overall pull-up form, is learning how to use the muscles in your back and controlling the movement of your shoulder blades versus largely relying on your arms.

Here is a video I recently shot where I’m banging out a casual 13 pull-ups at the end of my upper body workout. You can see my back is doing most of the work, and I am really controlling the movement of my shoulder blades during all components of the exercise.

Believe me, this did not happen overnight! When I was first learning pull-ups I was almost using ALL arms.

Before I share 3 exercises that will really teach you how to nail the correct shoulder blade movements that are required to do pull-ups, AND strengthen the muscles in your back, I’m going to give you two of my go-to coaching cues for helping you get the correct shoulder blade movement, and using your back muscles.

Cue 1: ‘’Pull the bar down to you’’

When most people are doing pull-ups they think about pulling their body up to the bar. This can cause the shoulders and shoulder blades to shoot up towards the ears during the pull. As a result, your shoulder blades will be moving in the wrong direction during the pulling component, and your pull will feel REALLY weak and sloppy.

Imagine you are pulling the bar down to you rather than pulling your body up to the bar. This cue will help you get the correct shoulder blade and arm mechanics, and will help you take the “jerk” or “slack” out of your pull.

You can also imagine you are taking the slack out of the bar, or are trying to break the bar in half.

The end result is you’ll end up using WAY more back muscles!

Cue 2: ‘’Crush oranges in your armpits’’

As you are approaching the bar and are completing the pull-up, imagine you are crushing oranges in your armpits. This will help you use more back and get complete shoulder blade and arm movement.

You can practice the above by hanging in the top position of the pull-up and squeezing tennis balls in your armpits. Someone will need to put the balls there for you. I’d suggest oranges but this might be a little messy!

Here are 3 exercises that will be VERY helpful in teaching you how to use your back muscles versus relying on your arms. These exercises will also teach you to move your shoulder blades correctly. This will result in dramatically better pull-up performance, and quite possibly, joints that feel much better!

All of these exercises can be adapted/made easier to meet you where you currently are in your pull-up journey.

#1) Scapula Pull-Ups

Scapula pull-ups will help you become capable of supporting your bodyweight from a hanging position. This exercise strengthens the muscles that are responsible for the movement of the shoulder blades (teaches you to perform pull-ups using the muscles in your mid and upper back versus overcompensating with your arms), and improves upper body strength, grip, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability (think core).

When many people perform pull-ups they overuse their arms and underutilize the muscles in their mid and upper back. Many people also keep their shoulder blades pinned, and fail to control the movement of their shoulder blades. This will negatively impact pull-up performance.

Coaching Tips:

Set your grip so your palms are facing away from you (pronated), and are slightly greater than shoulder width apart. You can also use a neutral grip where your palms are facing one another. Use a grip (and width) that works and feels best for you.

Your body should be in a relatively straight line from your head to feet (or in a slight hollow body position). Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

You may cross one foot over the other, or you may keep your feet side by side (my preference). I find when people are newer to pull-ups, crossing one foot over the other makes learning the exercise easier as it helps them keep their lower body in a more rigid and stable position. If you do not have the option of fully extending your legs, keep your knees bent/feet behind you, and flex your glutes and hamstrings.

Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, extend your knees, and flex your glutes and quadriceps.

Initiate the movement by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and move each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip (retract, depress, and downwardly rotate). When you do your body should elevate/lift a slight amount.

Do not allow your elbows to bend/”pull.”

Hold for a count in the top position, then lower to the starting position with control.

When you are lowering your shoulder blades should perform the opposite movements and should spread apart and move away from the spine, move around the ribcage, and away from the opposite hip (protract, elevate, and upwardly rotate).

Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. Lower in a single fluid movement. The lowering shouldn’t be jerky.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to excessively elevate towards your ears, or roll forward.

For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and flex your glutes and quadriceps.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 6-15 reps (if you can’t achieve target rep range using good form use band assistance).

#2) Feet Supported Pull-Ups

This exercise is essentially an inverted row that is done in a vertical position. This more closely mimics the pull-up. You can regress or progress the exercise by using less support from your lower body.

As you’ll see, many of the coaching tips apply to regular pull-ups.

You can do this using a Smith machine, stable barbell in a rack, TRX, rings, or any stable surface that is around chest to head level.

Coaching Tips:

Set your grip so your palms are facing away from you (pronated), and are slightly greater than shoulder width apart. You may also use a neutral grip where your palms are facing one another. Figure out what hand width and grip works and feels best for you.

Set your body so your head, torso, and hips are in a stacked position, and are vertical. Your feet should be on the floor. You can keep your knees bent, or legs fully extended.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and flex your glutes. This will help stabilize your torso, spine, hips, and legs.

Initiate the pull-up by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and move each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip (retract, depress, and downwardly rotate), and drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the floor. Do not lead the movement with your arms, and do not allow your shoulders to elevate towards your ears, or roll forward. Think about pulling the bar down to you.

In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out. They should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso.

Make sure that your chin passes the bar, but do not look up and reach with your chin.

Pause for a count in the top position, and “crush oranges in your armpits.”

Lower yourself to the bottom position with control. During the lowering/eccentric component, do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. Your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did during the ascending/concentric component, and should move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from the opposite hip.

In the bottom position, your elbows should be close to fully extended, but not hyperextended. Also, do not allow your shoulders to excessively elevate towards your ears (a slight shrug is ok).

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position, and your legs should remain fully extended. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine) and flex your glutes.

Exhale after you have initiated the “pull” and are approaching the top position; you may inhale and “reset” as you are descending, or you may do a full reset when you are in the starting position. Do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps.

Here is a tougher variation:

#3) Banded Pull-Downs

This exercise strengthens the muscles in the back, and teaches you how to control the movement of your shoulder blades.

You can also do this using a lat pull-down machine.

Coaching Tips:

Attach a band around a high surface so you’ll be able to get your arms into an overhead position. You can be in a standing, tall kneeling, half kneeling, partial squat, or seated position.

Grab the band, and have your grip so your palms are facing away from you (pronated), and are slightly greater than shoulder width apart. You may also use a neutral grip where your palms are facing one another. Figure out what hand width and grip works and feels best for you.

Set your body so your head, torso, and hips are in a stacked position, and are vertical.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and flex your glutes.

Initiate the pull by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and move each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip (retract, depress, and downwardly rotate), and drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the floor. Do not lead the movement with your arms, and do not allow your shoulders to elevate towards your ears, or roll forward. Think about pulling the (imaginary) bar down to you.

In the bottom position, do not allow your elbows to flare out. They should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso.

Pause for a count and “crush oranges in your armpits.”

Now return your arms to the top/starting position with control. Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. Your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did during the ascending/concentric component, and should move away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from the opposite hip.

In the top/starting position, your elbows should be close to fully extended, but not hyperextended. Also, do not allow your shoulders to excessively elevate towards your ears (a slight shrug is ok).

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine) and squeeze/flex your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.

STAY TUNED as next week I am going to tell you EXACTLY why band assisted pull-ups are NOT the best exercise for helping you achieve your pull-up goals. Especially if they are the ONLY exercise you are doing to train for pull-ups! I am going to provide you with much better options that will lead you to your pull-up goals!

Do you want to get your first pull-up ever and have been really frustrated with your lack of progress? Or can you already do pull-ups but want to improve your form, increase your reps, and learn more advanced variations? Currently being followed by THOUSANDS of people in at least 92 countries. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!

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