Are you struggling to do your first pull-up ever, or improve your current best for reps? You might be struggling to do pull-ups as you probably aren’t doing exercises that are the most effective for helping you achieve your goal, and you probably aren’t being mindful of form. Both matter!
If you are looking for a very comprehensive full body pull-up program that has helped THOUSANDS of people of all genders in over 91 countries achieve their first pull-up, improve current PR’s, improve form, and/or learn more advanced pull-ups (all while focusing on the full body), check out my Ultimate Pull-Up Program.
Here are 5 of my top exercises that will help you learn how to do pull-ups.
#1) Scapula Pull-Ups
This exercise teaches you how to use your shoulder blades properly during pull-ups. When many people perform pull-ups they overuse their arms, and do not use 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 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. 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, cross one foot over the other, and contract 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), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Initiate the movement by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw 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 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, 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 positioning. 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 contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Inverted Rows
This exercise strengthens the muscles in the mid and upper back, improves shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
You may use rings, a TRX, bar, rope, etc. Modify the exercise by keeping your feet on the floor. You can further progress this exercise by keeping your body in a straight line from your head to feet.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt your preferred grip.
- Set your body so it is in a relatively straight line from the top/back of your head to knees.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (wrinkle front of your shirt), and squeeze your glutes.
- Perform a row. Initiate the movement by using the muscles in your mid and upper back and draw your shoulder blades in towards your spine and down towards your opposite hip, and simultaneously drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the ground.
- In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out. They should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso.
- Return to the starting position with control. Your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movements as they did during the rowing component. Think about moving your shoulder blades away from your spine, around your ribcage, and away from your opposite hip.
- In the starting position, your elbows should be close to fully extended, but not hyperextended.
- 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 contract your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#3) Eccentric Only Pull-Ups
This exercise teaches you how to perform the lowering component of the pull-up.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on a bench or box so your chin is already at (or close to) the height of the bar, or if you are already able to, you can jump from the floor and pull yourself up the rest of the way.
- 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.
- When you are in the top position (or as you are jumping up if you are required to jump), set your body position as quickly as you can. 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. 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, cross one foot over the other, and contract your glutes and hamstrings.
- As you are jumping, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Get to the top position by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw 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.
- In the top position, your elbows should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Now, take 3-5 seconds and 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, 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 positioning. 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 contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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#4) Concentric Hang
This exercise teaches you how to perform the top component of the pull-up.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on a bench or box so your chin is already at (or close to) the height of the bar, or if you are already able to, you can jump from the floor and pull yourself up the rest of the way.
- 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.
- When you are in the top position (or as you are jumping up if you are required to jump), set your body position as quickly as you can. 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. 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, cross one foot over the other, and contract your glutes and hamstrings.
- As you are jumping, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Get to the top position by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw 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.
- In the top position, your elbows should remain at approximately a 45 degree angle with your torso. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Hold for the target amount of time.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to elevate towards your ears, or roll forward.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body positioning. 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 contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
For both #3 and #4 you can start standing on a box/bench so you don’t have to jump up to the bar (if you have this option).
Band Assisted Pull-Ups – AFTER you’ve mastered the first 4 exercises, band assisted pull-ups can be a helpful exercise for building up your pull-up volume, and continuing to work on technique.
#5) Dead Bugs + Weight Lowering
Dead bugs have a HUGE carryover to improving pull-up performance!! As I talk about all the time, if you can keep your torso, spine, and hips stable, and can generate tension throughout your body, you’ll have a much better chance of excelling at pull-ups.
👉👉 Better tension + maintaining pull-up body position = not pulling needless deadweight, and less swinging (shorter more efficient path to bar)
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on your back on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Hold onto a weighted object. Extend your arms so they are in a vertical position, and are above your chest.
- Fully extend your knees and maintain this position for the duration of the exercise, or keep your knees bent at 90 degrees. For most individuals, I recommend keeping the knees bent.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).
- Now contract your core muscles, steadily exhale through your mouth, slowly lower your leg and arms/weight towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- Gain a moment of control, and then return your arms/weight and your leg to the starting position.
- When you return to the starting position pause and do a proper reset. Most people rush and do not do a proper reset.
- 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, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor.
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