Pull Ups
The classic bodyweight vertical pull that builds the lats, biceps and upper back — the benchmark of upper-body pulling strength.
How to do it
- Reach up and grab a fixed bar with palms facing forward, hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully straight, then engage your lats by pulling your shoulder blades down.
- Brace your core, squeeze your glutes and cross your ankles to keep your body in a tight line.
- Pull yourself up, driving your elbows down toward your ribs until your chin clears the bar.
- Pause briefly at the top with your chin over the bar, squeezing your lats and upper back.
- Lower yourself slowly over 2–3 seconds to a full hang before the next rep.
Key technique cue
Blades down, chin over the bar, no kipping, lower over 2–3 seconds.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Swinging the legs (kipping) to get up instead of pulling cleanly with the back and arms.
- ✕ Cutting the bottom range short and never reaching a full hang, which trains only part of the exercise.
- ✕ Leading with the chin instead of the chest, which strains the neck.
- ✕ Dropping fast from the top and skipping the slow lowering, where most pull-up strength is built.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds the lats, biceps and upper back with one of the most effective bodyweight exercises.
- ✓ Develops the relative strength needed for advanced calisthenics and athletic work.
- ✓ Supports shoulder health by training the back muscles that stabilize the joint.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 3 You are here - Pull Ups
- Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
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About the exercise
Pull Ups are the benchmark bodyweight upper-body exercise. Hanging from a fixed bar with palms facing forward, the lifter pulls the body up until the chin clears the bar, then lowers under control. The movement builds the lats, biceps and upper back and is one of the clearest measures of relative pulling strength. It is a key exercise for strength training, calisthenics and pull day, and the end goal of any pull-up progression for lifters chasing their first strict rep.
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