Scapular Pull-Up
Hanging scapular pull-ups teach you to engage the lats and lower traps without bending the arms.
How to do it
- Take the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders and hang with straight arms.
- Let your shoulders rise toward your ears in the relaxed hang.
- Keeping your elbows straight, pull your shoulders down and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Your body will rise a few centimeters.
- Pause for a second at the top.
- Slowly return to the relaxed hang with stretched shoulders and repeat.
Key technique cue
Hang from the bar with straight arms, depress and retract the shoulder blades to lift the body slightly, no elbow bend.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Bending the elbows and turning it into a pull-up
- ✕ Swinging the body
- ✕ Too small a range, so the shoulder blades do not move
- ✕ Dropping back down quickly without control
Benefits
- ✓ Shoulder blade control in a hang
- ✓ A base for your first pull-ups
- ✓ A stronger grip
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Scapular Pull-Up
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Step 2 -
Step 3 -
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Step 6
About the exercise
You hang from the bar with straight arms and lift your body only by pulling the shoulder blades down and together. The small range of motion builds shoulder control and grip. It suits anyone working toward their first pull-up and works as a warm-up before pulling.
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