How To Do A Pull Up

Pull up is one of the most challenging exercises there is. It requires decent upper body strength and the right technique. Even if you cannot do one pull up now, you can be sure that with the right training you can build up strength and with time do more than one.

Tips On How To Do Pull Up

Woman doing pull ups

Chin up

Train to Prepare

You want to train the shoulder, arm, and back muscles that will help you lift your lower body up so before you’ll try to do pull ups it’s a good idea to prepare. Do lateral pull ups, push ups, different types of pulldowns, and various other exercises that can help you build upper body strength. When you are confident with your push ups and lateral pull ups you can start doing regular pull ups.

You may require assistance at first and here are more options than you might think. You can definitely try the pull up machine and actually train with it from day one of your pull up training. Then there are pull up assist bands that can also help you while you’re doing your pull ups. And, of course, the old and tested way of having a training partner who can hold your legs during pull ups to help you train those arms and shoulders.

If you have none of the above and you’re already prepped for doing some pull ups but you still require some assistance you can use a step platform from which you can jump up to give you momentum and complete a pull up. Thus you can do more pull ups gradually increasing your strength and ability to do the exercise unassisted.

How To Do A Pull Up

Now that you know how to train for pull ups you might actually want to look into the technique and form of the exercise. This may not only make pull ups easier for you but also allow you to do more of them and do them right.

When doing a pull up your shoulder blades and back muscles should retract. You should move so that they become engaged, otherwise most of the hard work will be placed on the arms and that is not very helpful or effective. By activating your back and shoulder blades you get a full range of motion making a pull up a bit easier as more muscles are at work.

There are many pull up variations but the right form for any pull up is fully extended arms and a stable body (no swinging). Your back will arch a little so there is no need to be strictly straight like a tin soldier.

If after training you still struggle to do even seven classic pull ups try chin ups instead. These are the easier variation and they work your biceps well. Other variations can give you more challenge and back or grip work.

Can you do a pull up? And how did you learn?

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Mona Liz

Editor/Writer
Mona Liz is a fitness and healthy lifestyle enthusiast with a passion for writing, music, cats, and food.

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