Technique
- Grab a bar with both hands shoulder width apart, keep your shoulders engaged, jump up and lock out elbows in 90-degree bend; this is the starting position.
- Pull yourself up smoothly initiating the movement using back muscles and finish the motion bending the arms; your chin should be clear above the bar.
- Pause and slowly reverse the movement back to starting position.
- This progression can be useful if you don’t have the strength to pull yourself up from the bottom position yet.
Form tips
- Do not stretch your neck up to barely clear the bar: focus on quality range of motion by pulling your elbows back and shoulder back to get your whole body higher.
Muscles
Strength
Primary
- Biceps
- Forearms
- Back
- Serratus anterior
- Chest
Individual muscles
Individual muscles
- Biceps brachii (short head)
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis
- Lower trapezius
- Serratus anterior
- Latissimus dorsi
- Pectoralis minor
- Rhomboid major
- Middle trapezius
- Teres major
Equipment
Appears in
Joint movements
Progressions

Pullup
Intermediate

Neutral grip pullup
Intermediate

Chinup
Intermediate

Rings pullup
Intermediate
View Similar Exercises
View Similar Exercises

Weighted pullup
Intermediate

Pullup eccentric
Novice

Band-assisted rings pullup
Novice

Band-assisted pullup
Novice

Weighted chinup
Intermediate
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