Properly training pull-ups

Pull-ups are among the most well-known and common bodyweight exercises. It's no wonder because with just a bar and your bodyweight, in the classic variation, you can train multiple muscle groups simultaneously - anywhere and at any time. Depending on the grip technique and execution variation, you can train your latissimus dorsi, lower trapezius, biceps, major and minor rhomboids, as well as your rectus abdominis and obliques at the same time.

Furthermore, the exercise helps stabilize your lumbar spine. To add variety to your training, there are countless execution options, including different tempos. You can perform pull-ups in the gym or at home - even without a bar.

If you don't have a bar at home, you can simply perform pull-ups on a stable open door. Just make sure to secure the door (place a wedge between the door and the floor), and you won't have to miss out on pull-ups. But be careful, a pull-up is only a pull-up if the movement is executed correctly.

If your pull-ups are flawed or not completed properly, the desired training effect may be lacking, and the number of pull-ups you can perform may stagnate. To avoid this, train pull-ups correctly and regularly from the beginning. Thanks to the varied variations, you will surely soon notice an improvement in strength and endurance.

Pull-ups: the classic variation

The classic pull-up looks as follows: Grasp a pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you) slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Now lift your feet off the ground, slightly bend your legs, and cross them while pulling yourself up and lowering back down.

When pulling up, your chin should pass the bar, and if possible, your upper chest should reach the pull-up bar. At the same time, squeeze your shoulder blades together and push them backward. Avoid swinging or using momentum to go up or down.

When lowering your body, try not to fully extend your arms to protect your joints. Each movement, both the upward and downward phases, must be controlled and performed without swinging. Only then is a pull-up executed correctly.

Different pull-up variations: what's the difference?

There are numerous variations to the classic pull-up. Starting from different grip styles to different movement speeds and additional weights (bodyweight plus additional weights - weight vest, weight belt, backpack with weights, dumbbell between the legs, etc.). By incorporating variety into your training, you expose your body to new stimuli.

This prevents muscle stagnation and allows you to target and train different muscle areas more effectively. With the different grip styles - overhand grip (shoulder-width, wide, narrow), underhand grip (shoulder-width, wide, narrow), or parallel grip (V-Bar Pullup) - you already have seven different variations of the exercise with different stimuli.

As a rule of thumb, with the overhand grip, the narrower your grip, the more your biceps will be stressed. In contrast, your biceps will not be as heavily stressed in the parallel grip. It's best to continuously try different grip distances and styles to set new training goals for yourself.

Your muscles will notice the difference. Important: every pull-up, regardless of the grip style you choose, must be controlled, steady, and joint-friendly (meaning never fully extending the arms). Only with the correct execution can you reduce the risk of injury and perform a significant number of pull-ups without interruption.

The more trained and regular you are with pull-ups, the easierit will be for you to perform them, and the more benefits you will reap. Pull-ups are an excellent exercise for targeting multiple muscle groups and improving overall strength and endurance.