Pull ups are one of the hardest bodyweight exercises in the gym, and this is one of the reasons that not many people include them in their workout routine. Another reason is that people think lifting weights is better than lifting your bodyweight. This is not always the case! In fact, pull ups are a much better back exercise than lat pull downs, and there are variations you can perform to target different areas of your back.
Proper Pull Up Form
To perform a pull up properly, start by hanging from the bar with your palms facing away from you about shoulder width apart (your palms facing toward you is called a chin up). Pull yourself upward so that your chest nearly touches the bar and your chin ends up over it. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds, and then let yourself slowly back down to the starting position. Avoid swinging your body or using your momentum to pull yourself back up, and try to keep your body as upright and perpendicular to the ground as possible. Crossing your legs at your ankles can help keep you from swinging them to gain momentum. Also, make sure you are using your back muscles and not your biceps. You can accomplish this by beginning the movement by flexing your lats and focusing on your back, not your arms.
It is an extremely difficult exercise; many people cannot perform even one repetition if they haven’t done them before. If you cannot do a single rep, you can do assisted pull ups by either standing on a chair or using the assisted pull up machine at your gym. Don’t be upset or discouraged if you have trouble with them because they are incredibly tough at first!
Grip Positions
Like most exercises, varying your grip position will target a different area of your muscles. A wider than shoulder width grip will work your upper lats more, and will take some of the stress off your biceps so you can really target your back. A narrower grip will work your lower lats and middle back, and it will give your biceps more of a workout as well. Depending on your goals and your weaknesses, you can decide which grip position you would like to use. I like to alternate every few back workouts so that I get the benefits of both.
Make pull ups a staple of your back workout and you will have wider lats and a stronger back in no time! If they start to get too easy, or if you can do more than 15 reps consecutively, add some resistance with a weighted belt.
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June 18th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
[…] in your workout. Normally, this is a combination of push/pull exercises. For example, almost all back exercises involve the pulling motion (barbell row, lat pull-down, seated row, etc.), whereas nearly every […]
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Cool… I enjoy doing pullups… for a girl they’re slightly harder - but nonetheless achievable! I can remember being able to do a huge number of them but my latest achievement was 5. So not that great! But I’ll get back into it soon. Pullups are also really good to strengthen your back, particularly for posture issues. I find when I do pullups I walk a little taller and straighter.
Keep up the good work!
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thanks so much, Mckenna! 5 pull ups isn’t that bad in my opinion, a lot of people struggle to do more than 1 or 2 if they aren’t used to them. Even if you use the lat pull-down, pull ups are an entirely different animal. Keep it up and you’ll work your way up to 10 in no time!