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This article was co-authored by Michele Dolan and by wikiHow staff writer, Luke Smith, MFA. Michele Dolan is a Fitness Trainer based in Sidney, British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002, and was certified as a Personal Trainer by the British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). Michele is also a Registered Clinical Counselor, and uses her 20+ years of fitness coaching experience to help clients understand their mind-body connection. She is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), certified by the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors and the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. In her work, Michele uses the tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectic Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. She practices and teaches mindfulness and acceptance in all of her coaching work. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology.
There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Pull-ups are a great way to build upper body strength, working your arms, shoulders, back, chest, and hands, and anyone can do them with a little training and dedication. That’s why we put together a complete beginner-friendly guide to proper pull-up form and variations, and chatted with personal trainers to bring you a training plan to get your chin over that bar and complete your first pull-up with minimal fuss. Ready for your reps?
Perfect Pull-Up Form (For Beginners)
- Grip the pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Face your palms away for a pull-up, and toward you for a chin-up.
- Pull your shoulder blades down and back, sticking out your chest.
- Use only your arms and upper body to raise your chin above the bar.
- Steadily lower yourself until your arms are extended, and repeat.
Steps
Doing a Classic Pull-Up
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Grip a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. For a classic pull-up, hold the pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you.[1] Keep your arms extended and hang from the bar with your feet off the ground, either straight or with your knees bent slightly.- Or, for a slightly easier variation, position your hands so your palms are facing you. This is also called a “chinup” and more intensely works your lats.[2]
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Use your arms to pull your body up until your chin is just above the bar. While only moving your arms, pull yourself straight upwards while exhaling. Imagine yourself pulling your elbows downward. Aim for a smooth and unhurried ascent (count “one Mississippi” to help pace yourself) and pull until your chin only just clears the pull-up bar.[3]
- To keep your bodyweight centered, cross your feet beneath you as you lift yourself up and engage your core. Pull your shoulder blades down and inward.
- Avoid kicking your feet or arching your back to complete a pull-up. It doesn’t improve your strength, and may lead to injury.
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Lower yourself until your arms are fully extended. After just a moment, inhale and lower yourself back down until your arms are fully extended once more.[4] As on the way up, move at a controlled pace to work the muscles harder and prep yourself for the next pull.
- Start with a single pull-up, and work your way up to about 5. Then, each day, try 2-3 sets of 5, gradually increasing the reps until you can do sets of 10.
Training for Your First Pull-Up
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![Step 1 Start by hanging from the bar for 10-20 seconds.]()
Start by hanging from the bar for 10-20 seconds. Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Adam Shuty recommends starting your pull-up journey with simple bar hangs. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width on the bar with your palms facing away, then bend your knees slightly to lift your feet off the ground and hang your body weight from the bar, with your arms extended.- Hang for 10-20 seconds at a time, and increase your time in intervals of 10 seconds once it becomes easy.
- Certified personal trainer Monica Morris recommends flexing your shoulders up and down while you hang to prepare them for a proper pull-up.
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![Step 2 Perform bicep curls to increase your arm strength.]()
Perform bicep curls to increase your arm strength. To perform a bicep curl, hold a dumbbell low at arm’s length with your palm facing away from you. Then, while keeping your elbow close to your torso, bend it so that the dumbbell comes up near your shoulder. Finally, slowly lower the dumbbell until your arm is extended.[12] Repeat for 3 sets of 10 curls.- Start with a weight you can lift 10 times without much fatigue, then move up to the next available weight.
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![Step 3 Perform inverted rows to strengthen your upper body.]()
Perform inverted rows to strengthen your upper body. This exercise simulates a pull-up, but is easier to do since most of your weight is on the ground. It's an excellent way to start building up enough strength to do a pull-up. Lie on your back under a dip bar or a secured barbell, and grip the bar with your palms facing down and just wider than your shoulders. Then, use your arms to pull your chest up to the bar, and gradually lower yourself back down.[13]- Complete 2-3 sets of 10 inverted rows per workout.
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![Step 4 Use a pulldown machine to simulate pull-ups.]()
Use a pulldown machine to simulate pull-ups. A pulldown machine strengthens your upper body, lats, and backs, which are major muscle groups employed during a pull-up. Stand or sit under a pulldown bar and grip it with your palms facing away. Then, use your arms to pull the bar down to your collarbone, and steadily let it raise back up.[14]- Perform 2-3 sets of 10 reps each, increasing reps and weight when it becomes almost effortless.
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![Step 5 Practice easier pull-up variations, like chin-ups.]()
Practice easier pull-up variations, like chin-ups. Shuty recommends building up your arm, chest, and back strength with easier pull up variations, like those in the section above: chinups, negatives, assisted pull-ups, and jumping pull-ups. These will help ease you into a proper, unassisted pull-up. Perform 2-3 sets of 10 reps per exercise, until you can do them without strain. Then, attempt a full pull-up!
References
- ↑ https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/06000/the_pull_up.14.aspx
- ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/chin-ups-vs.-pull-ups-the-difference-the-benefits-muscles-worked
- ↑ https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/06000/the_pull_up.14.aspx
- ↑ https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/191/pull-ups/
- ↑ https://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/tips-for-better-pullups
- ↑ https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/06000/the_pull_up.14.aspx
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKe5S1dd0fw&t=66s
- ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/chin-ups-vs.-pull-ups-the-difference-the-benefits-muscles-worked#variations
- ↑ https://barbend.com/weighted-pull-up/
- ↑ https://barbend.com/5-awesome-benefits-of-ring-chin-ups/
- ↑ https://www.climbing.com/skills/how-to-do-a-one-arm-pull-up/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/biceps-curl/vid-20084675
- ↑ https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/fulltext/2014/08000/the_inverted_row.13.aspx
- ↑ https://www.military.com/military-fitness/workouts/tips-for-better-pullups
- Videos provided by Calisthenicmovement
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Community Q&A
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QuestionDo I have to lower myself down completely?
Community AnswerIt helps build strength if you lower yourself down completely. Consider starting out with whatever is most comfortable for you, and slowly work your way towards lowering yourself down all the way. In time, you will gain enough strength and practice in order to do this. -
QuestionHow many hours a week should I do pull-ups?
Community AnswerIt doesn't matter how long you do it, what matters is how many reps and sets you can do. Try to do five sets in a week of however many reps you're comfortable with. Prioritize quality over quantity. -
QuestionWhat to do if I am a beginner and can't even do a single pull-up?
Community AnswerStart with push-ups to build arm and upper-body strength. Consider starting pull-ups with a spotter who can help ease some of the body weight.
Tips
About This Article
To do pullups, grip the bar with your palms facing either way. It's most efficient to have your palms facing toward you, but if you want to really work your biceps, lats, deltoids, and triceps, then have your palms facing out. Next, fully extend your arms, then pull yourself up until your chin is just over the bar. To work your muscles harder, lower yourself back down in a controlled manner until your arms are fully extended again. If pullups are challenging for you, try exercises that build arm strength, such as biceps curls. If you want to learn more from our Personal Trainer co-author, like how to do assisted pullups, keep reading!
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