What is a Pull-Up?

A pull-up is a powerhouse of an exercise that involves lifting your body from a dead hang position until your chin is above the pull-up bar. 

This compound movement is a true test of upper body strength, engaging multiple muscle groups including your back, shoulders, and biceps.

Pull-ups are not just about brute strength; they require control and coordination, making them a staple in any serious fitness regimen.

Whether you’re aiming to build muscle, improve your upper body strength, or enhance your overall fitness, pull-ups are an essential exercise to master.

Why Everyone Hates Pull-Ups

If you know how to do pull-ups consistently, you are guaranteed to improve. Not only are you guaranteed to improve, you will see progress. However, I want to address why everyone hates this move.

Most people hate bodyweight pull-ups because of how damn hard it is and that it takes losing some weight to be able to perform just one pull-up with good form.

Achieving your first pull up is crucial, and it involves strength training techniques, various progression strategies, and consistent practice to build sufficient upper body strength.

That mean’s I suggest you start out on the assisted pull-up machine because I want you to train smart, not dumb and try hurting yourself by faking upper body strength to show off.

So that goes without saying, I strongly encourage you check out my Ultimate Conditioning Guide  

That’s pretty fucking generous of me to give you a FREE WORKOUT that up to 100 classmates I’ve worked with have done.

If you want to know how to do pull-ups, I want you to accept the fact that your starting point is essential. You also should not compare yourself to me.

Never Beat Yourself Up if You Don't Know How To Do Pull-Ups

One of my favorite clients I've worked with. Dan, the man as I called him. What you are seeing is a slow concentric pull-up.

Rock on my brother! This is how you modify pull-ups if you find the assist machine easy but you don't feel entirely ready for no assist.

Anyways, the point is you should never compare yourself to anyone. Everyone has their own fitness levels my friend.

So it's important that you see how to modify as everyone has a starting point. Heck I have a video on YouTube demonstrating the pull-up assist machine. 

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The whole point is that you never want to beat yourself up if you cannot do one without using a band or doing the assist machine.

Everyone has a starting point to this move. Heck I even motivated a lot of women to do this exercise because I noticed they think it's a "man exercise."

In all honesty, pull-ups can be done by most people, it just takes a shit ton of practice and failing.

The More You Do Pull-Ups, The Better You Get

I know you’ve heard that before, haven’t you? It’s true my friend. You do not want to do this exercise once and then just stop.

In fact, you’re not doing this enough if you only do it one day a week. I’d argue that three days a week is better.

Especially if you’re just starting out. My client Jason here is demonstrating the pull-up assist.

We haven’t even gotten to the actual exercise without modifying. Why is that?

Because man, this is important that you get good at the pulling motion and you know how to pull yourself up.

Here’s what I always say when giving exercise instruction…

“Jason, PULL FROM THE LATS. Don’t use the arms. This is all about YOUR BACK.”

And remember my friend, the more you do this move, the better you get at it!

Consistent practice is key to mastering pull-ups, and this is all part of your pull up journey. 

Start with supportive movements like inverted rows and hanging exercises to build the necessary strength and technique.

The less you do this move, the more YOU’RE GONNA SUCK AT IT!

Here’s what I always say when giving exercise instruction…

“Jason, PULL FROM THE LATS. Don’t use the arms. This is all about YOUR BACK.”

And remember my friend, the more you do this move, the better you get at it!

The less you do this move, the more YOU’RE GONNA SUCK AT IT!

Mistakes People Make With Pull-Ups

I know I have all these videos for you to check out, I just love pull-ups THAT MUCH.

Side note: these videos are not from my Masculine Mindset Coach YouTube Channel.

Anyways, time to address this stupid mistake. And when you watch this video, don't mind the crappy audio, this was filmed SEVERAL years ago.

To be clear, the reason why I included this in the article, is because I've seen this shitty mistake even in P90X.

And Tony did not even go over to correct this when his actors made this mistake.

So honestly, I want you to be in an attitude of gratitude as in I care about your pull-up progress.

When you are finally ready to transition from the assist machine and you have the confidence to do this on your own because you're doing my HIIT workout consistently, keep these tips in mind at all times.

The more weight you lose, the easier it is to do pull-ups. I really want to say that again my friend...

THE MORE WEIGHT YOU LOSE, THE EASIER IT IS TO DO PULL-UPS!

Master Hanging for 60 Seconds Prior To Performing Pull-Ups

So let's say you're good at using the pull-up assist machine, and you know how to do pull-ups with the bands.

Here's what you must do prior to performing pull-ups.

I want you to master hanging on the bar for a full minute.

It's going to be hard, but you can do it my friend. Set a timer for 60 seconds and start hanging from a bar.

The reason why I want you to master hanging is because you must get used to firing up your back and elongate the the lats.

That means you're going to be sore. Don't get scared. I simply want you to get good at the bar hang. 

Now you're in the right direction my friend.

Click here to see the benefits on why it's important to master the dead hang.

I want you to get good at this before attempting pull-ups.

You must master this as if you start to do pull-ups too soon, it's going to injure your back.

Get good at the dead arm hang my friend. Use a timer for 60 seconds.

The Dead Arm Hang For Beginners

A dead arm hang is a fundamental movement that lays the groundwork for mastering pull-ups. Here’s how to get started:

1. Find a Sturdy Pull-Up Bar: Ensure the bar is secure and can support your weight.
2. Grip the Bar: Hang from the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your arms fully extended.
3. Engage Your Core and Lats: Pull your shoulders down and back to activate your lats and stabilize your core.
4. Hold the Position: Aim to hang for as long as you can, starting with 10-15 seconds.
5. Rest and Repeat: Take a 30-60 second break and repeat for 3-5 sets.

Mastering the dead arm hang will build the strength and endurance needed for full pull-ups. It’s a simple yet effective way to get your body accustomed to the demands of hanging from a bar.

You can see why having a fitness instructor like me tell you how to do pull ups is important. I know that not everyone can do pull-ups. This is where you start if you are new to this.

How To Perform Dead Arm Hang For Beginner's

Use a bar, and what I want you to do is a little different than what Heathline suggests:

1. Grip the bar and master getting comfortable with that
2. Aim to keep your arms shoulder width-apart
3. Tighten your core and lower abdominal area
4. Keep your core tight throughout the dead-arm hang
5. Start out with ten seconds before increasing to 30
6. When you can hit 30, attempt to go farther up to 60 seconds

This is what it takes my friend. Get good at the dead arm hang.

And as I say, the more you do this move, the better you will get. The less you do it, the more you SUCK.

If you hate dead arm hangs, learn to embrace the suck man.

Because this is what will get you results and will guaranteed to get you properly performing pull-ups.

Building Strength and Endurance

Building the strength and endurance required for pull-ups is a journey that demands consistency and progression. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

1. Start with Assisted Pull-Ups or Negative Pull-Ups: These variations help build strength and confidence. Use a pull-up machine or resistance bands for assistance.

2. Incorporate Complementary Exercises: Exercises like inverted rows, lat pulldowns, and dumbbell rows target your back and shoulder muscles, essential for pull-ups.

3. Progress Gradually: Increase the difficulty of your workouts by adding weight, reps, or sets over time. Consistent progression is key.

4. Focus on Form: Proper form is crucial to avoid injury and ensure effective muscle recruitment. Always prioritize technique over quantity.

By following these tips, you’ll build the necessary foundation to perform full pull-ups with confidence and strength.

Remember that negative pull ups require a three count deceleration on the lower action of the exercise.

How To Perform Hanging Scapular Retractions

One of the most overlooked exercises that I notice people not doing (especially in the gym) is a hanging scapular retraction.

This exercise is extremely important my friend. Here’s how to do hanging scapular retractions:

1. Start out at a dead arm hang

2. Depress the tension by allowing the shoulders to relax

3. Raise your head and pull the scapulars down and together to activate the mid back

4. Continue this movement for thirty seconds

5. No shrugging the shoulders throughout the movement

Another effective exercise for building the necessary strength for pull-ups is the inverted row. You can modify the technique by adjusting the position of your feet and legs to make it more accessible if you struggle with the standard version.

This is important because I encourage people who cannot do a full range of motion pull-up to start out here.

You’ll work the back (lats) on top of the shoulders and mid-back.

So don’t think that it’s not working out because it definitely is.

I remember I would do this prior to working out my full back and shoulders.

Start Performing Full ROM Pull-Ups

Now you're ready my friend, start doing pull-ups because this exercise is such an amazing, beneficial move.

It not only improves upper body strength, it improves grip strength, back strength, physical health, and mental health.

You can do it my friend. It's going to help you get the body you want.

And not to mention when you get good, you can start doing different pull-up variations such as that crazy chin-up video.

I absolutely cannot emphasize this enough, pull-ups are the mother of all back and bodyweight exercises.

So start doing them my friend, you'll get better and better. 

I will write an article on advanced pull-ups, however, start out here. You got this, go to the gym and DO IT!

Proper Pull-Up Form

Proper pull-up form is essential for maximizing muscle engagement and preventing injuries. Here are the key points to focus on:

1. Engage Your Core and Lats: Pull your shoulders down and back to activate your lats. Keep your core tight throughout the movement.

2. Maintain a Straight Body: Keep your body straight and your legs together to ensure proper alignment.

3. Use a Shoulder-Width Grip: A shoulder-width grip is ideal for balance and muscle engagement. Avoid swinging or jerking movements.

4. Control the Movement: Pull yourself up slowly and lower yourself back down with control. This ensures maximum muscle engagement and reduces the risk of injury.

Mastering proper pull-up form will make your workouts more effective and help you achieve your fitness goals faster.

Engaging Your Core and Lats

Engaging your core and lats is crucial for performing pull-ups correctly. Here are some tips to help you activate these muscles:

1. Pull Your Shoulders Down and Back: This engages your lats and stabilizes your upper body.

2. Engage Your Core: Draw your belly button towards your spine to activate your core muscles.

3. Maintain Proper Form: Keep your body straight and your legs together to ensure proper alignment.

4. Squeeze Your Shoulder Blades: Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together as you pull yourself up. This enhances muscle engagement and improves your pull-up form.

By focusing on these tips, you’ll ensure that you’re engaging the right muscles and performing pull-ups with proper form, leading to better results and reduced risk of injury.

 The Bottom Line: How To Do Pull Ups Properly

So follow the steps laid out throughout this article. I have you do this exercise in my course Alpha Body Bootcamp and for good reason. It's a fantastic body weight exercise.

And then here’s what I want you to do, go through 5 Best Ways To Gain Back Muscle Quickly, on top of practicing pull-ups, you are going to gain back size guaranteed.

Just look at my clients, they all tell me how much they got better at pull-ups since working with me.

So the bottom line is this, do pull-ups, but start out by losing some weight and do my FREE HIIT routine.

You can even do push ups after doing pull-ups to get a good push pull workout.

Do five sets of pull ups, followed by five set of push-ups. That alone is a fantastic arm pump and it's my dedication to the legend, Tony Horton himself, the pull-up king.

For advanced practitioners, incorporating weighted pull-ups can significantly enhance strength and elevate workout intensity.

Then you’re half way there. Start practicing pull-ups. The more you do it, the better you get.

I appreciate your time, go get to work and I’ll be back with crazier pull-ups like that YouTube Short you see 😉

Schedule your consultation call here to work with me one-on-one.

Feel comfortable to comment below any comments or concerns doing this exercise!