The pull-up is one of the most effective tests of upper-body strength and one of the most frustrating for beginners to master. It’s a full-body challenge that requires back strength, core stability, shoulder control, and coordinated movement. Whether you’re working toward your first rep or looking to refine your technique, this Muscle and Motion guide will walk you through everything you need to know: how to build toward your first pull-up, perform it with proper form, understand which muscles are involved, and avoid common mistakes that might be holding you back.
How to pull-up properly: step-by-step
- Grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Hang with arms fully extended and shoulder blades slightly retracted.
- Set your body in a hollow position by bracing your core, slightly tucking your pelvis, and keeping your legs straight and slightly in front of your body.
- Pull yourself up by driving your elbows down and back, keeping your chest lifted and core tight.
- Bring your chin above the bar with control – avoid swinging or arching your back.
- Lower yourself slowly back to the starting position, maintaining tension.
- Reset and repeat for the desired number of reps.
How to get your first pull-up?
If you’ve made it this far, chances are you’ve already tried a few programs promising to help you achieve your first pull-up. Maybe you’ve done endless rows, curls, and accessory exercises, yet the pull-up feels out of reach. That’s why we’re offering a different approach here – less focus on indirect exercises and more on what matters: getting your first actual pull-up.
It’s helpful to think of your first pull-up as the equivalent of a 1-rep max (1RM) to understand how to make real progress. Just like you would train for a heavy squat using low reps and heavy loads, the same principle applies here:
- Lower reps
- Heavier loads
- Specificity to the goal
Instead of spreading your effort across dozens of exercises that target the same muscles, the idea is to work as close as possible to the real thing. The most similar exercise to a pull-up when you can’t yet do one is the band-assisted pull-up. But there’s a problem: bands give the most help at the bottom of the movement, where many people are already strong, and offer little support at the top, where most people struggle. Plus, they’re hard to progress with consistently.
That’s why we recommend switching to the lat pulldown. It closely mimics the movement pattern of a pull-up while allowing for precise load control and progressive overload.
To learn more about strength and its different forms, check out our in-depth article:
Understanding Strength: A Deep Dive into Its Types and Foundations.
Why lat pulldown?
- Nearly identical movement pattern
- Precise control over load
- Easy to track progress week to week
Here’s how to start:
- Test your 3RM or 5RM on the lat pulldown using strict form. Finding the right weight might take more than one session if you’re a beginner. That’s normal; focus on good technique and gradually narrow it down to your maximum.
- Train at 85-90% of that weight for the same reps (3–5).
- Avoid failure -stop 1–2 reps before technical failure in every set.
- Perform 2-4 sets, 2-3 times per week, aiming for 4-10 total sets per week for the pulling muscles. If you already include other back exercises in your routine, make sure to prioritize this one and don’t exceed the weekly volume:
🧍♂️ Beginners: Up to 10 sets per week.
🧍♂️ Advanced lifters: Up to 20 sets, depending on recovery.
💡 Remember: the goal is to build maximal strength, which means heavy, clean sets, full rest periods, and gradual progress. In this case, less is often more.
Eventually, lifting your bodyweight for at least one complete rep on the lat pulldown is the goal. Once you reach that point, it’s time to go back and try the real pull-up again. Remember that even though the lat pulldown mimics the pull-up closely, the real thing still requires additional core strength and body control, so don’t be surprised if it’s still a challenge.
At this stage, we recommend adjusting your routine:
- Reduce one lat pulldown session per week.
- Add one dedicated pull-up practice day (e.g., band-assisted, negatives, or isometric holds)
In the remaining sessions, continue training on the lat pulldown until you can perform 3 clean reps with your full bodyweight. By then, you’ll be doing pull-ups like a pro.
Which muscles work during the Pull-Up?
During a pull-up, multiple upper-body muscles work together to produce smooth, controlled movement and stabilize the body throughout the range of motion.
- The latissimus dorsi adducts and extends the shoulder with the assistance of the posterior deltoid and teres major.
- The biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis flex the elbows.
- The rhomboids and middle trapezius retract the scapula.
- The lower trapezius depresses the scapula
- The forearm muscles stabilize the wrist and provide grip support.
- The long head of the triceps brachii assists in shoulder extension.
- The infraspinatus stabilizes the humeral head in the glenoid fossa.
Three common pull-up mistakes to avoid
Lack of scapular stabilization
Failing to set the shoulders at the start of the pull-up properly often leads to compensation through the lower back. Without drawing the scapulae downward and engaging the lats, the body tends to shift into lumbar extension instead of maintaining a strong hollow body position. This position makes it challenging to engage the core effectively and compromises control during the movement.
Lumbar extension due to weak core
A common issue, especially among beginners, is arching the lower back during the movement. Arching usually results from weak abdominal muscles and poor pelvic control. Without proper core engagement, the pelvis tilts forward, causing the lumbar spine to extend excessively. To correct this, maintain a hollow body position by bracing your core and keeping the pelvis slightly tucked throughout the movement.
Lateral shifting
Swaying from side to side or pulling unevenly often indicates a muscular imbalance between the left and right sides of the body. This imbalance typically stems from asymmetrical strength in the latissimus dorsi or scapular stabilizers. Addressing this may require unilateral pulling work (like single-arm rows) and a conscious focus on symmetrical movement during pull-ups.
By mastering the mechanics of the pull-up and understanding the muscles and movement patterns involved, you can train with greater precision and purpose, whether you’re chasing your first rep or striving for flawless form. At Muscle and Motion, we break down complex movements into clear visuals and step-by-step guidance, helping you improve technique, avoid mistakes, and reach your full potential.
At Muscle and Motion, we believe that knowledge is power, and understanding the ‘why’ behind any exercise is essential for your long-term success.
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