How to do a pull-up

By How To (/journals/how-to)

Every clean pull-up starts by setting the shoulder blades before the arms bend. This recruits your back so the bar comes to your chest instead of your shoulders rising to your ears.

You'll need a sturdy horizontal bar high enough for a full hang and clear floor space beneath it.

1: GRIP the bar palms-forward with hands just wider than your shoulders.

Curl fingers over the top and wrap thumbs underneath so the bar cannot roll. You know the grip is set when knuckles face forward, wrists stay straight, and the bar feels immovable.

2: HANG with elbows locked straight and both feet clear of the ground.

Gently pull shoulders away from your ears before you leave the floor. The hang is ready when your body hangs still, arms feel long, and nothing swings.

3: DRAW your shoulder blades down and together while arms stay straight.

Think of tucking the blades into your back pockets. You know the draw worked when your body rises one to two inches and your neck feels longer.

4: PULL by driving your elbows down and back until your chin clears the bar.

Lead with the back, not the arms. The pull finishes when chin is at least one inch above the bar and elbows point toward the floor.

5: HOLD the top spot with chin above the bar for one full second.

Keep shoulders packed down and squeeze the back. You confirm the hold when upward motion stops and you can say “one” aloud without dropping.

6: LOWER your body on a slow three-second count until arms lock straight again.

Resist the drop so every inch stays controlled. You know the rep is done when you hang still once more with elbows locked and feet quiet.

The most common mistake

Most people bend the elbows before the shoulder blades move, turning the rep into an arm curl that stalls at halfway. Fix it by finishing the full blade draw first on every single rep.

Pro tip

If the full pull is still too hard, jump to the top hold then lower on the same three-second count; the slow negative builds the exact strength you need.

Say it every time

Grip hang draw pull hold lower