Pull-up

The pull-up is a bodyweight vertical pull: you hang from a bar with an overhand grip and pull your chin over it. It trains the lats, teres major, rear delts and biceps, and it is the most widely used test of upper-body pulling strength relative to bodyweight.

Targets: Latissimus Dorsi
Also works: Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Teres Major, Trapezius Lower Fibers
Equipment: Body weight
Level: Beginner
Start with: 3 × 10-12, 60s rest

How to do it

Grip the bar overhand, hands a little wider than shoulder width, and hang with your arms straight.
Set your shoulders by pulling them slightly down and away from your ears, and squeeze your glutes so your legs stay still.
Pull your elbows down towards your ribs until your chin clears the bar.
Lower yourself under control all the way to a straight-arm hang before the next rep.

Form cues

Drive your elbows down into your back pockets rather than pulling with your hands.
Lead with your chest towards the bar, not your chin.
Take two seconds on the way down; the lowering builds strength too.

Common mistakes

Half reps that stop short of a straight-arm hang. The bottom range is where the lats are stretched and do the most work.
Kicking and swinging to get the chin over. If you cannot do clean reps, use a band, the assisted machine or slow negatives.
Shrugging up at the start, which puts the load on the upper traps and the front of the shoulder.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your latissimus dorsi is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

More back movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.