For many of us, pull-ups may seem daunting, especially if you are starting from scratch. But with the right exercises and a consistent fitness routine, you’ll be pulling yourself up with ease. In this guide, we’ll break down six essential exercises that build the foundational strength and technique necessary for a successful pull-up. From dead hangs to banded pull-ups, each step is designed to progressively enhance your grip, back, shoulder, and core strength. Whether you’re working with a personal trainer, attending workout classes, or moving solo, this guide will help you get started on your pull-up progression journey. Let’s dive in!

 

Exercise 1: Dead Hangs

 

If you are completely brand new to any bar work, let’s start with a timed hang from the bar. This should be completely disengaged, just really working on that grip strength. Maybe that’s 5 or 10 seconds, maybe that’s 60 seconds. Either way, just go hang! The goal here is to build up that hang time. If you’re not ready to hang from the bar yet, you can perform this same exercise on a lat pulldown machine or an assisted pull-up machine in the gym.

 

*Pro tip – work your way up to 3 sets of :30 dead hangs 2-3x per week.

View exercise here.

 

Exercise 2: The Lat Pull

 

The goal of the lat pull is to move the shoulders down away from your ears to create the starting position of your pull-up, as opposed to the dead hang where it feels more like a “stretch.” Practicing this movement is great prep work for both the shoulders and back!

 

*Pro tip – incorporate 3 sets of 8-10 lat pulls 2-3x per week.

View exercise here.

 

Exercise 3: The Hollow Body Hang

 

Start with a disengaged hang, engage your lats for the lat pull as your shoulders fall away from your ears, and bring the feet together to make a “C” shape with your body. Squeeze everything nice and tight, especially through your core, glutes, and quads. You can also practice this drill on the floor until you’re ready to graduate to the bar.

 

*Pro tip – work your way up to 3 sets of :30 hollow body hangs 2-3x per week.

View exercise here.

 

Exercise 4: The Hold

 

Starting with the lat pull into the hollow body position, pull your chest up to the bar and hold that position. You want to keep that “C” shape so make sure you are squeezing everything tight. You probably will be shaking (I do, always!), but maybe you make it 10 seconds or 60 seconds. Either way, the goal is to build up that tension. You can also add a band until you’re ready to try this bodyweight.

 

*Pro tip – work your way up to 3 sets of :20-30 holds 2-3x per week.

View exercise here.

 

Exercise 5: The Negative

 

Using a box or a bench to step off of, start at the top of your pull-up position. The most important part of the negative IS the actual negative or the way down! Focus on slowly releasing your body with control back down to a dead hang. Once you’ve made it to the bottom of the rep, you can step back up onto the box (or if you’re more advanced, you can pull yourself up for your next rep). You also want to minimize the “swinging” so that’s where the hollow body position (or “C” shape) comes in handy. These negatives can also be completed using bands if you’re not quite ready for the bodyweight negative.

 

*Pro tip – work your way up to 3 sets of 5 reps with :03-:05 negatives, 2-3x per week.

View exercise here.

 

Exercise 6: The Banded Pull-up

 

Before we dive into techniques, I want to share a few notes with you regarding the bands:

• The purpose of the bands is to take some tension/weight off of your body. 
• You want to feel like you’re having to work hard to pull yourself up and not using too much momentum from the bands. 
• The bands should be used as a support, not a crutch. 
• To safely enter the band, have a partner assist you by pulling the band down for you to step into.
• You’ll want the foot in the band to align with the center of your body so you’re pulling evenly from both sides.

 

From there, you will start with your lat pull into your hollow body position and pull your chest up to the bar and lower down with control till the arms are straight at the bottom to ensure full range of motion. The worst case is you can’t pull yourself up and you add another band back in! No big deal at all.

 

*Pro tip – work your way up to 3 sets of 8-10 reps of banded pull-ups. 

View exercise here.

 

Building up to your first bodyweight pull-up is a rewarding journey that requires patience, dedication, and consistent practice in your fitness routine. By incorporating these six exercises into your strength training routine, you’ll develop the strength and technique needed to conquer the bar. Remember, progress might be slow at first, but every second you hang, every lat pull you complete, and every hold you manage brings you one step closer to achieving your goal. Keep pushing, stay consistent, and celebrate each milestone along the way. You’ve got this!