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Pull-Up Exercises for Upper Body Strength

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Pull Up Exercises for the Upper Body

Pull-ups are one of the best exercises you can use for your upper body strength, many have said that if you could only do one upper body exercise, Pull-Ups would be it. Yes, they can be difficult to do for many people, but if you keep working at it by trying all of the different techniques, you will gain the benefits of this great exercise, especially when done with the many bodyweight exercises you cantake advantage of.

The Pull-Up

The Pull-up is one of the best exercises you can do. It will build great strength in your upper body, especially the back. No special equipment is required other than a pull-up bar or something that you can use as one. You can go to a park and use the playground equipment, get one of those bars you hang in a door or use any thing you can hang from.

The pull-up is done hanging with your palms facing away from you. It's harder to do than Chin-ups and works more of the upper body and less on the biceps. The Chin-up will work more on the biceps.

New to Pull-Ups?

If you are new to Pull-Ups and do not have the strength to do them, here is a couple ways to get started. If you are not able to do one Pull-Up, try grasping the bar and jumping up, pulling yourself up with the momentum. Use control to lower yourself down. Do one, take a short rest then do another, try for ten reps. You can decrease the rest time between each as you get stronger. Do only a couple times a week to give your muscles time to recover.

When you get to where you can do one Pull-Up or you already can do one or two, try doing a set of ten. Do it by doing one Pull-up, take a short rest then do another for ten reps. Eventually start doing two then three sets. As you get stronger, decrease the rest time between each and you will eventually be doing ten straight.

When you are able to do eight or ten straight add more sets. Remember to do these only a couple times a week to give your muscles time to recover. If you are also doing other exercises, try to find a balance to keep from getting burned out, and get plenty of rest.

The following two videos demonstrate doing jumping pull-Ups and other assisted methods.

For a Bodyweight Exercise System Try Workout Without Weights!

How to do Jumping Pull-Ups

Cross Fitness Upper Body Exercises : How to Do a Jumping Pull Up Exercise: by expertvillage | video info

35 ratings | 33,543 views

curated content from YouTube

Assisted Pull-Ups

This video will give you some more ways to help you do Pull-Ups while trying to gain strength.

Home lat workout, assisted pullups exercises for beginners: by scooby1961 | video info

1,471 ratings | 583,390 views

curated content from YouTube

Pull-Up Pyramid Training

This video demonstrates a way in which you can increase the number of Pull-Ups.
It's called pyramid training.

Pyramid Training for Pullups: by johnsifferman | video info

10 ratings | 7,636 views

curated content from YouTube

Advanced Pull-Ups

When you can get to where standard Pull-Ups are no problem, you can do other things to make the exercise more difficult. One is to just add more weight to your body by way of a weighted vest or belt or maybe holding a dumbbell between your thighs. You could even wear a back pack with plastic bags of sand in it, just add more or less sand to change the weight.

Try hanging a towel over the bar and gripping each end with your hands. Doing Pull-Ups this way will also develop strength in the hands and forearms. Try doing different things each day you work out, such as high reps one day then heavy low reps the next.

For a Bodyweight Exercise System Try Workout Without Weights!

This is one great book

Rafter Pull-ups

Just wanted to show one of the extreme types of Pull-Ups to do. They are called Rafter Pull-Ups because you use a pinch grip on wood rafters and pull your self up. it takes a strong hand and forearm with some technique thrown in.

Rafter Pull ups: by sumGabriel | video info

18 ratings | 9,748 views

curated content from YouTube

Any tips or comments are appreciated

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girlwiththeumbrella21 Feb 12, 2012 @ 3:05 pm | delete

Great tips! Thumbs up

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livinglargeandhappy Feb 3, 2012 @ 3:06 pm | delete

You've certainly covered the topic well. I've been a trainer for many years so I can appreciate your work. One thing you might add/offer are the big rubber straps for assisted pull-ups (look like a big rubber band). They seems so simple and yet they really do give people that little bit of momentum they need to do pull-ups. Anyway, much appreciated info.

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LittleTwoTwo Jan 26, 2012 @ 1:58 am | delete

I have never successfully done a pull up or a chin up ... I think I got to much booty ... great lens and the videos were perfect for showing form and giving tips.

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Fanstanding Dec 12, 2011 @ 5:09 pm | delete

Thanks for sharing this information on pull-ups. When working out, I intentionally perform the assisted pull-ups in between pushups for a muscular endurance training routine.