Pull-Up Exercise for Upper Body Strength

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.

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!

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!