Exercises such as rows, chin-ups and dead hangs can help you build enough upper-body strength to be able to do a pull-up.
Image Credit: miodrag ignjatovic/E+/GettyImages
Image Credit: miodrag ignjatovic/E+/GettyImages
Region
Upper Body
Goal
Build Muscle
Choose a pull-up bar or stable surface that’s high enough for you to hang from with your legs straight and feet off the ground. You can use a box to help you safely get up to the bar. Select your hand position and grip the bar tightly. Allow yourself to drop into a full hang. Your arms should be completely straight overhead. Because this is a passive hang, gravity will pull your body down toward the floor. Allow your shoulders to travel up to your ears and your legs to hang straight beneath you. You will likely feel a lot of stretching throughout your entire upper body. Hold the passive hang for a predetermined time interval or for as long as you can. When you are finished, place your feet on the floor or box and carefully release your hands from the bar.
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Region
Upper Body
Goal
Build Muscle
Choose a pull-up bar or stable surface that’s high enough for you to hang from with your legs straight and feet off the ground. You can use a box to help you safely get up to the bar. Select your hand position and grip the bar tightly. Allow yourself to drop into a full passive hang. From here, you will transition into an active hang by pulling your shoulder blades back and down, tilting your belt buckle to your chin and squeezing your legs in front of you. Hold this for 1 to 2 seconds. Relax back into a passive hang by letting gravity pull your body down. Then move back into the active hang. Keep moving between passive and active hangs for the desired number of reps.
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If you’re using a TRX, gymnastics rings or another suspension trainer, adjust the handles to waist height. If you’re using a bar, start with the bar at chest height or slightly below. Grab the handles or bar and walk your feet out so your body forms an acute angle with the floor. Smaller, steeper angles will be more challenging than larger angles where your body is more upright. Dig your heels into the ground and point your toes up to the ceiling. Keep a plank position as you lower your body away from the handles or bar. There should be a straight line running from your heels through your hips and shoulders. Lower your body until your arms are straight. Finish the rep by pulling your body back up. If you’re using handles, pull until your elbows are even with your sides. If you’re using a bar, pull until your sternum touches the bar. Keep your shoulders down and don’t shrug.
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Image Credit: Caroline Juster
Grab a small box around 12 to 14 inches tall. Sit on the floor underneath a TRX, gymnastics rings or bar. Grab the handles or bar and place your heels on the box. The box should be far enough away from the handles or your back that you can keep your legs straight. Dig your heels into the box and point your toes up to the ceiling. Drive your hips up off the floor so your body forms a plank position. There should be a straight line running from your heels through your hips and shoulders. Start by pulling your body up. If you’re using handles, pull until your elbows are even with your sides. If you’re using a bar, pull until your sternum touches the bar. Keep your shoulders down and don’t shrug. Finish the rep by lowering your body until your arms are straight.
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Image Credit: Caroline Juster
Sit on the floor directly beneath gymnastics rings or a TRX with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. The handles should be high enough that you can just barely reach them when sitting on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing away from you. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull yourself all the way up until your hands are at armpit height and your elbows are at your sides. Keep your shoulders down and don’t shrug. As you pull up, turn your hands so your palms face in at the top. You can use assistance from your legs to help push yourself up as needed. Finish the rep by lowering yourself all the way down to the floor.
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Sit on the floor directly beneath gymnastics rings or a TRX with your legs straight out in front of you and your heels on the floor. The handles should be high enough that you can just barely reach them when sitting on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing away from you. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull yourself all the way up until your hands are at armpit height and your elbows are at your sides. Keep your shoulders down and don’t shrug. As you pull up, turn your hands so your palms face in at the top. Drive your heels into the ground to receive assistance from your legs as needed. Finish the rep by lowering yourself all the way down to the floor.
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Sit on the floor directly beneath gymnastics rings or a TRX. Place your heels on top of a box positioned in front of your body. The handles should be high enough that you can just barely reach them when sitting on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing away from you. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull yourself all the way up until your hands are at armpit height and your elbows are at your sides. Keep your shoulders down and do not shrug. As you pull up, turn your hands so your palms face in at the top. Finish the rep by lowering yourself all the way down to the floor.
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Position a box underneath a pull-up bar and stand on top of it. Make sure the box places you fairly close to the top of the bar. Place your hands on the bar, then carefully jump from the box into the top position of your pull-up. Your chin should be over the bar. Lower yourself all the way from this top position to a full dead hang. For best results, go as slowly as possible and don’t rush the bottom portion of the movement.
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Position a box underneath a pull-up bar and stand on top of it. Make sure the box places you fairly close to the top of the bar. Place your hands on the bar with your palms facing you, then carefully jump from the box into the top position of your pull-up. Your chin should be over the bar and your shoulders should be down away from your ears. Squeeze your legs together and hold them slightly in front of your body. Hold this top position for time. Try not to let your body sink towards the floor. When time is up, lower yourself all the way down in a controlled manner.
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Tie a resistance band of moderate thickness around the bar by placing the band on top of the bar and looping one end through the other. Make sure the band is secure and doesn’t have any tears that could cause it to break while you’re using it. Place a box next to the bar and stand on it. Pull the band down and loop it under the bottom of one foot. Grab onto the bar, then carefully step off the box and into a dead hang. Your legs should be straight and your arms should be fully extended above your head. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull yourself all the way up until your chin is over the bar. Keep your shoulders down and don’t shrug. Finish the rep by lowering yourself all the way down into a full dead hang. When you’re done with your set, step back onto the box with the non-banded leg. Then carefully let go of the bar and remove the band from your other foot.
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Adjust the seat and leg pads so you can sit comfortably on the machine. Grab the handle from a standing position and then sit down. At the start of the movement, your arms should be as straight as possible overhead. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull the bar down toward your chest. Ideally, you will be able to touch the bar to your collarbone or chest. Some taller folks may not be able to do this. If not, focus on pulling your elbows down toward your sides. Focus on squeezing your armpits to engage your lats in the bottom. Finish the rep by raising your arms back up above your head.
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Grab onto the handles of a bar with your palms either facing you or facing in towards each other. Use a small box as necessary to reach the bar. Lower yourself into a full dead hang. Your legs should be straight and held slightly out in front of your body. Your arms should be fully extended with your body lowered as far as you can. Initiate the movement by un-shrugging your shoulders and pulling your shoulder blades down into your back pockets. Pull yourself all the way up until your chin is over the bar. Keep your shoulders down and do not shrug. Maintain a plank position and don’t allow your back to arch or your legs to swing back behind your body. Finish the rep by lowering yourself all the way back into a dead hang.
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