Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKEDIf pull ups aren’t one of your favorite exercises, it's time to change that. After all, the pull up is among the best upper body exercises you can do for strength and hypertrophy.
But what if you can’t do pull ups?
First of all, don't feel embarrassed or anything, it is a very difficult exercise. Second, with hard work, dedication, and a foolproof pull up progression plan, nearly everyone can learn how to do pull ups, not to mention move on to more advanced pull up variations, including you.
In this guide to mastering pull ups, we will cover:
If you can do pull ups, you will still find this pull up guide useful, as we outline ways to progress beyond just strict pull ups. That way, you can continue to develop upper body strength, endurance and muscle with this absolutely essential, age-old bodyweight exercise.
Without further ado, it's pull up time.
Now, here's what you've been waiting for - the perfect pull up progression program.
Above is a video explaining how to practice pull ups and get stronger for pull ups using progression exercises. We also have everything written out in step-by-step, week-by-week format just below. We even have a pull up progression chart that you can screenshot or refer back to as you run this beginner pull up program.
We guarantee that if you follow our 9-week pull up plan, we will take you from Pull Up Zero to Pull Up Hero.
FYI - This is not a Crossfit pull up progression plan, so you won't be learning kipping pull up progression or butterfly pull up progression. You are here to master the strict pull up.
Our pull up progression program is 9 weeks long and you won't be doing strict pull ups until week 9.
We recommend that you do each exercise at least once a week for the recommended sets and reps, but two to three times per week would be best if you want to build up to pull ups faster. You can add these exercises to your regular routine as you see fit.
Equipment needed: You will need a low bar and a high pull up bar. There is also band assisted pull up progression incorporated into this plan, so you will need a 41" loop resistance band. However, if you don't have one, it can be replaced with an assisted pull ups machine. Assisted pull up machine progression isn't as good as resistance bands, but it will work fine as well.
For weeks 1 and 2, you will be doing Australian pull up progression, which basically means variations of inverted rows. There are three exercises to practice.
Continue practicing exercise 3 from above and add the following two pull up progression exercises to your routine for weeks 3-4.
Continue practicing exercise 5 from above and add the following two pull up progression exercises to your routine for weeks 5-8.
Practice pull up grip variations too!
Try different grip variations once you get the standard grip pull up down.
We will run through these further below.
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Here is a chart that covers everything above. You can screenshot this for when you start the pull up progression program.
Weeks 1-2 | Weeks 3-4 | Weeks 5-8 | Week 9 |
Australian Pull Ups (Bar to Belly): 3 sets x 10 reps | Australian Pull Ups (Bar to Chest): 3 sets x 10 reps | Shoulder Depressions: 3 sets x 10 reps | Strict Pull Ups: 5 sets x max reps |
Australian Pull Ups (Bar to Upper Belly): 3 sets x 10 reps | Dead Hang: 9 sets x 10-60 seconds | Banded Pull Ups: 5 sets x max reps | Test out different grip variations (wide, close, underhand, neutral) |
Australian Pull Ups (Bar to Chest): 3 sets x 10 reps | Shoulder Depressions: 3 sets x 10 reps | Negative Pull Ups: 5 sets x 8-10 reps |
Week by week, do these exercise 1-3 times a week, spread out evenly (make sure you are fully recovered from the previous workout).
You can do these at the beginning of your regular workout routine on back day. Or, you can do them separately from your regular workout plan (i.e. if you workout in the evening, do these in the morning).
Remember, these are full range of motion, strict pull ups. No cheating.
Here are the average number of pull ups that teens and adults (both male and female) can do. See how you stack up!
Teens:
Adults:
There could be a number of reasons why you can’t do a pull up, including it being completely mental. The most common reason people can’t do pull ups is they don't have the upper body strength and/or grip strength. This could be from a lack of strength training, an injury, or being overweight.
The good news is you can do it if you set your mind to it. Training to do pull ups is simple. The other good news is there are tons of pull up variations, meaning there is definitely a regression of the exercise you can start doing now. Follow the pull up progression guide below and you will achieve your first pull up before you know it!
Let’s take a look at the anatomy of the muscles worked with a standard pull up. This is just good to know, plus it should help with mind-muscle connection.
Primary muscles (movers):
Secondary muscles:
Stabilizers:
Grip strength is a major factor for pull ups. Even if your back and arms are strong enough to pull you up, if you don’t have the grip strength (and grip endurance), you won’t be able to do sets of pull ups. Therefore, working on your grip strength will directly improve your pull ups.
We will include some grip strength specific pull up progression exercises in our plan. But there are other things you can do as well to improve your grip strength.
The pull up is one of the most important upper body exercises that you can do, and pull ups benefits are endless. It doesn't matter what workout program you are running - bodybuilding, calisthenics, powerlifting, etc., - pull ups should be included in your workout program. No questions asked. It’s an essential exercise for building upper body mass and pulling strength. This applies to all fitness levels, and it works for all fitness levels because of its incredible versatility.
Be that as it may, it is considered a more advanced exercise, as you need quite a bit of strength to perform pull ups properly. Luckily, there are pull up regression exercises and modifications so that you can progress to a standard pull up once you gain strength, which is exactly what you are going to learn here.
If you can’t do pull ups, then this should be one of the first things you aim to master in fitness. There's a reason it is included in every fitness test (i.e. Military). It is a clear indicator of overall strength, as are push ups.
The above is not an exhaustive list of pull up benefits. We could really go on and on about why pull ups are great, but we will leave it at that. You get the point.
All pull up exercises will be a vertical pulling motion, so pretty much all the same muscles will be worked no matter what variation you chose.
However, there are differences in which muscles are being activated more and the intensity of the muscle contraction depending on the variation you choose. For example, a wide grip pull up emphasizes the lats more, while close grip pull ups involves the biceps more.
Once you master the standard pull up, performing different variations of pull ups will be beneficial for building your lats, mid-back, rear delts, biceps, forearms and even your core.
Moreover, by recruiting the muscles equally, you will have more well rounded strength and it will help you become resilient to injuries and overuse of the muscles.
You also have to consider the distance between your hands as this will change the stimulus on your muscles.
The wider your grip the harder the pull up will be as your lats are getting less help from your arms.
Let's have a look at our favorite pull up variations. We have put them in order of easiest to hardest.
The main purpose of doing pull up variations is so you can hit your back from all angles. Thanks to these variations, all you need is a pull up bar to get a great back workout in. For the minimalists out there, this should be music to your ears.
These pull up variations can also be used for an advanced pull up progression plan!
Note: Be sure to switch your grip each set so you train your body evenly.
Note: We didn't have a standard neutral grip pull up bar to demonstrate on this day, which would have been easier than the parallel bars. The closer your hands are to each other, the easier it will be.
Note: It will be very hard to get your chin over the bar on this one, but it will still be effective if you can not.
Note: For this one, pull up to one side, so your chin is above the bar and near your hand. Then staying above the bar with your chin, move along the bar to your other hand, then return to the starting position. It's similar to an around the world pull ups.
Note: For this one, you can start by kipping (as seen in the pic, that was done with kipping pull ups). As you develop strength, try to perform high pull ups without kipping. This movement will directly help you gain strength and correct form to perform a muscle up. It's a muscle up progression exercise.
Note: For this one, perform the pull up similar to a high pull up, you want to explode up so you can remove your hands from the bar (above the bar) then catch the bar on your way down. It's a very explosive exercise and the best back plyometric exercise you can do. As you develop strength for this, try to clap your hands together above the bar.
If you are getting really strong, you can start to try even more advanced pull ups, such as:
At a bare minimum, you should be doing pull ups at least once a week for 3-5 sets. While strict pull ups are always a go-to, you can mix in variations as you see fit.
Now, if you want to really emphasize pull up training, the best pull up routine will involve more variations and thus more sets. To do this, you can spread out your volume across the week.
For example, the first session you could do:
Then, on the second session that week you could do:
Note: If you are adding pull ups into your regular routine, the above is likely too much. So, adjust as needed and don’t worry so much about having the perfect plan, just get out there and do some pull ups.
In addition to the pullup progression plan above, you can train for pull ups with other resistance exercises. The following exercises work as a progression to pull ups because they build strength in the same muscles used by the pull up.
Essentially any pulling exercise will help to strength your muscles for pull ups. But the best way to build pull up strength is by actually doing pull ups!
Here are two pull up workouts you can try.
1. BEGINNER PULLUPS WORKOUT:
Expecting something more in-depth? Nope, that’s it, just go out there and do your sets. If you can do more sets, then go for it! Aim to do a minimum of 5 sets, though.
2. INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED PULL UP WORKOUT:
With pull up variations, you can hit all the muscles in your back, allowing you to get a serious back workout in with just your pull up bar. Here is a good pull up-only workout that includes various pull up variations, targeting all the muscles in your back effectively, along with your biceps, forearms and core.
Let this be a bit of inspiration before you begin…
Pull up world record: 4,321 pull ups in 24 hours. Set by Mark Jordan, a 54-year old American from Texas.
Try these pull up challenges after you master the pull up. Record your scores and see how you improve over time.
Be sure to warm up before you attempt any of these challenges.
See how many strict pull ups you can do in 1 minute.
See how many strict pull ups you can do in 5 minutes.
See how many strict pull ups you can do in 10 minutes.
Time yourself to see how long it takes you to do 100 pull ups with correct form.
Test your 1RM on weighted pull ups.
See how long you can hang onto a pull up bar at dead hang. If you have a strong grip, try this with one arm too! Test on both sides.
Absolutely. Pull ups are the most effective bodyweight exercise for building upper body muscle mass and strength, as they are very challenging. In fact, even among big lifts, pull ups land on top for building up the lats and biceps. Pull ups put a lot of tension on your upper body muscles. By doing pull ups on a weekly basis, you will build an impressive back and arms.
And just to reiterate, once the standard pull ups become easy, there are many ways to increase the difficulty so you can continue to progress and build muscle...
For example, you can:
All of these methods will allow for progressive overload.
A pull up progression plan is designed to help you build the strength and endurance needed to perform your first pull up. Essentially, the plan begins with easy regression exercises, and then works up from there with selected pull up variations and assisted pull ups.
The regression exercises will have a progression to them as well. Meaning, they will get harder and harder, until you are able to do a proper pull up. Some of the regression exercises will also prime you, so that you develop good pull up habits.
Some things to keep in mind:
Easy answer. Anyone who can’t do a pull up with correct form.
If you can do a pull up, but not as many as you'd like, then keep working on strict pull ups. Do at least 5 sets of near-max reps 2 times a week. You can also incorporate some pull up variations into your training.
Finally, if you can do proper pull ups for a fair amount of reps, start adding weight to your pull ups and try some pull up variations, as this will allow you to continually progress and hit your back muscle fibers from all angles.
Pull ups are like any other exercise. You'll typically want to work in a 5-20 rep range.
Whichever rep range you choose, be sure that you are challenging yourself in that rep range. To increase the difficulty, add weight with a weighted vest or weight belt.
If your goal is to improve your pull ups, then you should be doing them as often as you can. Just be sure your muscles have recovered from the previous session. At a bare minimum, train pull ups once a week.
This really depends on your fitness level. If you are just starting out, your body will need more time to recover. So, ideally, you’d do pull ups when your muscles have recovered, which would likely be 2-3 times a week (every couple days).
The great thing about pull ups is that you can progress quickly. If you can do just 1-2 pull ups now, don’t be surprised if you can do 10 in a few weeks. Once they start getting easy, change up your tempo, rep scheme, rest time, etc. Aim to keep increasing the difficulty this way.
If you have a high fitness level right now, standard pull ups won’t tax your body as much and you will be able to do them more often. That being said, it would be more beneficial if you increase the difficulty instead of doing the same standard pull up rep scheme every day. And if you were to do this, it would make you sore and your muscles would need time to recover. Thus, you’d be doing them 2-3 times a week just like a beginner would.
Be sure to sleep good, eat good and drink a lot of water so you can recover optimally.
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