Pull-Up

Pulling your chin over a bar from a dead hang — the benchmark upper-body pull. Chin-ups (palms toward you) are the slightly easier sibling.

Setup

Hang from the bar, hands just outside the shoulders (pull-up: palms away; chin-up: palms toward you). Arms long, body quiet.

How to do it

1. Start each rep by pulling the shoulder blades down — break the dead hang first.
2. Drive the elbows down toward the ribs.
3. Chin over the bar without kicking or swinging.
4. Lower all the way to straight arms — full range both directions.

Common mistakes

• Kipping/swinging for extra reps.
• Half-range reps that never reach a full hang.
• Chin poking desperately at the bar instead of the chest rising to it.

Scale it

Easier: Band-assisted pull-ups, feet-supported rows, or slow negatives (jump up, lower over 5 seconds).

Harder: Add weight, or slow every phase of the rep.

Pairs well with