How to Perform
- Set up a bar at roughly waist height (a Smith machine, low gymnastics rings, or a sturdy table edge can work)
- Grip the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width
- Walk your feet forward and hang beneath the bar with your arms fully extended and your body in a straight line from head to heels
- Pull your chest up toward the bar by driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together
- Touch or come within an inch of the bar with your chest at the top
- Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner until your arms are fully extended
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions
Form Cues
Do:
- Keep your body rigid and straight like a plank throughout the movement
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of each rep
- Control the lowering phase for 2-3 seconds
- Adjust difficulty by changing your foot position: feet closer to the bar makes it easier, feet farther out makes it harder
Don't:
- Let your hips sag or pike up during the pull
- Use momentum to swing your chest up to the bar
- Shrug your shoulders up toward your ears
- Cut the range of motion short at either the top or bottom
Progressions
Start with your feet beneath or close to the bar (easier) and gradually walk them farther out. Once you can perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps with your body nearly horizontal to the ground, progress to negative pull-ups to start building vertical pulling strength.
Common Mistakes
- Hips dropping: Engage your glutes and core to maintain a straight body line
- Pulling with the arms only: Focus on driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades; the arms follow
- Not going low enough: Fully extend your arms at the bottom to work through the complete range of motion
- Bar too high: A higher bar makes the exercise significantly easier, which can limit your progression