Pull-up
A vertical pulling exercise where you hang from a bar and pull your chin above it.
Overview
The pull-up is a vertical pulling exercise done hanging from an overhead bar with the palms facing away. You pull your body upward until your chin clears the bar, then lower back to a full hang. It is a demanding bodyweight movement that develops the back and arms.
Because it lifts your entire bodyweight, the pull-up is challenging for many beginners, who often build up with easier rows, band-assisted versions or negative-only repetitions. It is a benchmark movement in calisthenics and general strength.
The movement
- 1Hang from the bar with palms facing away and hands about shoulder-width apart.
- 2Pull your shoulder blades down and drive your elbows toward your ribs.
- 3Continue until your chin clears the bar.
- 4Lower under control back to a full hang.
Beginner notes
- A resistance band looped on the bar can assist while building strength.
- Rows and slow lowering can help bridge toward a first pull-up.
- A full hang at the bottom is part of the range.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Calisthenics
Bodyweight strength training — push-ups, pull-ups, dips and progressions you can do almost anywhere.
Rock Climbing
A rope-based climbing sport that pairs full-body strength with focus and careful technique, indoors or on rock.
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
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Movement patterns
- PullDrawing a load or your own body toward the torso — horizontal rows and vertical pull-ups — building the lats, mid-back and biceps and balancing the push.
- LungeA split-stance, single-leg-emphasis pattern: stepping or dropping into a staggered stance and pushing back up to build single-leg strength, balance and stability.
- SquatA knee-dominant pattern: bending the hips, knees and ankles to lower and rise while keeping the torso upright — the foundation of lower-body strength.
- JumpThe plyometric pattern of projecting the body off the ground through explosive triple extension and controlling the landing — the core expression of lower-body power.
Coaching concepts
Movement comparisons
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Exercise
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-06
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