The Pull Ups is a intermediate-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the lats and middle back, with the biceps and traps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesBiceps, Traps
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Pull Ups
Reach up and grip a fixed pull-up bar with palms facing forward, hands slightly wider than shoulders.
Hang from the bar with arms fully extended, then engage the lats by pulling the shoulder blades down.
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and cross the ankles to keep the body in a tight line.
Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down toward the ribs until your chin clears the bar.
Pause briefly at the top with the chin over the bar, squeezing the lats and upper back.
Lower yourself slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to a full dead hang before the next rep.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds the lats, biceps, and upper back with one of the highest-yield bodyweight lifts.
Develops the relative strength needed for advanced calisthenics and athletic work.
Reinforces shoulder health by training the back muscles that stabilize the joint.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Kipping the legs to swing up instead of pulling cleanly with the back and arms.
Cutting the bottom range short and never reaching a full dead hang, which trains a fraction of the lift.
Leading with the chin instead of the chest, which puts strain on the neck.
Dropping fast at the top and skipping the slow descent, where most pull-up strength is built.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Pull Ups, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
