The Wide-Grip Pull-Up is a intermediate-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the lats and middle back, with the biceps, shoulders, traps and abdominals working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesBiceps, Shoulders, Traps, Abs
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Wide-Grip Pull-Up
Set an overhand grip on the bar noticeably wider than your shoulders.
Hang with straight arms so your arms and torso form a Y shape.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to stop the legs swinging.
Depress your shoulder blades, then drive your elbows down toward the floor.
Pull until your chin clears the bar and the lats are fully shortened.
Lower under control to near full arm extension and repeat.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Needs only a bar, so it fits home and outdoor program tracks.
Puts the lats in charge of a full overhead pulling range.
Scales in both directions with band assistance or added load.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Kipping with the hips to clear the bar, which removes the lats from the work.
Arching the lower back instead of pulling higher, which shortens the range.
Stopping halfway down each rep, which skips the stretched position where strength is built.
Adding reps with a partial range rather than regressing to band or machine assistance.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Wide-Grip Pull-Up, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
