pull
Pull-Up
Works in
gym, calisthenics
Equipment
pullup bar
Primary muscles
lats, mid back, biceps
Why do it
One of the big four and, for me, the truest measure of upper-body strength relative to your size. Every level should chase it: if you cannot do one yet, build it with assisted pull-ups, inverted rows, lat pulldowns and curls, and once you can, it stays a staple forever. It builds a wide, strong back, powerful arms and a serious grip. Start from a dead hang, lead with the chest and finish with the chin over the bar.
How to do it
A bodyweight vertical pull from a dead hang with an overhand grip. Pull the chin over the bar by driving the elbows down and back, then lower to a full hang. It is the benchmark upper-body pulling movement.
What the science says
In the PURE study of nearly 140,000 people, grip strength predicted early death and heart disease better than blood pressure did, so training a hard grip is training for a longer life (Leong et al., 2015, The Lancet).
Fun fact
People have taken the pull-up to extremes: the Guinness record for most pull-ups in 24 hours is over 12,000, which averages more than eight every single minute for a full day and night.