Pull Ups
What you'll gain
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.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Reach up and grip a fixed pull-up bar with palms facing forward, hands slightly wider than shoulders.
- 2
Hang from the bar with arms fully extended, then engage the lats by pulling the shoulder blades down.
- 3
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and cross the ankles to keep the body in a tight line.
- 4
Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down toward the ribs until your chin clears the bar.
- 5
Pause briefly at the top with the chin over the bar, squeezing the lats and upper back.
- 6
Lower yourself slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to a full dead hang before the next rep.
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.
About This Exercise
The pull-up is the benchmark bodyweight upper-body exercise. Hanging from a fixed bar with palms facing forward, the lifter pulls the body up until the chin clears the bar, then lowers under control. It builds the lats, biceps, and the upper back, and it's one of the clearest measures of relative pulling strength. For app and content use, this clip is essential inventory for any strength library, calisthenics program, and pull-day track. It also anchors any pull-up progression module and serves as a recognizable hero piece for content aimed at lifters chasing their first strict rep.
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The classic bodyweight vertical pull that builds the lats, biceps, and upper back — the benchmark for upper-body pulling strength.
Need more than one animation?
Compare our packs to find the right fit, all with commercial licensing included.
Specifications
Built for
- Pull-day programming in any strength training app
- Calisthenics and bodyweight strength tracks
- Pull-up progression modules in coaching platforms
- Hero clips and thumbnails for back and pulling content
Muscles Worked
Details
License Includes
Backstroke Swim
$4.99Supine alternating-arm swimming where body roll lets the large back muscles pull while a flutter kick holds position.
Breaststroke Swim
$4.99Prone simultaneous-stroke swimming that pairs a wide sweeping arm pull with a whip kick driven by the inner thighs.
Butterfly Swim
$4.99Simultaneous double-arm swimming timed to a dolphin kick, with the body undulating around the hips through every cycle.
Chin Ups
$4.99A vertical bodyweight pull with palms facing you that builds the lats, biceps, and grip in one of the most honest strength tests there is.
Freestyle Swim
$4.99Prone alternating-arm swimming with a flutter kick and rotational breathing, driven by the back and chest through each pull.
Inverted Row
$4.99A bodyweight horizontal row pulled from under a fixed bar — the foundational pull for any back or pull-day program.