Engaging the back, shoulders, and arms, pull-ups are the ultimate workout for those who want to look perfectly chiselled from any angle. But of course, nothing worth having ever comes easy. While pull-ups do offer some pretty awesome gains, actually doing them right can be tough, especially if you’re a first timer.
1. Start with One
The reason why pull-ups can be intimidating is because we often don’t
know what to expect once we hang from the bar. Instead of conditioning yourself to think you need to do multiple reps, start with just one. Assess how you feel and adjust your method accordingly.
2. Breathe Right
Your breathing pattern will determine how many reps you’ll be able to
do. Always inhale big, deep breaths while hanging straight from the bar, hold it all the
way through the pull-up, and exhale once you’re hanging straight down again.
3. Change the Distance
Want to target specific muscles in your arms or back? Move your
grip closer or wider. By gripping the bar at shoulder width, a pull-up engages more back
muscles. By gripping narrower, you can target more muscles in your arms. Generally
speaking, a wider grip makes it easier to perform a pull-up.
4. Don’t Extend Your Chin
You’ll know you’ve completed a pull-up when your chin reaches the bar. Some people cheat by extending the neck to appear as though they’ve gone up the bar all the way. Doing this can injure your spine and lead to painful sprain or strain.
5. Strengthen Yourself
Finding it too hard to do even a single pull-up? You can choose to do other, less complex exercises before moving on to pull-ups. It also helps to reduce your weight by losing fat so you won’t have to carry too much on the bar.
