Sometimes it is the simplest of exercises that result in the greatest results. Many people neglect pull-ups because they just seem too simple. We get these ideas in our heads that there is always this “new” exercise that will get us the greatest benefits. When, a lot of times it is just very simple exercises done smartly, and with a lot of hard work that produce the most gains. The pull-up is no different. A lot of people neglect squats because they are uncomfortable for them. Yet, it is the greatest single exercise for leg strength and size gains. The old saying of Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS) remains true with pull-ups.
I am not just here to tell you that pull-ups are a great exercise for building up your back. I am going to give you some ways that you can change up your pull-ups to maximize the results you will see. Many people just do regular bodyweight pull-ups for 3 sets of 10 and call it good. This exercise can be an enormous tool if used correctly and if used a variety of different ways. It is just all about utilizing some different tools and methods to promote optimal growth. These just may be some different ideas that you haven’t tried before that can be added to really stop you from falling in that boring “3x10 pull-ups” workout.
When You Should Use These Tips
These are all tips that can be used interchangeably. Meaning, you can try one tip one week and the next tip the following week. Or, if you are doing multiple back workouts per week you can utilize a different one each workout. The key here is to add these to your workout plan as an addition to your normal grip, standard pull-ups. These tips will help hit different parts of your entire back that your standard grip pull-ups probably are not hitting.
Tip #1 - Widen your grip substantially.
One strategy I have seen work time and time again is simply widening your grip. Most pull-ups are done with a standard shoulder-width grip with palms facing away. With these you are going to want to widen your grip 6-8 inches wider with each hand. You can go “too wide,” so play around with it a little bit to determine that. You will know if you are too wide if you can’t even do one pull-up. These will be harder, but if you are able to perform 3x10 of the standard variety, you should at least be able to do 3x6 with this kind of grip. You are really going to feel this in your latissimus dorsi muscles. The Latin meaning for your “lats” as they are better known for is “broadest muscles of the back.”
Are you sold yet? Just try it the next time you are going to do pull-ups and you will be a believer.
Tip #2 – Face your palms in (chin-ups).
This is something that is pretty well known, but it is often underused. Chin-ups can really hit the lower part of your lats a little bit more than pull-ups will. Remember, pull-ups are the single best exercise for overall back size. However, just remember that you can add these tips in to add another dimension to your training and hit every muscle with different types of movements. You will feel a big difference between the two as well. Depending on your current level of bicep strength and endurance, these may be harder or easier than standard pull-ups. Some larger individuals also have difficulty doing chin-ups because of the flexibility required to get into that position.
Tip #3 – Add weight!
If you want to get a thicker back – add more weight! This might be the MOST important tool for trying to build that thicker back. You work up to a maximal set of 5, or even a 1-rep max on bench press, so, why not with pull-ups? Could you imagine just doing random sets of 10 easily on bench press, without any type of struggle? What kind of size and strength gains do you think you would see? Try working up to 3 maximal sets of 5. Start off lighter and try to work your way up until you can no longer do more than 5 reps! You will get very, very sore from this on the first week, so be cautious how many sets you do working your way up. You want to still be able to work out the next day, so use caution.
Tip #4 – Use bands for assisted reps after your weighted reps.
This is the best tip for trying to really bang out some more reps and get that pump going. After all, that pump can promote a lot of growth as you are flushing more blood to your back muscles. After doing a max set of weighted pull-ups, immediately put your feet on the band (attach it inside of your hands) and perform as many as you can. Somewhere in the range of 20-25 reps would be ideal. I only recommend one set here to begin with and you can then add another set down the road as you become better conditioned to be able to handle this type of load. This is basically the equivalent of doing a drop set on bench or with curls, or another version of forced/partner assisted reps.
Tip #5 – Hold your reps for 3-4 seconds at the top.
As you reach the very top of your pull-up (chin over bar at least) hold that position for a minimum of 3-4 seconds. Still attempt to do 6-10 reps, but just add the hold at the end of each rep. You will find it astonishingly hard to hold it at the top. Combining this tip with Tip #1 can be an amazing finisher to your back workout. Soon after integrating these tips into your routines, you will be well on your way to having to buy a new shirt that will fit your gigantic back. Ok, so maybe I am getting carried away, but you will really feel a huge pump with these tips, which is something you might not be used to with your back workouts. The first time I performed this tip, I could only do five reps after performing this hold at the top of each rep. It was pretty exhausting.
You may already be doing a few of these tips, but hopefully there are one or two tips in there that will allow you to take your back training to the next level. Some tips may work better for your current training than others, so just use trial-and-error and lift big weights and you will be fine. After all, you will never be worse off for having done MORE pull-ups!
That is the greatest part about pull-ups – you can always try to squeeze out one or two more. Continue to do your normal pull-up routine, but give these a shot to take your back to the next level. As you see the numbers and the weight go up on your pull-up sets, you should see a corresponding increase in the size of the muscles on your back.
Jared Enderton – Jared is a weightlifter, personal trainer, nutrition consultant and a nationally ranked weightlifter in the United States. He has earned his Bachelor’s Degree (with honors) in Exercise Science from the University of Northern Iowa. His certifications include: ACE-PT, CrossFit Level 1, and USAW- Sports Performance. He is also a former State Champion and All-American wrestler in the state of Iowa. In addition to working as a weightlifter and a personal trainer, Jared also has an extensive background in researching and selling sports supplements.