Pull-up for Dummies (12 Easy to Follow Steps)

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The perfect, chest to bar pull-up is a dream of many people, but very few actually achieve it.
Perfect pull-ups are indeed not easy, but in this video, I will show you 12, easy-to-follow steps. If you follow and complete them, you are guaranteed to reach your first perfect pull-up
1. Chest pulls
The first step is chest pulls.
You can do these laying on your front with a broomstick, a towel, an elastic band or with a resistance band and broomstick, like you would do a cable pull down.
The goal is to do 15 reps 3 times. If you got this, step to the next exercise.
2. Scapula adductions
The second step is the scapula adductions. You can do this using rings, pull-up bar, or if you don’t have any equipment, on the floor in rear push up position.
Do 15 reps 3 times of this exercise with maximal range and control. If you got this, move forward!
3. Scapula depressions
The third step is the scapula depressions in hanging.
Here, the goal is to do scapula depressions with your whole bodyweight. This exercise is as important as the previous one for doing proper pull-ups.
The goal is 15 reps and 30 seconds hold on the top, 3 times. If you got this, step to the next exercise.
4. Scapula pulls
The fourth step is the scapula pulls.
This exercise combines the previous two; after depressing your scapulas, you should bring them closer together by pushing out your chest, as you can see in the video. However, an easier, smaller range of motion execution is also perfectly adequate for achieving pull-ups.
The goal is 10 reps 3 times, and you can move forward.
5. 45 inverted rows
The 5th step is the 45 degree inverted rows.
After mastering the scapular movements, you can now strengthen the pulling motion.
The inverted row plays a key role in this, and it's important to properly master all the upcoming progressions.
The goal is 15 reps 3 times. If you got this, you can move on.
6. Inverted rows with bent knees
The sixth step is the inverted rows with bent knees.
Here, we increase the body's angle, but reduce its length due to the bent knees, in order to ensure gradual progression.
The goal is 15 reps 3 times. If you got this, step to the next exercise.
7. Inverted rows
The 7th step is the inverted rows with straight body, close to the ground.
The goal is 15 reps 3 times. If you got this, you can move on.
8. Elevated leg inverted rows
The 8th step is the elevated leg inverted rows.
This is the last inverted row progression, but once you're able to do this, you'll automatically be able to perform a few pull-ups - at least, that's been my experience with my students.
The goal here is also to achieve 3 sets of 15 repetitions, but experience shows that with at least 3 sets of 10 reps, students were able to progress well as they moved forward.
9. Leg assisted pull-ups
The 9th step is the leg assisted pull-ups.
This progression is great for practicing the technique, but it's important that if you're practicing at such a low intensity, the execution should be really perfect.
The goal here is also 3 sets of 15 reps.
10. Upper end-point hold and negatives
The 10th step is holding the upper end-point hold then doing negatives.
The upper point hold is a very powerful progression. If you have strength issues, initially, you can do it with an underhand grip, then gradually switch to a neutral grip if possible, and finally practice it with an overhand grip.
The descent should last at least 5 seconds.
Complete 3 sets of 6 repetitions before moving on!
11. Pull-up with elastic band
The 11th step is pull-up with elastic band.
This is one of the most popular progressions because it provides a good sense of accomplishment and perfectly enables the realistic execution of pull-ups.
The goal here is 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
12. Pull-up
The twelfth and final step is the goal itself: the pull-up.
If you have accurately completed the previous steps, then you should be able to do a perfect chest to bar pull-up.
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[@leesjs]

the best pull up progression tutorial on youtube

[@meelo89]

Best tutorial ever

[@TormodSteinsholt]

Amazing. I wish all classic exercises had this kind of progression where you can always track increments and progress. It's so easy to plateau due to an unidentified deficiency that you are not targeting through any exercise, but still is the limiting factor.

[@analytical_mind_]

Chest to bar is my goal. Thanks for the video 🥂

[@OGTennyson]

Hey mehn. How far have u gone??

[@dreamchaser7554]

not bad. will follow your advice. My wrist is so weak to hold the bar.

[@StrongM242]

Excellent video. Your instruction is what unlocked chest to bar for me.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Yess! Congrats! Glad it helped!

[@funkytomHaay]

Thank you!

[@TonyJer04]

Thank you. I am applying this to my exercise routine.

[@Andicito28]

BEST VIDEO IN THE YEAR. CONGRATS!!!

[@GymnasticsMethod]

🙏🙏🙏

[@AJ-et3vf]

Awesome video! Thank you!! Chest to bar pull ups have been a mystery to me for a long time how to achieve them, even in the past where I could do 6-10 pull ups. I can only clear my chin. I think your leg-assisted chest to bar pull ups progression is an important way to get thr mind-muscle contraction at the top when you're not yet strong for a chest to bar pull up. Also the scapular depressionss are important as well.

[@Khroniclas]

Even as someone that does weighted pullups, I still make sure to do scapula adductions and scapula depressions.

[@ismaelnin8960]

Gracias

[@Yash.027]

What a video ! Keep them coming.

[@lazydrie4711]

Thank you so much 🖤

[@abelmayorga]

Amazing video. Thank you.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Glad you liked it!

[@raaj966]

Awesome disection ✨❤

[@roki4414]

Don't forget this guy is quite skinny. When I was smoking, drinking, no gym in my early 20's, I could do easily 20 and more proper pull ups, because my weight was around 70kg, which makes it easy. When you weight 100kg, it is absolutely different story, much harder to lift those heavy legs...Even professionals struggling, body weight is very significant

[@user-dy8tn3mo7c]

Thanks, Adam, for the excellent video! You are excellent couch indeed! Bravo! ❤😎🙏👏🎯

[@GymnasticsMethod]

🙏🙏🙏

[@GirishVenkatachalam]

Best video on this topic thanks

[@beastslayer4583]

Best calisthenics athlete ever ❤💪🏻

[@GymnasticsMethod]

🙏🙏

[@reconshide]

Progression is dope!!!!! Thanks for all the intel as intel is king, YOU are king!

[@dbarlotta]

Thank you!!!

[@user-je1nl7lj6v]

This is a very helpful instructional video on the fundamental movements, mechanics, and muscular development that need to be mastered in order to do a perfect pull up. As someone who is able to do 10 consecutive pull ups (pulling up from a hang with the unbent elbows to getting my chin over the bar 10 times) but is not engaging my scapulae, I am going back to focusing on mastering the 12 steps demonstrated in this excellent video. The one critique I offer of this video is that the 12 steps outlined do not progress incrementally from least difficult to most difficult. In particular, steps 3 (scapula depressions from a dead hang) and 4 (scapula pulls while hanging) are-in my view-far too difficult for someone who has not developed the muscular strength to manipulate their scapulae from a dead hang with full body weight. Steps 5 (inverted rows) and 6 (inverted rows with bent knees) are much more doable and should come before the full weight scapula depressions and scapula pulls. Those full weight dead hang movements belong somewhere later in the step progressions.

[@mastro3d]

Top! Buon Natale

[@AG-kn3hy]

I don't have a ring , but chin up bars and bands for support. Thanks you 😅🎉

[@sunriseboy4837]

Thank you. I bought a band and am doing two sets of six, three days a week.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Great job!

[@DamnYouDamnMe]

Hi Adam and many thanks for the nice videos. I have a question regarding inverted rows - I hate this exercise. Is there a barbell or dumbbell row alternative that you would recommend?

[@bruddadavid]

dang this is quality right here!

[@GymnasticsMethod]

🙏🙏🙏

[@larrykrakow8927]

Ty

[@snssinsoffcials868]

waiting for this type of video for a long time

[@GymnasticsMethod]

It’s here 😄

[@Franklegare44]

Very good video ! Is this a prerequisite for muscle up ?

[@michaelrosenberger161]

Just in time bro. Getting ready to write a new program.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

🙏🙏💪💪

[@eliasbonilla8087]

Thank You excellent presentation! What is the reason you recommend 3 sets of 15 reps before moving on to the higher effort exercise?

[@steveinmidtown]

excellent instruction...any suggestions on the pull-up resistance bands? Lots on Amazon but I have no clue what to get.

[@PandemoniuM_123]

Thx for the tutorials, makes a lot of sense. Question though: right now I can do 3x8 pull ups but with light resistance band. Do you think it would still benefit me to go through these steps, or should I just continue?

[@yb2112]

Great video, exactly what i needed. Question: do i do each progression at every training or do i start with the one i am not able to do 15x3 ?

[@Psp808h]

My shoulder hurts after every workout and I do proper warm up and stretching and I do properly the exercises

[@Estoika_]

Go to a physiotherapist

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Agree

[@GymnasticsMethod]

See a therapist

[@vincentlee7359]

If you remove your shoulders, you won't have any pain. Did you try that yet?

[@grondebarbe3997]

One or more muscles doesn't work as it should. Go to physio

[@Staid]

BRO TYSM

[@GymnasticsMethod]

💪

[@jonnk7347]

Great breakdown of all the necessary prerequisites. I have a question though about step 3 - is it really 30 seconds hold on top, for 15 reps, and then 3 sets of this in total? The amount of 45 reps with 30 seconds each is almost a whole workout session in itself. How long a pause do you recommend between each rep and each set?

[@attepitkanen7358]

Gotta try these steps. I've been stuck in pulling halfway, but at that point it feels like hitting wall. Don't feel my back muscles working so I'm thinking lack of strength and/or bad form.

[@huukiennguyen2003]

For beginner, When should I change to a heavier variant? Thanksss

[@baligo3760]

I never managed to achieve any visible progression in the high pull ups. I feel like my body structure is kind of incompatible with this exercise. However, your progression video seems very reasonable. I may give it a try. Thank you! Note: don't you think that some triceps strength is also needed here? When I try I feel most tension on the triceps.

[@judeoziris2414]

Mery Christmas 🤶, Je te suis depuis plus de 2 ans , tes méthodes m'ont fait progresser , thank a lot of 🎉

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Glad to hear that! Merry Christmas

[@user-yu9ij4xo1i]

If I do the joint prep in yor video but still have pain in my elbow during chest to bar, what should i do? Go back to regressions?

[@mohamedbg3062]

Just in time ❤️🇩🇿

[@GymnasticsMethod]

💪💪

[@andreaskislingharris9147]

Hello! Thanks for another great video! For the scapula pulls, when you say 3x15 with a 30s hold at the top, what do you mean? 15 reps then a 30s hold? Or 3x15 then a 30s hold? I assume you don't mean 30s hold at the top for each rep haha😅

[@qwerdasfuhgeo6248]

Ohh so its a 30sec hold after the 15th rep, thanks

[@christiand1228]

www.youtube.com/@GymnasticsMethod: could you be so nice to clearfy this point! I have the same question. Thanks a lot

[@LanNguyen-hi4qs]

Can I ask - I was taught that elbows should always stay vertical to main external rotation of the shoulder. Is this correct?

[@lincolnprestes7617]

How many times I perform this in a week? I have to do all of them or if I already can do a specific one, all reps, I can move forward to the next one?

[@derekgudmundson4613]

When you say "30 second hold on the top", that's for each rep right?

[@pablorestrepo9857]

Are the first exercises included in your primal one program? And the rest, are they included in one of your programs?

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Yes all exercises are included, built up from zero

[@injaksemut]

Thank you sir, I can do 10 x 3 elevated rows with 2 minutes rest for each repetition but I can't hold my chest on the bar even though it's a underhand grip. Merry Christmas.

[@qwerdasfuhgeo6248]

Did u complete the scap adduc, dep, pulls?

[@injaksemut]

yes i did.

[@qwerdasfuhgeo6248]

@@injaksemut did you do managed tp complete them in a controlled manner? Eccentric and concentric part? Did you achieve the indicated number of reps and sets, executing them with perfect form?

[@injaksemut]

there must be something I missed, and now I'm back to square one Again. Previously I wanted to join as a member, but with a salary of 96 USD per month it seemed impossible. Sorry, I typed this using Google Translate, thank you sir for your attention 🙏

[@user-yu9ij4xo1i]

May be you didn't touch the chest and control the negative during inverted row.

[@ellzajota]

For Step 2 scapula depression, is the 30second hold done at the top of each of 15reps? Or 30second hold only on the 15th rep?

[@JohnProph]

pretty sure if u can do 15 reps with 30 second hold at the top of EACH rep, you are a world class athlete

[@repkaolejna]

How often train?

[@taotaod54]

Thanks for your videos about basics but we wan't videos about unusual gymnastic exercices back ! Ring pull over, iron cross, victorian, mobility...

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Will do!

[@taotaod54]

@@GymnasticsMethod Thanks, have a happy Christmas

[@PhilippeOrlando]

Very good video. I would have added that if you want to do a high pull up you shouldn't be overweight in the slightest.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

There is a video on high pull-up as well :)

[@user-pe5jp5ii2x]

Bail the handstand tutorial please I don't know how to bail when I try my body falls to the floor it hurts 🤕

[@user-uw8uy5oe7r]

2:05 30 sec on the top for each 15 rep? Is that right? This would be 7:30 mins total of active engagement only. That would be just 1 set. For 3 sets that would be almost 25 mins. I cannot hang on the bar for that long and I am quite in shape (I can do passive hang for about 2 mins on a straight bar). Someone please clarify if I've understand correctly.

[@Goldminks]

can you please do muscle up for dummies version

[@user-hf1fl6ur5n]

Whenever i go chest to bar and stay for a second i feel pain in my elbows.I wonder are pull ups activate the triceps when you are in the highest point? And what can i do to my technic to not feel pain ?

[@GymnasticsMethod]

The full range creates a high tension in the elbows, but if you do joint prep, you can make it stronger so it won’t hurt

[@user-hf1fl6ur5n]

@@GymnasticsMethod What exerciseses i can do to prepare my joint ??

[@latepate3789]

I’ve been wondering, if you use pull ups as an accessory for other exercises, is chest to bar unnecessary? I mean if you build the same muscle with just chin over the bar, is it just waste of energy to do chest to bar?

[@GymnasticsMethod]

If you think about it, if you do full scap depression and adduction, you involve and contract your back muscles like crazy. However, for lats and arms in general, you don’t need chest to bar. It’s just a principle. Same as if you wouldn’t do part ROM push-ups either

[@OleSmokey]

I did 400 pullups yesterday in 80 minutes while walking treadmill at 57 . 5 years after devastating injuries pullups help me make full recovery minus some misery

[@DoughnutDragon]

Me watching this knowing there's nowhere to use rings or any low bars near me. They cut all the branches on trees that are low enough to be able hang rings from. It gets too cold to do stuff outside for half the year. Which rules out using a swingset at a playground at least half the time. Can't afford to go to a gym and the ones I've checked don't even have the right equipment anyways. There's excersise parks but no calistenics parks, all the equipment is for seated excersise or stationary bike looking things. I can't install a properly sturdy pull up bar indoors or outdoors because renting. I've looked for freestanding pull up bars but they all say not to use them with rings to avoid tipping. I could use a sandbag on them maybe but it's still rather iffy and i don't want it crashing down on me. I've tried doing the bedsheet in a door thing and doing inverted rows from that but the doors here are made from cardboard so you can guess how that went. The only progression i can do are scapular, negatives and soon banded pull ups with my doorway pull up bar. I could maybe try hanging rings from the doorway pull up bar but if you pull it the wrong way it will fall and the only way i can place it on the only door i can place it on in the house my back is towards a staircase. And the reason i can't place it on a different door is the rest of the doors are in a corner so the side grip that's supposed to push against the doorframe won't catch or it'll be off center which also risks the whole bar falling. I can't turn the bar around without removing the door to that room, which also can't do cause, renting. So while I'd like to be able to work my way up to it i can't really start on the easier variations. I've tried everything i could think of. Only option i have is to stick with what I'm doing and hope i don't injure myself...

[@betgovrin]

I will stick with pull ups up to the chin, if you don't want to have problem with your shoulder in a long run

[@leejohnson197733]

I can do 3 sets of 10 pull ups then I do 1 set of 10 negatives but I still find them difficult 2 years on.

[@jeace99]

@gymnasticsmethod At 2:30 you said 15 reps and hold 30 sec at the top for 3 sets?! 30 sec hold for each reps is 7 minutes and a half hold for each sets for a total 22 minutes 30 sec hold (3 sets). That's a lot! Maybe the 30 secs hold is at the last rep of each set?

[@PandemoniuM_123]

You already seem to know the answer :) yes it's at the last rep

[@abcdefgh4404]

I think Inverted Rows are safer and more effective to back muscles than pull ups.

[@SuperTommox]

My right elbow hurt when i touch the bar.

[@GymnasticsMethod]

Joint prep!

[@stonecraftdg8356]

👍