Exercise

Pull-Up

The gold standard of upper-body strength: pull your entire bodyweight over a bar. It builds a wide back, iron grip, and the kind of functional strength that shows up everywhere. Earning your first one is a milestone worth chasing.

AdvancedPull-up bar~5 min

Demonstration

Sets

3-4

Reps

4-8

Rest

2min

Control the lowering - 2 seconds down minimum.

The kit

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How to do it

  1. 1

    Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width.

  2. 2

    Hang with arms fully straight, shoulders pulled down away from your ears, core braced.

  3. 3

    Drive your elbows down and back to pull your chest toward the bar.

  4. 4

    Get your chin clearly over the bar without kicking or swinging.

  5. 5

    Lower yourself all the way back to a dead hang under control.

Common mistakes

  • Kipping and swinging to sneak the chin over
  • Half reps that never reach a full hang at the bottom
  • Letting the shoulders shrug into the ears at the dead hang
  • Doing max reps every set instead of leaving one or two in the tank

Dad tips

  • Building toward your first: mix dead hangs, slow negatives, and band-assisted reps.
  • Think 'elbows to ribs' rather than 'chin to bar'.

Common questions

›I can't do a single pull-up. Where do I start?

Dead hangs for grip, then slow negatives: jump or step to the top and lower yourself over 3-5 seconds. Add band-assisted reps when you have them, and train pulling 2-3 times a week. Most people get their first strict rep in 4-8 weeks.

›Pull-ups vs chin-ups - which is better?

Chin-ups (palms toward you) are easier and hit the biceps more; pull-ups (palms away) bias the lats and upper back. Start with chin-ups, keep both once you can do 5 of each.

›How many pull-ups is good for a man?

5 strict reps puts you ahead of most men; 10+ is genuinely strong at any age. If you can do 3 sets of 8, you've earned the right to add weight.

Same muscles, new angle

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

One knee and hand on a bench, one dumbbell doing honest work. The single-arm row builds the lats and mid-back with your spine fully supported, making it one of the safest ways to row heavy - and it fixes the left-right imbalances desk life creates.

BeginnerDumbbells~5 min

Barbell Bent-Over Row

The heaviest pulling exercise you can do outside a gym rack. Bent-over rows build a thick, strong back and teach your whole posterior chain to hold a hinge under load - the position behind every safe heavy lift you'll ever do.

IntermediateBarbell~6 min

Kettlebell Gorilla Row

A single-leg, single-arm row that builds back strength, grip, and unilateral stability all at once. It's a dense movement that works well in time-crunched routines and builds the kind of back toughness that prevents injury.

IntermediateKettlebell~4 min