Pull-up

The basic vertical pull. From a dead hang with straight elbows to chin over the bar, no swinging.

Level

Intermediate

Equipment

Pull-up bar

Measure

reps

Tempo

1-1-2-0 (down, pause, up, pause)

Technique

1. Active hang: shoulder blades pulled down, abs braced, legs slightly in front (hollow).
2. The pull starts with the shoulder blades, then the elbows bend.
3. Elbows drive down and back, chest to the bar, chin over the bar.
4. Controlled descent to a full hang, no cutting the range.

Common mistakes

• Kipping (swinging the legs): the force comes from momentum, not the back.
• Incomplete hang at the bottom: skips the hardest part.
• Shoulders shrugged to the ears at the top: no scapular depression.