How to do Pull ups
Grips and Progression of Pull ups
Grips: Order of Progression
There are many variations in grips used to perform pull-ups. Why use different grips?
Changing grips recruit muscle fibers from a larger motor unit pool and stimulate strength gains faster. When teaching a beginner how to do pull- ups/chin-ups, the personal trainer/strength coach should assign grips in the following order:
- Mid-parallel/neutral chins
- Mid-supinated chins
- Close-supinated chins
- Close-parallel chins
- Mid Grip pull-ups
- Wide-parallel chins
- Wide Grip pull-ups
Advanced lifters can combine two different grips and perform what is known as a mixed grip pull up.
Grips: Muscles Recruited
Parallel grip chins recruit a higher threshold of motor units from the rhomboids, the brachioradialis and the brachialis muscles of the arm. There is less recruitment of the biceps brachii in a parallel grip chin-up.
Supinated Grip chins recruit more muscle fibers from the rhomboids, biceps brachii and the forearm flexor muscles.
Pronated Grip recruits more muscle fibers from the latissimus dorsi muscle, the brachioradialis, and the brachialis.
Eccentric vs Concentric Component of the Pull-up
During an eccentric contraction (lowering your body from the top position of a pull-up), the muscle lengthens while under tension due to the opposing force (body weight) being greater than the force produced by the muscle. Unlike a concentric contraction, where the joint is pulled in the direction of the muscle contraction, in an eccentric contraction the muscle acts to decelerate the joint at the end of a movement.
The body is ten to twenty-five percent stronger eccentrically than it is concentrically. In other words, it is easier to lower yourself from a pull up than it is for you to lift yourself up. When teaching a beginner how to do a pull up, eccentric work should be emphasized first. Concentric work should only be emphasized after the client can control their descent at the assigned tempo.
Keep reading for an explanation of the 4 steps of progression from 0 to 1 pull-up.
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