Wide Grip Pull Up - Instructions, Variations & Alternatives

Muscles involved

Also known as

• Standard Pull-Up
• Pronated Pull-Up

How to perform

1. Set up & Starting position (hanging)
   Grip the bar in an overhand grip with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Fully extend your arms, bend your knees if necessary to let your bodyweight hang.

2. Concentric phase
   Pull your shoulders back and down, then engage the muscles in your arms and back to slowly pull yourself up until your chin is just over the bar or very close to it. Imagine bringing your elbows toward your hips.

3. Isometric hold (optional) - Pause for a second, make sure your shoulder blades remain back and down.

4. Eccentric phase
   Slowly lowering yourself down just short of fully extending your arms. Repeat.

Grip variation leads to different exercise name. The ‘Standard Pull-up’ with overhand wide grip isolates your lats. It is considered an advanced exercise more difficult than the Chin Up (underhand grip) or Hammer Pull Up (parallel close grip) which places more emphasis on your biceps.

Exercise Alternatives

• Rear Pull Up
• Wide Grip Pulldown
• Rear Pulldown