Pull-up (exercise)
A pull-up is an upper-body
Pull-ups build up several muscles of the upper body, including the
Pull-ups are used by some organizations as a component of fitness tests, and as a conditioning activity for some sports.
Movement
Beginning by hanging from the bar, the body is pulled up vertically. From the top position, the participant lowers their body until the arms and shoulders are fully extended.[1] The end range of motion at the top end may be chin over bar or higher, such as chest to bar.[2]
Pull-ups are a
A 2017 study found that pronated grip activated the middle trapezius more than the neutral grip, but that overall the muscle activation of different grip variants was similar.[7] Muscle activation is significantly different depending on whether the pull-up is completed individually or in a set without resting between repetitions, which is more efficient due to muscle and tendon stretch-shortening rebound.[8]
Overhead movements such as pull-ups reduce the subacromial space and create a risk of
Variations
Pull-ups can be done with a
Name | Description | Picture |
---|---|---|
Standard | ||
Weighted | To increase the difficulty, weights are added using a weight vest, or other means.[1]
|
|
One arm | A one arm pull-up is performed by using only one arm to lift the body;[12] another variation is using only one finger.[13] | |
Kipping | An easier version in which momentum is built by swinging the legs. Kipping pull-ups have lower muscle activation in the upper body but greater activation in the lower body and core; it is possible to perform them faster and complete more repetitions before encountering upper-body fatigue.[14] Kipping pull-ups are considered high risk for injury and are a major cause of shoulder injury in CrossFit athletes.[15] | |
Muscle-up | A pull-up that transitions to a dip; it is more difficult than a pull-up and requires significant strength and technique to execute. Originating in gymnastics, it is also popular in CrossFit where it may be performed with kipping.[16][17][18] | |
Assisted | The effective weight of the participant is reduced by such means as resistance band, counterweight, or resting the feet on a surface to make the exercise easier. Assisted pull-ups can be used to increase pulling strength among those who cannot do an unassisted pull-up.[1][19] | |
Eccentric | Beginning from the top position of the pull-up, the participant gradually lowers themselves into the dead hang position. This can be used as a progression to performing a standard pull-up.[1] |
Equipment
Pull-ups are commonly performed using a bar;
Use
Pull-ups are a common way to measure upper body strength, endurance, and strength-to-weight ratio.[1][21] The strength to do a pull-up is correlated with job-related tasks in some careers such as firefighting, police, and military.[21]
Pull-ups are used as a conditioning activity for many sports, especially those that require pulling strength, including rock climbing, gymnastics, rope climbing, rowing, and swimming.[1][5] They are also used by police and military to increase muscular strength among their members.[7]
Some organizations allow women to use a flexed arm hang as a substitute for a pull up in fitness tests after discovering that few female recruits could complete a pull-up. According to a 2003 study in college-age women, one third of participants were able to complete a pull-up after a twelve-week full-body strength training program.[21]
Guinness World Records
The
References
- ^ ISSN 1524-1602.
- ISSN 1836-649X.
- ^ PMID 28828073.
- ISBN 978-0-7295-8658-0.
- ^ S2CID 220796735.
- ^ S2CID 220581421.
- ^ PMID 28011412.
- S2CID 251114906.
- ^ PMID 26383875.
- ^ a b "The Best Pull-Up Bars". The New York Times. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ S2CID 22237474.
- ^ Miller, Delaney (19 September 2022). "How to do a One-Arm Pull-Up". Climbing. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Magnus Midtboe's Training: One-finger Pull-ups". Climbing. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- S2CID 21699036.
- PMID 35867271.
- ISBN 978-0-7918-5621-5.
- PMID 26502450.
- ^ Walker, CW; Brunger, A.; Tucker, S.; Lee, R. (2017). "Comparison of Muscle Activity During a Ring Muscle Up and Bar Muscle Up". International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings. 11 (5).
- S2CID 24597041.
- .
- ^ S2CID 11511920.
- ^ Shimbun, The Yomiuri (28 May 2022). "Coast Guard diver sets Guinness Record for consecutive pull-ups". japannews.yomiuri.co.jp. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Most consecutive pull ups". Guinness World Records. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Heaviest weighted pull up (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ Shiffer, Emily (12 March 2020). "Watch These Guys Try to Break the Unofficial Weighted Pull-Up World Record". Yahoo News. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
Further reading
- Beckham, George K.; Olmeda, Joshua J.; Flores, Alexandra J.; Echeverry, Julian A.; Campos, Alexus F.; Kim, Steven B. (2018). "Relationship Between Maximum Pull-up Repetitions and First Repetition Mean Concentric Velocity". Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 32 (7): 1831–1837. S2CID 23580065.
- Sánchez-Moreno, Miguel; Cornejo-Daza, Pedro Jesús; González-Badillo, Juan José; Pareja-Blanco, Fernando (2020). "Effects of Velocity Loss During Body Mass Prone-Grip Pull-up Training on Strength and Endurance Performance". Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 34 (4): 911–917. S2CID 213281481.
- Sánchez-Moreno, Miguel; Rodríguez-Rosell, David; Pareja-Blanco, Fernando; Mora-Custodio, Ricardo; González-Badillo, Juan José (2017). "Movement Velocity as Indicator of Relative Intensity and Level of Effort Attained During the Set in Pull-Up Exercise". International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. 12 (10): 1378–1384. PMID 28338365.