What’s the most perfect pull up technique?

There’s pull ups…and then there’s pull ups.

Most people are out there in gyms making every pull up mistake under the sun.

Or they’re out there doing kipping pull ups 🤮

And with poor technique comes injury risk and stalled progress.

Meaning that you’ll certainly hit a plateau.

That being said, performing them with impeccable form is not as straightforward as it may seem.

Drawing inspiration from the world of gymnastics, where form and strength work hand-in-hand, I’m going to give you some valuable insights, that will help you to perform a pull up with perfect technique.

HANG ON FOR PERFECT PULL UP TECHNIQUE

Before jumping straight into pull-ups, it's essential to understand the foundational benefits of simply hanging. Hanging is more than just a passive exercise; it helps:

Decompress the Spine

Hanging, as in grabbing onto something overhead and letting your body dangle, can be a real game-changer for your spine. Imagine your spine as a stack of bones (vertebral discs) with cushions (intervertebral discs) in between. Over time, or due to certain activities, these cushions can get a bit squished, leading to discomfort or even pain. This is where hanging comes into play.

When you hang from a bar, your arms overhead, your spine stretches out. It's kind of like giving your spine a good morning stretch, but more intense. This stretching can help take some pressure off those squished cushions, potentially providing relief from discomfort or pain. It's not just about feeling good, though; this can actually help improve your overall spinal health.

Strengthen Grip

Hanging from a bar isn't just about stretching your spine; it's also a killer way to beef up your grip strength. Here's the deal: when you hang, you're forcing your hands and forearms to hold up your entire body weight. This is no small task, and it requires a lot of muscle engagement from these areas. Over time, this builds up the strength and endurance of your grip, forearms, and even your shoulders.

For example, start with a basic dead hang. Just gripping the bar and holding yourself in place will start to work those muscles.

Squeeze the bar hard for perfect pull up technique

Improve Shoulder Mobility

Hanging naturally pulls your arms overhead, a movement many of us don't do enough. This action helps to open up the shoulder joints, stretching out the muscles and tendons around them. It's like you're creating more space in that shoulder area, which can lead to increased mobility and a better range of motion.

This boost in shoulder mobility is crucial, especially if you're feeling the effects of a sedentary lifestyle or if you're an athlete looking to improve your performance. Better mobility means your shoulders can move more freely and efficiently, reducing the risk of injuries and pain.

For a practical example, start with a simple passive hang. Just grab the bar, relax your shoulders, and let gravity do its work. Feel the stretch? That's your shoulders getting a nice, deep opening. As you get more comfortable, you can experiment with active hangs—where you actively pull your shoulder blades down and back, engaging the muscles around your shoulder blades for an even deeper stretch.

Incorporating hanging into your routine can make a noticeable difference in how your shoulders feel and perform. Whether you're an office warrior battling tightness from too much desk time or an athlete looking to up your game, hanging can be a simple yet powerful tool in your arsenal. Plus, it's a nice break from the usual, giving you a moment to quite literally hang out and stretch.

Transitioning to an Active Hang for perfect pull up technique

An active hang is a progression from a simple passive hang. It's the bridge between just hanging on the bar and starting the pull-up. While in an active hang, you'll engage your scapular muscles, pulling your shoulder blades down and together. This action prepares and activates the muscles needed for a pull-up.

Think of the active hang as a "pre-pull-up" phase, where you're not just hanging limply but actively engaging and priming the muscles for the upcoming movement.

Active hang for perfect pull up technique

Pulling Mechanics: For perfect pull up technique

Pull-ups aren't just about pulling yourself up; they're about using the correct muscles in the right sequence. A common mistake many people make is using their arms primarily. Instead, the focus should be on:

Engaging the Lats

Your latissimus dorsi, or lats, are the primary muscles responsible for the upward movement in a pull-up. Before initiating the pull, imagine squeezing a pencil between your shoulder blades. This mental cue will help activate the lats.

Maintaining Core Stability

Engaging your core keeps your body stable and prevents unnecessary swinging. It also ensures a smoother movement upwards.

Elbow Positioning

Think about pulling your elbows down towards your hips, rather than pulling your chin over the bar. This slight shift in focus ensures that you're engaging the right muscles.

Elbows forward for perfect pull up technique

Quality Over Quantity: Strength Exercise vs. Reps

Many people believe that the effectiveness of pull-ups lies in the number of repetitions. However, especially when starting, it's far more beneficial to view pull-ups as a strength exercise. Making your pull ups strong, is the key to unlocking rep after rep.

Fewer Reps with Perfect Form

Even if it's just one or two pull-ups initially, ensuring that they're done with impeccable form will benefit you more in the long run. Or you can make your way through the appropriate progression/regression, which are essential stepping stones to progress.

Consistency

Over time, as you build strength and maintain proper form, you'll naturally be able to increase the number of reps. Consistency is key.

It’s also important to know what to do if you reach a plateau with your pull ups. This is an inevitable part of your pull up journey.

Rest and Recovery

Like all strength exercises, your muscles need time to recover after performing pull-ups. Give yourself adequate rest between sessions to avoid injury and ensure steady progress.

Wrapping Up

Gymnastics offers a goldmine of techniques and secrets that can be applied to our regular workouts.

By understanding and implementing these gymnast-inspired techniques, you'll be well on your way to mastering the art of the pull-up.

Remember, it's not about how many pull-ups you can do, but about the quality, form, and the strength you build along the way.