Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBodyweight
- MechanicsCompound
- Force TypePull (Bilateral)
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Abs, Biceps, Shoulders, Upper Back
Target Muscle Group
Lats
Wide Grip Pull Up Overview
The wide grip pull up is a variation of the pull up and an exercise used to target the upper back muscles such as the latissimus dorsi.
Vertical pulling movements, such as the wide grip pull up, are foundational movements that should be included in your workout routines. So, once you’ve found a variation you like and feels comfortable to you, master it as it will benefit you from a strength and aesthetic standpoint.
The wide grip pull up can be incorporated into back workouts, pull workouts, upper body workouts, or full body workouts.
Wide Grip Pull Up Instructions
- Using a pronated grip, grasp the pull bar with a wider than shoulder width grip.
- Take a deep breath, squeeze your glutes and brace your abs. Depress the shoulder blades and then drive the elbows straight down to the floor while activating the lats.
- Pull your chin towards the bar until the lats are fully contracted, then slowly lower yourself back to the start position and repeat for the assigned number of repetitions.
Wide Grip Pull Up Tips
- To decrease bicep involvement, use a false (thumbless grip).
- Try to keep a neutral head position (looking straight ahead or slightly up) as hyperextending the neck can lead to compensations throughout the spine.
- If the bar is high enough, keep the legs straight and in front of the body in a hollow body position.
- Avoid falling into overextension of the lumbar spine by squeezing your glutes and bracing your abs.
- The pullup is completed when the lats are fully flexed, don’t continue pulling and compensate with the pecs. When this occurs, the elbows will flare up behind the body, the shoulder will round forward, and you’ll begin to feel pressure in the front of your shoulders.
- A lifter’s segment length will determine whether or not they can actually get their chin over the bar, it’s not an absolute for everyone.
- Lower to almost full extension of the elbow but avoid locking out completely as this can place excessive strain on the ligamentous structures within the elbow and shoulder.
- If you can’t complete a single bodyweight pullup, start with slow negatives (add weight when these can be accomplished under control) or flexed arm hangs in the top position.
- Ditch the straps and kips, neither one is necessary or recommended.
77 Comments
I have feeling that I’m stuck at five reps, my strength increased I was only able to do 2-3 reps now it’s 5-6 … but I’ve been stuck there for some time. Should I start using band again,add weight for negatives? Or just carry on ?
Hi, Pav. All of the above.
Warmup with bands, do your normal sets, then add one set of negatives with the extra weight. Make sure you really pay attention to that form and maximize that grip. Hope all of this helps.
What does 12 down to 6 mean?
Typically, it means start with 12 reps and work your way to 6 over the course of a few sets by adding weight or doing the exercise slower to make it more challenging. Can you share where you saw that? That might help me give the best answer if it's something different.
Lat pull down is a decent alternative
What if I don't have access to a pull up machine or bar?
Hey Jon
I recommend finding a good stable tree branch, or if there's a park nearby you can use the monkey bars.
And how would that fit in with the routine described, especially for someone who wishes to workout at home?
Hi, David, can you elaborate on what routine is described? This is only instructional for form. The branch version that Yoshi described could be used in place for any back or pulling workout.
Hi
This is my first time starting gym and I can't even do 1 pull up so what should I do now? Please help, thanks
You can use a resistance band under you foot to assist with your pull up. In the gym I go to, there is an assisted pull up machine which has adjustable counterbalance weights. Maybe see if there's a gym close to where you live which has one of those machines. Also, look for pull up tutorial video's on YouTube. You will usually find training videos on how to achieve your first pull up
I don't know why the videos are not loading on my iPhone. Is there a problem with the server?
There is no real dumbbell substitute for wide grip pullups but one arm dumbbell rows hit the lats well with a good stretch. Good luck.
NONE of the videos are working!
dumbbell lying row
i love this back exercises since the first time that i saw it,
i like to do this back workout on a chin up station.
Too weak to pump one out:
5'5", 178lbs, 30" waist..... I can DL 3 plates and squat 2, but I can't even bench one unfortunately.
Any good substitutes til I get my strength up?
what can i sub for wide pull ups
How much weight of dumbbell/barbell i shall increase every week ?
u have increas per week only 10%in dumbell.
Hmm I am a beginner and I tried this excercise today. Sorry but it's impossible... I can't handle 1 pull up. Notice that I did some biceps excercises and 1 back-excercise(seated cable row) before.
Try a resistance band under your foot to help you lift your weight
I tried that too. Didn’t work. Is lat pull down a decent alternative??
Yes, lat pulldown is a good alternative.
Thanks a lot
Is the workout a failure if i cant do 15 pull-ups? Because i am strict with my form and find that im only getting 8-10 done.
Hey Henry - not at all. Pull-Ups are very taxing on the body and the cns. Dont think for a second that your 8 reps are a failure. I train pull-ups at least twice a week for both volume and strength and Im very happy for my sets to be between 8 and 10. It all depends what you are using the pull-up for - what are you training?
What other ways can you do this at home if you don't have a bar or barbell and rack??
I meant to ask earlier what negative pull-ups are
Use a bench or chair to get your chin up over the bar. Then lower yourself as slowly as possible. This way all the work is done during the "negative" portion of the pull up.
Pull-ups are my worst and most challenging excercise. Not sure how to begin
Assisted pull-ups and negative pull-ups are great alternatives. Keep at them either way!
I'm 53, started the 5 day a week workout routine at home, simple 110 lbs barbell/dumbell set with a simple incline decline bench. I don't have anything to do the pullup or chin ups on ...is there an exercise that I can do to replace anything that requires such a device? thanks.
You could try doing bent-over barbell rows if you're not set up for wide-grip pullups.
Can I use the lat pull down in my home gym instead of the wide grip pull up? It has a wide bar as well
Can lat pull downs be substituted for wg pull-ups? I'm a big guy and can't do many pull ups
wondrful
When doing pull-ups and other back exercises my elbow pops/cracks. I've tried resting it for long periods, but still have the problem. Is there anything I can do?
What is the website that makes it east to understand blog sites and also podcasts? I can't present an ipod devices, really does the fact that really make a difference?
awesome form dude
Hi Steve. Listen I bought a book for increasing pull ups and a push up book. I have to do pull ups 3 times a week and push ups 3 times a week. Can I alternate days one for pull ups the next one for push ups? or do I do both push ups and pull ups the same day 3 times a week?
Thanks!
which one is the negative pull-up that is mentioned? Is it just the traditional chin up with palms facing towards your body?
Hey Jason, "negative" pull-ups are when you use a stool to pull your chin above the bar and then slowly lower yourself, focusing on the "negative" part of the motion.
U can do lat pulldowns until u hv d strength to knock down pullups.
It is too hard to do for me, is there any tips and tricks to do easly?
I only have dumbbells. Is there an alternative to this exercise?
Dumbell shoulder press
So dumbbell shoulder press is a good alternative to the wide grip pull up?
If you're trying to target the same muscle groups as listed in the exercise instructions, I'd say just do a few more sets of bent over rows or one arm dumbbell rows.
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/seated-dumbbell-press.html
They target completely different muscle groups. Am I missing something here?