How to do the Rear Pull Up
BackBack & LatsBodyweightIntermediate
The rear pull up demands real control and mobility, pulling the bar behind your head to fully recruit the lats through a uniquely deep range of motion. Master this movement and you will build the kind of thick, wide back that sets serious lifters apart.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
LatsMid-back
Secondary
BicepsRear deltsForearms
Step-by-step
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with an overhand grip and hang with arms fully extended
- Initiate the pull by depressing and retracting your shoulder blades before bending the elbows
- Drive your elbows down and back as you pull until the bar meets the base of your skull
- Lower yourself with control back to a dead hang before initiating the next rep
Common mistakes
- Rushing the descent by dropping quickly instead of resisting gravity on the way down, which eliminates the eccentric stimulus that builds the most muscle
- Pulling with the arms first rather than initiating with the scapulae, which shifts load onto the biceps and reduces lat engagement
- Forcing excessive neck flexion to meet the bar, which strains the cervical spine instead of letting shoulder mobility do the work
Pro tip — Actively think about pushing the bar away from you at the top rather than just pulling your body up, this external focus creates greater lat tension and a more complete contraction at the peak of each rep.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps
Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).
More Back exercises
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