Weighted Pull-Up
Quick Information
Category
Strength
Difficulty
Advanced
Equipment
Pull-Up Bar, Weighted Vest, Weight Plate
Primary muscle group
Latissimus Dorsi, Biceps Brachii
Secondary muscle groups
Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids, Teres Major, Forearms
Movement pattern
Vertical Pull
Training goal
Maximal Strength, Hypertrophy
Sport
General Athletic Development, MMA, Boxing, Wrestling, BJJ
Overview
Purpose. Add external load to the pull-up to turn a bodyweight skill into a heavy vertical pulling strength lift.
How it fits the system. An advanced-level vertical pull entry in the Strength section, programmed to develop maximal strength, hypertrophy. Related work in the library: Towel Pull-Up and Dead Hang.
Primary muscles
Latissimus Dorsi, Biceps Brachii
Secondary muscles
Lower Trapezius, Rhomboids, Teres Major, Forearms
Movement pattern
Vertical Pull
Equipment
Pull-Up Bar, Weighted Vest, Weight Plate
Difficulty
Advanced
How to Perform
- Attach load with a dip belt, or hold a dumbbell between the feet.
- Take a pronated grip slightly wider than the shoulders and hang with the shoulder blades set.
- Initiate by pulling the shoulder blades down and back.
- Drive the elbows to the ribs and pull until the chin clears the bar.
- Lower under control to a full hang without letting the shoulders shrug up.
- Reset the shoulder blades before the next repetition.
Coaching Cues
- Begin the pull with the shoulder blades, not the elbows.
- Keep the ribs down and the trunk braced so the load does not swing.
- Pull the chest to the bar rather than the chin over it.
- Control the lowering for the full range.
Common Mistakes
- Kipping or swinging to complete reps.
- Stopping short of a full hang at the bottom.
- Shrugging the shoulders up at the start of the pull.
- Adding load before strict bodyweight reps are clean.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Band-assisted pull-up, then bodyweight pull-up, then weighted pull-up with progressive load.
Regressions
Bodyweight pull-up, inverted row, or an eccentric-only lowering from the top.
When to Use It
When to use
As the main pulling lift of an upper-body session, before higher-rep accessory rows.
When not to use
With an irritated elbow or shoulder, or before the athlete can perform eight clean bodyweight repetitions.
Programming
4 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 repetitions, adding load once six clean repetitions are achieved.
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