Pull · Tier 2
Pull-up
The strict pull-up is the gatekeeper of upper-body pulling — a full dead-hang to chin-over-bar with no kip, the rep that unlocks every advanced pull on the tree.
Also known as: Strict Pull-up · Chin-up- Difficulty
- 4/10 · Novice
- Tier
- 02
- Equipment
- bar · rings
Track this skill
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The strict pull-up sits at tier 2 of the pull branch — the payoff for grinding through dead hangs, scapular pulls, Australian rows, and negatives. It's the true entry point to advanced pulling: clear it cleanly and you unlock explosive pull-ups, archer pull-ups, the L-sit pull-up, and the tuck front lever.
Don't chase the number — chase the rep quality. A single honest pull-up, dead hang to chin-over-bar with a still body, is worth more than five kipped half-reps. Build the rep you'd be proud to film, then stack them.
Readiness gates
Clear these measurable conditions before forcing the skill.
5 reps, 3s+ lower
12 clean reps
45s
Technique, step by step
Four checkpoints for one honest repetition or hold.
- 01Setup
Hang and pack the shoulders
Grip the bar just outside shoulder width, thumbs over or around — your call, but stay consistent. From a full dead hang, pull your shoulder blades down and back so your ears move away from your shoulders. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes so your body is one rigid line, legs together and slightly in front. This 'active hang' is your starting tension — never pull from a slack, shrugged position.
- 02Drive
Pull elbows to the floor
Think about driving your elbows down toward your hips, not yanking your chin up. Lead with the chest and keep it proud as you rise. Pull explosively but under control — no swinging, no knee kick. Your body should stay hollow, the bar tracking a straight line in front of your face.
- 03Top
Chin clears, chest high
Finish with your collarbone near the bar and your chin clearly over it — not craned, but genuinely above. Hold the top for a beat with elbows tucked toward your sides. If you can only get there by tilting your head back, you haven't earned the rep yet; lower and try again.
- 04Lower
Control every inch down
Descend on a 2–3 second count to full extension — this eccentric is where most of your strength is built. Keep the core braced so you don't sway or pike. Reach a complete dead hang with elbows straight before the next rep; half-reps under-build the bottom range where pulls are hardest.
Skill practice guide
Public skill guidance — not your protected personalized eight-week plan.
Build your first 3–5 strict, full-range pull-ups, then repeatable sets.
4–5 sets of 3–5 reps (use a band or negatives if you can't yet hit 3 clean).
2–3×/week with 48h between pulling sessions.
When you can do 3 sets of 5 clean reps, remove band tension or add a slow 3s negative on every rep before adding weight.
Common faults
My chin won't clear the bar no matter how hard I pull+
You're likely stalling in the top third because your lats give out before your biceps. Add slow negatives (5 reps, 3s+ lowers) and banded pull-ups that load that exact range. Two or three weeks of top-end work usually closes the gap.
I swing and kip instead of pulling strict+
Your pulling strength isn't yet enough for a clean rep, so your hips compensate with momentum. Reset by bracing glutes and abs hard before each pull and crossing your ankles to lock the legs. Drop the reps, slow the tempo, and only count reps with a dead-still body.
My elbows and forearms hurt after pull-up sessions+
This is usually golfer's-elbow-style tendon irritation from too much volume too soon — tendons adapt slower than muscle. Cut your weekly pulling volume, warm up with light band work, and avoid a fully crushed thumb-grip. Back off for a week or two and rebuild gradually rather than pushing through.
My grip fails before my back does+
Your forearms are the weak link, common when you've rushed past dead-hang work. Train dead hangs to 45s+ and add a few sets of bar hangs after your pulls. Chalk and a thumb-around grip help, but the fix is dedicated grip endurance.
I can do one or two reps but can't add more+
You're strong enough to start but lack repeatable capacity in your working range. Use cluster sets — singles or doubles with 20–30s rest — and banded reps to accumulate quality volume without grinding to failure. Total clean reps per session matter more than max effort here.
Useful setup
A stable bar lets you brace fully and removes the wobble that wrecks strict form.
Looped under one foot, it offloads the bottom range so you can train full-range reps before you can do them unassisted.
Keeps sweaty hands locked to the bar so grip fails last, not first.
Primary muscles
Lats · Biceps · Forearms · Core