Pull-ups for Women

June 27, 2011 // Al Kavadlo

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It’s no secret that pull-ups are my favorite exercise. They work your entire upper body, plus they’re cool looking and fun!

While learning to do pull-ups is hard for anyone, the task can be especially daunting for females.

I’ve met a lot of women who didn’t think it would ever be possible for them to do a single pull-up.

The good news is that I’ve gotten many of them to break through that barrier and achieve their first rep – and in most cases, many more!

If you can’t do a pull-up yet, don’t get discouraged – there are a few things you can do to work your way up to that first one.

Chin It To Win It
Pull-ups can be done with many different grips, though it’s usually best for beginners to start out with an underhand (chin-up) grip, as this will allow you to utilize your biceps more.

Though the muscles of the upper back have the potential to become incredibly powerful, your arms are more likely to be developed and will be able to compensate in the meantime. With enough practice, the disparity between grips can start to even out.

Flex Hangs
As I mentioned in my original guide to learning to do a pull-up, holding a flex hang (the top position of a pull-up) for time is a great way to start building toward your first full pull-up. Begin with an underhand grip and focus on keeping your whole body tight. Don’t just use your arms! Tense your abs, legs and everything else.

At first you may only be able to hold this position for a few seconds. This is fine. With practice, you can eventually work to a 30 second hold, at which point you will be close to your first pull-up.

Negative Pull-ups
The term “negative pull-up” refers to the lowering phase of the exercise and is a fantastic way to get a feel for the movement pattern of the full pull-up, without having to perform the entire range of motion.

Jump or use assistance to get your chin over the bar, then hold the top position for as long as you can. When your arms start to fatigue, lower yourself to a right angle at your elbow and hold there. From here, slowly lower yourself to a full hang.

Aussie Pull-up
Australian Pull-ups
Just like an assisted pull-up is easier than the free-hanging variety, the Australian pull-up will allow you to train a similar movement pattern without having to bear your full weight.

The Australian pull-up will also get you used to keeping your core engaged, which is a key aspect of performing pull-ups.

Start out hanging below a bar that’s about waist height with your legs extended so you form a straight line from your head to your heels. Grip tightly and brace your entire body as you pull your chest toward the bar, then lower yourself back to the bottom with control.

To make the Aussie pull-up more accessible to beginners, you can use a bar that is chest height instead of waist height, which will allow for more favorable leverage.

Watch the video below for more: