If you have ever tried to do a pull-up, you know just how tough it can be. For many fitness enthusiasts, achieving that first unassisted pull-up is a major milestone and not an easy one! This powerful move requires serious strength in your back, arms, shoulders, and core. Are you also struggling to get there? Well, even Bollywood actor and fitness enthusiast Soha Ali Khan faced the same challenge. But now, she has finally nailed it and shared the steps that helped her get there. Known for her inspiring fitness journey on social media, Soha’s latest reel is a must-watch for anyone on the same path. Ready to master your first pull-up?
Soha Ali Khan finds pull-ups very tough, but is happy that she has managed to do them.(Instagram)
In the Instagram reel shared on Monday, Soha can be seen gradually progressing with assisted variations before achieving her first unassisted repetition.
“Pull-ups are toughhhhh,” she declares. Soha follows a rigorous fitness regime, but admits that one thing she had been striving to do but just could not was a pull-up. “It is one of the toughest but most rewarding exercises — pull-ups build your back, arms, shoulders, and core all at once. But it was tooo hard – and then I realised there’s a way of getting there – step by step! So, following on from my how to do a push-up reel, here’s a how to do a pull-up,” Soha writes in the caption.
With the reel, she was celebrating her first unassisted rep. But she has set higher goals. “The goal is to do 8 reps and then mayyybe add some weights? What’s your goal and how far have you got?” she adds.
So, in case you are still struggling to get your first pull-up, here is how Soha made it and how you can too.
How did Soha perform her first pull-up?
If you want to get your first pull-up, Soha shared a smart plan that helped her build the required strength. Here is what she did, step by step:
1. Strengthen your grip
Start with dead hangs. Aim for 60–90 seconds to build grip strength and improve endurance.
2. Begin with weight-assisted pull-ups
Use assisted machines or bands, gradually reducing the weight as you gain strength.
3. Move to box-assisted pull-ups
These are almost as tough as real pull-ups and help build full-range motion strength.
4. Use band-assisted and one-legged variations
Try regular band-assisted pull-ups, then progress to one-legged band pulls.
5. Perform your first unassisted pull-up
Celebrate the win, no matter how small. Soha reminds us that fitness is personal and every step counts.
How to train your body to perform a pull-up?
Before you jump into a pull-up, your body needs to be ready. Here is a simple breakdown of how to train for it effectively, according to Soha:
1. Warm up your muscles: Focus on shoulder, wrist, and back mobility with moves like arm circles, band pull-aparts, and scapular pull-ups.
2. Build strength in key muscles: Train your lats, biceps, traps, delts, core, and forearms with lat pull-downs, dumbbell curls, and planks.
3. Use assisted pull-ups: Start with weight machines or resistance bands. You can also do negative pull-ups—lowering slowly after jumping up.
4. Progress to full reps: Celebrate milestones, whether it is your first 10-second dead hang or your first pull-up.
Why are pull-ups so hard and why should you still do them?
Pull-ups may seem impossible at first, but they are worth the effort. This compound exercise works your back muscles (especially lats), biceps, shoulders, and core, all in one move. It also builds grip strength, which is key for many other exercises.
Beyond the physical gains, strength training exercises like pull-ups have mental health benefits too. According to a 2020 review in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, strength training can help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and even boost cognitive function.
That said, pull-ups require proper form and gradual strength building. Jumping straight into them without building strength first can lead to frustration or even injury. So, how did Soha perform it?
4 must-follow steps to perform pull-ups correctly
Doing pull-ups with the right form ensures maximum benefit and reduces injury risk. Here is how to do it right:
Start with a strong grip, palms facing away, hands shoulder-width apart.Engage your core and keep your body straight (no swinging or arching).Pull yourself up by driving elbows down and back until your chin clears the bar.Lower slowly, this builds strength and control.Make sure you breathe out on the way up, breathe in on the way down.
And remember, do not rush it. As Soha showed us, slow progress is still progress.