{"id":317464,"date":"2025-11-27T22:04:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T22:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/317464\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T22:04:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T22:04:16","slug":"your-first-unassisted-pull-up-starts-with-these-3-essential-strength-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/317464\/","title":{"rendered":"Your first unassisted pull-up starts with these 3 essential strength moves"},"content":{"rendered":"

While it\u2019s true that pull-ups<\/a> are, indeed, an extremely advanced exercise, it\u2019s also true that learning how to do them unassisted \u2013 regardless of where you currently are in your training journey \u2013 is completely doable with the right resources. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s very normal to feel humbled when attempting a new exercise, but pull-ups are known to challenge even accomplished athletes. Why? The short answer is that we\u2019re simply not accustomed to creating and maintaining tension throughout our entire bodies. <\/p>\n

\u2018A pull-up asks your whole body to behave like one integrated, unified creature, not a collection of random limbs,\u2019 explains PT, yoga teacher and psychology graduate Shona Vertue<\/a>. \u2018Most people underestimate that and aren\u2019t really taught how to create tension through their whole body. Instead, they just pull with their arms.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Your lats<\/a> \u2013 the two large muscles either side of the spine \u2013 are the main drivers during a pull-up so, naturally, lat strength<\/a> is key for cracking the exercise with good form. But lat strength isn\u2019t the only limiting factor, according to Vertue. \u2018It\u2019s the entire kinetic chain: grip strength<\/a>, scapular control, midline stability, and the ability to organise your body under load,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

It’s totally understandable if your instinct is to reach for machine or band-assisted<\/a> reps when training for your first unassisted pull-up since both appear to replicate the movement pattern. But, while both can be useful, they typically aren\u2019t the best exercises to begin with when your goal is unassisted pull-ups. <\/p>\n

\u2018Machine and band assistance let people feel the full range of motion, which is psychologically powerful,\u2019 says Vertue. \u2018However, they come with a trap in that they give you help at the bottom, which is the exact place you need to get strong. When most people are starting out, they struggle in the first 3-5 centimetres off the hang,\u2019 she explains. \u2018I still programme these exercises for my clients, but we do so many other things first in order to build a stronger pull up foundation.\u2019<\/p>\n

Like what, we hear you ask! Vertue recently took to Instagram to share the three exercises you \u2018should never ignore\u2019 if you want to do an unassisted pull-up.<\/p>\n

3 pull-up exercises to get you your first unassisted rep1. Standing pull-up<\/p>\n

Most beginners don\u2019t know how to initiate movement from the scapula, which is key for nailing pull-ups, Vertue explains. \u2018They tend to shrug and pull with their arms.\u2019 This can not only impede your ability to perform unassisted pull-ups, but can also increase risk of injury<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2018This exercise teaches the movement pattern and proper recruitment through the shoulders (or muscles surrounding the scapular) without actually having to be able to do it,\u2019 Vertue says. \u2018The standing pull-up builds the correct sequence: shoulders down, chest through, elbows driving inwards. It\u2019s allows us to really learn the position properly and train from there.\u2019<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Securely set up the bar (or TRX handles) to around chest height when standing. Sit below the bar with feet planted in front of you. Grasp the bar with both palms facing down.Brace your core and, engaging your lats, pull your chest toward the bar.Lower to the starting position. This is 1 rep.2. TRX row<\/p>\n

\u2018Rows<\/a> build the upper-back strength you need to stabilise the shoulder blades,\u2019 explains Vertue. Although it does primarily recruit the lats, a pull-up isn\u2019t just a lat exercise. \u2018It\u2019s a collective of scapula retractors, depressors, rotators, and abs\/core<\/a>,\u2019 Vertue says. \u2018The TRX row helps you develop horizontal pulling strength and teaches you how to maintain body tension while you move.\u2019<\/p>\n

How to:<\/p>\n

Adjust the handles to roughly hip height when standing.Lying on the floor beneath the TRX, bend your knees and plant your feet hip width apart.Grasp the handles with both palms facing toward one another and brace your core, creating a straight line from your head to your hips.Pull your body up by driving your elbows back and keeping them close to your ribs. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.Lower to the starting position. This is 1 rep.3. Hanging leg raise<\/p>\n

\u2018Pull-ups are so much harder without a strong midline,\u2019 Vertue says. The leg raise, she explains, trains what\u2019s known as hollow body tension: ribs down, pelvis slightly tucked and abs preventing energy leaks. \u2018This gives you the banana-shaped tension gymnasts use to control the hang. Without that global tension, beginners end up fighting momentum rather than directing force. Leg raises train the body to stay still so the upper body can actually pull.\u2019<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to the exercise, Vertue recommends starting with your knees bent. Not only will this help you develop core strength<\/a> \u2013 it\u2019s also a really useful tool for tracking your progress. \u2018When someone can lift the knees without losing scapular stability or turning it into a kip, we know their pull-up foundation is getting really strong,\u2019 Vertue says. \u2018This exercise also really helps to build grip strength, which is something that can be a huge limiting factor in pull up the pull up journey.\u2019<\/p>\n

How to: <\/p>\n

Standing on a stable platform, if you can\u2019t reach the bar from the floor, grasp the bar with both palms facing down. Step off the platform, if using one, so you\u2019re in a dead hang.Brace your lats and core and bend both knees. Pause briefly before lowering both legs. This is 1 rep.How to do an unassisted pull-up<\/p>\n

Vertue emphasises the importance of prioritising the bottom position of the pull-up when training. \u2018It\u2019s where nearly all beginners struggle and where the greatest neuromuscular adaptations occur,\u2019 she says. \u2018Scapular pull-ups, dead hangs<\/a>, and low-range isometric holds strengthen the scapular depressors and stabilisers, improve motor control, and build the initial force-production capacity required to leave the bar.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Finally, focus on form over how you think your pull-ups should look. \u2018Good form isn\u2019t about looking pretty,\u2019 Vertue writes on Instagram. \u2018It\u2019s about using the muscles that were actually meant to pull you up instead of letting your body compensate its way to the bar. Most people muscle their way to a first pull-up (and honestly, that\u2019s fine). But if you want progress that actually continues, you need reps where the right muscles show up.\u2019<\/p>\n

And if you need a little motivation to get you started, Vertue has you covered once more: \u2018Every rep of effort still counts. Stop worrying about perfect conditions or 60-minute workouts. Just show up, give it grit, and let consistency do the heavy lifting for you.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Abbi Henderson is Acting Nutrition writer who covers health, fitness, women\u2019s sport and lifestyle for Women’s Health and Men’s Health. Before settling in a British seaside town, she spent a couple of years living in Canada, where she contributed to publications such as Best Health, Foodism and Canadian Living, and discovered she is, in fact, a little outdoorsy. With a desire to help make healthcare, exercise and sport more accessible to women, she writes about everything from the realities of seeking medical support as a woman to those of being a female athlete fighting for equality. She has a personal trainer qualification, a couple of medals from her short time in competitive Irish dancing, and an Arsenal Women season ticket. When she\u2019s not in front of a screen working, she enjoys weightlifting, going for walks and stopping for little treats (matchas and pastries), and trying new recipes (that are almost always pasta-based).\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While it\u2019s true that pull-ups are, indeed, an extremely advanced exercise, it\u2019s also true that learning how to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":317465,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[872,162878,874,337,97,2245,162877],"class_list":{"0":"post-317464","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-ebda3218-25bb-4794-a2e1-3700ab01ecc6","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-gb","14":"tag-shorttitle-3-exercises-to-get-you-to-your-first-ever-pull-up"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/317465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}