Pull Up (neutral Grip)
The point of Pull Up (neutral Grip) is strength you can feel outside the gym; pure bodyweight leverage is how it gets there.
How to do Pull Up (neutral Grip)
- Hang from a pull-up bar with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and driving your elbows down towards your hips.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pull Up (neutral Grip) Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Endurance
3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Common Pull Up (neutral Grip) Mistakes
Adding reps forever instead of making the movement harder
Change leverage, elevation, or tempo once you clear your rep range.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months
Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.
Easier and Harder Than Pull Up (neutral Grip)
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Pull Up (neutral Grip) — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Pull Up (neutral Grip)?
Hang from a pull-up bar with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms fully extended. Engage your core and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbows and driving your elbows down towards your hips. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Pull Up (neutral Grip) work?
The Pull Up (neutral Grip) primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Pull Up (neutral Grip) should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Pull Up (neutral Grip) good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic back patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Pull Up (neutral Grip)?
Try the Barbell Pullover, Medicine Ball Catch And Overhead Throw or the Lever Reverse Grip Lateral Pulldown. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
