Rear Pull-up
Use pure bodyweight leverage to build control through the whole range: Rear Pull-up earns a spot in every back session.
How to do Rear Pull-up
- Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- 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.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Rear Pull-up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Endurance
3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Common Rear Pull-up Mistakes
Shortening the range as soon as the set gets hard
End the set on the last full-range rep instead of grinding out halves.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Easier and Harder Than Rear Pull-up
Swap Rear Pull-up For
Rear Pull-up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Rear Pull-up?
Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body. 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 Rear Pull-up work?
The Rear Pull-up 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 Rear Pull-up should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Rear Pull-up 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 Rear Pull-up?
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.
