Pullup Progressions
Train your biceps and back while building functional pulling strength!
#1 - Wall Pullups
Vertical pulling is one of the gentlest ways to introduce pulling with a full range of motion. Although these may feel very easy, it’s useful to practice these for a few weeks to feel how your joints want to move and build healthy movement patterns.
Standard: 3 Sets of 50
#2 - Horizontal Pullups
Doing pullups from this position is easier than pulling vertically. This introduces us to horizontal pulling!
Standard: 3 Sets of 30
#3 - Advanced Horizontal Pullups
Pulling from a lower position makes horizontal pullups harder!
Standard: 3 Sets of 25
#4 - Jackknife Pullups
This introduces vertical pulling with assistance from the legs!
Standard: 3 Sets of 20
#5 - Full Pullups
Another calisthenics standard! This is one of the most functional fitness movements. Period.
Congratulations if you make it here!
Standard: 3 Sets of 12
#6 - Narrow Pullups
Bringing the hands closer together increases the work for our arms.
This conditions our muscles and joints (especially the elbow) for the more difficult pulling motions.
Standard: 3 Sets of 9
#7 - One Hand Pullups
This move exploded in popularity after it was shown in one of the Rocky movies, but it has been around for much longer.
This introduces us to one-arm pulling - in a big way! The one-hand hanging is also an incredible grip exercise as well.
Standard: 2 Sets of 9 (Both Sides)
#8 - Advanced One Hand Pullups
Moving the hand lower on the forearm increases the difficulty substantially.
Standard: 2 Sets of 9 (Both Sides)
#9 - Archer Pullups
While comparable in difficulty to Advanced One-Hand Pullups, this puts different forces on our body and helps drill the movement pulling with one arm.
While the grip strength demands are not as high, the shoulders get a great workout.
Standard: 2 Sets of 9 (Both Sides)
#10 - One Arm Pullups
While many CLAIM to be able to do this exercise with ease, it is rarely seen in commercial gyms.
Mastering this with a full range of motion builds excellent pulling strength. Congratulations!
Standard: 2 Sets of 6