Discover the benefits of pull-ups for strength, muscle growth, and overall fitness.

Learn proper form, muscles worked, and more.

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Pull-ups are one of the most humblingbodyweight exercisesout there.

woman sweating in the gym

personal trainer with theCentrapp

Many people (even fit ones!)

The benefits of pull-ups

1.

We probably dont need to sell you on the value of getting stronger, but they bear repeating.

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

Better posture

The functional strength developed through pull-ups can also helpimprove posture, Clay says.

Improved grip strength

As Clay mentioned above, pull-ups can help improvegrip strengthand thats no small thing.

Healthier shoulders

Fun fact: Theshoulder joint4has the largestrange of motionof any joint in the human body.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

This can lead you to develop an imbalance in strength between the front and back of the body.

As their name suggests, pull-ups work the pulling muscles.

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Theres a unique magic to working toward and mastering a challenging move like pull-ups.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

This means youll likely need to step up onto a bench or box to grab the bar.

Be sure to choose something stable and recruit a spotter if necessary.

Heres how to do a pull-up with proper form, according to Clay and Orsborn.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

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That means no swinging or kipping.

A controlled movement is essential for maximum effectiveness and safety, Clay adds.

Like any exercise, progress comes from showing up regularly for yourself and your body.

Pull-ups also recruit musclesin your forearms and shoulders, as well as your biceps, Orsbon says.

Below, Clay shares her favorite modifications thatll help you work up to doing pull-ups on your own.

And, as mentioned above, its great for cultivating a mind-muscle connection.

Assisted pull-up

One reason pull-ups are so hard is because youre lifting your entire body weight.

If progress is slow going, dont get discouraged.

The key is consistency, Orsborn says.

Soon enough, youll have those pull-up reps in the bag.

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