Commando Pull-Up
Commando Pull-Up Exercise Description
The commando pull-up is a bodyweight vertical pull performed with a narrow mixed grip while your body faces along the bar. You clear your head to one side of the bar at the top, which increases anti-rotation and anti-lateral flexion demands through the trunk. Primary movers are the latissimus dorsi, with strong assistance from the biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis. The middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids contribute to scapular retraction and depression, while the posterior deltoids and rotator cuff help stabilize the shoulder. Core musculature—especially the rectus abdominis and obliques—works isometrically to maintain a neutral spine and resist twisting. Expect significant grip involvement due to the close hand placement and mixed-grip orientation. The goal is smooth, controlled reps from a dead hang to chin clearing the bar on either side, with shoulders packed and motion initiated from the back rather than the arms.
- Muscle Groups: Lats
- Target Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Brachii - Long Head, Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Teres Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Infraspinatus, Internal Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Subscapularis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Pull
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Shoulder Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Lats
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Commando Pull-Up Exercise
‘- Stand under a sturdy bar and face along its length.
– Grip the bar narrowly with a mixed grip (one overhand, one underhand), hands close together.
– Bring feet slightly in front of the hips; squeeze glutes; brace the abdomen.
– Set the shoulders: depress and lightly retract the scapulae; avoid shrugging.
– From a dead hang, initiate by pulling elbows down toward the ribs.
– Keep the neck neutral; lift the chest and clear the chin to one side of the bar.
– Hold briefly at the top with shoulders packed and torso square.
– Lower under control to full elbow extension without swinging or kipping.
– Alternate the side you clear each rep to stay symmetrical.
– Periodically switch which hand is pronated/supinated to balance forearm and shoulder stress.
Commando Pull-Up Tips
‘- Face along the bar and use a narrow mixed grip with your hands close together.
– Bring your feet slightly in front of your hips, squeeze your glutes, and brace your abdomen before you start.
– Depress and lightly retract your shoulder blades to set your shoulders and avoid shrugging.
– Initiate each rep from a dead hang by pulling your elbows down toward your ribs.
– Keep your neck neutral and lift your chest as you clear your chin to one side of the bar.
– Hold briefly at the top with your shoulders packed and your torso square.
– Maintain a neutral spine and resist twisting throughout the movement.
– Lower yourself under control to full elbow extension without swinging or kipping.
– Perform smooth, controlled reps from a dead hang to chin over the bar on each side.
– Alternate which side you clear each rep and periodically switch which hand is pronated/supinated to stay balanced.
Commando Pull-Up Beginner Introduction
In the commando pull-up, the body hangs beneath a bar while the torso lines up along its length and the hands take a close, opposing-hand grip. This creates a vertical pulling challenge where the head passes up beside the bar rather than directly in front, adding a strong element of resisting rotation and side bending through the midsection. The movement relies mainly on the large muscles of the back, with solid assistance from the biceps and forearms, and calls for steady involvement from the shoulders and upper back to guide the shoulder blades.
Because the body is fighting the urge to twist, the core—especially the abs and side abs—works hard to keep the spine steady. The grip also plays a major role due to the tight hand spacing and different hand positions. Glutes and legs contribute to holding a stable body line, supporting smooth, controlled motion from a hanging start to the top position and back down.