Rear Pull-Up
Rear Pull-Up Exercise Description
The Rear Pull-up is a bodyweight vertical pulling exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi as the prime mover, with strong assistance from the biceps brachii, brachialis, rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius, posterior deltoids, and forearm flexors. It builds upper‑body pulling strength by driving the elbows down and back while keeping the torso stable. Proper execution emphasizes scapular depression and retraction, a neutral spine, and controlled movement through a full, pain‑free range of motion. The goal is to bring the chest toward the bar without swinging or shrugging, maintaining tension from the hands through the trunk. Performed with strict form, it reinforces shoulder control and grip strength while encouraging balanced upper‑back development.
- Muscle Groups: Lats
- Target Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Brachii - Long Head, Brachialis, Deltoid - Posterior, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Teres Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Stabilizing Muscles: Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
- 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: Male
How To Do The Rear Pull-Up Exercise
‘- Stand under a sturdy pull-up bar. Use a pronated (overhand) grip, hands just outside shoulder width.
– Hang with arms long. Set the shoulders by gently depressing and slightly retracting the scapulae; keep ribs down and spine neutral.
– Brace the midsection and keep legs quiet (straight or lightly crossed without arching the low back).
– Initiate the pull by driving elbows down and toward your sides, avoiding shoulder shrug.
– Keep your chest lifted to the bar and neck neutral (no chin jutting). Do not swing or kip.
– Pull until your chin clears the bar or your upper chest approaches the bar, maintaining control.
– Pause briefly with active shoulder engagement.
– Lower under control to full elbow extension, allowing the scapulae to upwardly rotate and elevate only at the bottom without losing trunk position.
– Reset your active hang and repeat with the same strict tempo.
Rear Pull-Up Tips
‘- Use a pronated (overhand) grip with your hands just outside shoulder width.
– Before pulling, gently depress and slightly retract your scapulae while keeping ribs down and spine neutral.
– Brace your midsection and keep your legs quiet—straight or lightly crossed—without arching your low back.
– Initiate each rep by driving your elbows down and toward your sides rather than shrugging your shoulders.
– Keep your chest lifted toward the bar and your neck neutral, avoiding jutting your chin forward.
– Do not swing or kip; keep the movement strict and controlled.
– Pull until your chin clears the bar or your upper chest approaches the bar while maintaining control.
– Pause briefly at the top with active shoulder engagement before lowering.
– Lower yourself under control to full elbow extension, allowing your scapulae to upwardly rotate and elevate only at the bottom.
– At the bottom of each rep, reset into an active hang before starting the next pull.
Rear Pull-Up Beginner Introduction
The Rear Pull-up is a strict bodyweight pull-up variation that highlights controlled strength through the back and arms. From a hanging position on a pull-up bar with palms facing away, the body travels upward until the upper chest nears the bar, then returns under control to a full hang. The movement centers on the lats as the main driver, with strong help from the biceps, upper back, shoulders, and forearms, while the trunk stays steady and legs remain still.
A key theme in this exercise is deliberate shoulder blade motion and posture control. The shoulder blades glide down and slightly inward as the pull begins, supporting a tall chest and a stable, natural curve through the spine. Each repetition flows through a comfortable, complete range rather than relying on momentum or swinging. This calm, precise style of pulling challenges upper‑body strength, reinforces shoulder and trunk stability, and places significant demand on gripping muscles in the hands and forearms.