Straight grip pull-ups, which muscles work. What muscle groups work (swing) during different types of pull-ups on horizontal bars?

Pull-ups are considered a basic exercise that engages the joints and muscles of the upper shoulder girdle and back.

It belongs to one of the highest classes in terms of difficulty of execution and is difficult for beginner athletes and girls. It is often replaced by the graviton training option, but it does not always allow you to work out all the zones that are included in the work when doing pull-ups on a classic horizontal bar. That is why, if you want to bring your back and upper shoulder girdle to perfection, it is worth studying the technique of doing pull-ups and mastering various types of this exercise.

Pull-ups involve almost the entire shoulder girdle and back, including small muscle groups that remain in a relaxed state during other types of loads.

This exercise is used to train the following muscle groups:

targeted: latissimus dorsi muscles;
synergizing: include the biceps, brachioradialis and brachialis muscles, teres major and minor, infraspinatus, middle and lower trapezius muscles, pectoralis minor, rhomboids, posterior deltoid, and levator scapulae;
stabilizing: long head of the triceps.

Thus, it turns out that pull-ups that are ordinary at first glance can improve the growth of muscles throughout the upper body, chest, back, and arms.

Benefits of Pull-Ups

Pull-ups have many advantages over alternative exercises for the upper shoulder girdle. The most important of them is the absolute undemandingness of equipment. All the athlete needs is a bar fixed just above his height. Using various variations of pull-ups, you can work out various muscle groups well and sculpt the relief of the upper shoulder girdle, back and chest, based on personal preferences and goals.

With pull-ups you can:

give the top part a V-shape;
achieve good back relief;
develop the muscles of the upper back and shoulder girdle to the maximum;
develop grip strength;
improve weight performance when performing back exercises;
increase the production of growth hormone and achieve excellent results in a shorter period of time;
increase energy consumption, which will lead to weight loss.

Among other things, pull-ups differ from other exercises in their high degree of variation. Using different grips, you can work different muscle groups to achieve perfect mass and shape.

Where should a beginner start to learn how to do pull-ups?

Rarely does anyone succeed in doing pull-ups the first time, so it is important for beginners not to force their body with excessive muscle tension. Unsuccessful, exhausting attempts to pull your chin up to the bar the first time in 99% of cases result in microtraumas, so you should give preference to a set of preparatory exercises.

First you need to master the technique of “negative repetitions”. The essence of this exercise is to assume a position as if the pull-up has already been completed and the body returns to its original position. To do this, you will need a horizontal bar and a low support (bench, stool, etc.). The main thing is that its height is just enough so that the athlete, standing on it, can calmly reach the horizontal bar with his chin.

The technique for performing negative repetitions is as follows:

Starting position - standing on a chair, chin at the level of the horizontal bar bar, arms bent at the elbows and fixed at an average distance from each other on the bar.
Next, the legs are bent so that the arms tense, holding the body in its original position.
The arms are slowly straightened, as when coming out of a pull-up.
Then the athlete returns to the starting position. If necessary, you can help yourself with your legs (lean them on a support) or ask an assistant to lift you from behind.

You shouldn’t overload yourself right away; 3 sets of 5 repetitions will be enough. It is not recommended to accelerate or sway while straightening your arms. All movements should be as smooth as possible.

Before starting training with pull-ups, it is advisable to warm up the muscles well and stimulate the cardiovascular system with a warm-up. But even here you should be restrained so as not to start the main training feeling tired.

Pull-up technique

Before starting training on the horizontal bar, you need to familiarize yourself with the recommendations of experienced bodybuilders and their mentors on how to do pull-ups correctly:

you cannot involve anything other than the muscles of the back, arms and chest in the process of lifting the body;
to avoid injuries, there is no need to accompany the pull-up with jerks and sudden movements;
the body must be in a strictly vertical position during ascent and descent;
rises are performed while exhaling, and you need to lower while inhaling.

Otherwise, the technique for performing pull-ups varies depending on what type of exercise is performed.

It is advisable to start mastering pull-ups on the horizontal bar as such with a direct grip. It is simpler to perform, but in different variations it helps to work out the entire upper shoulder girdle and back.

The technique for performing pull-ups with a straight grip may differ depending on the grip width:

when doing pull-ups with a classic grip (medium), the lift is made to the level of the chin - at the peak point it should be slightly above the crossbar, the gaze is directed forward;
when pulling up with a narrow grip, the body is lifted until the bar is at chest level, and the gaze is directed to the hands;
When performing pull-ups with a wide grip, the chest (its middle part) should be located in the upper peak at the level of the horizontal bar; the maximum load falls on the latissimus dorsi muscles.

There is an opinion that a greater effect from pull-ups using a straight grip is achieved with a high lift of the body - at the peak at the level of the crossbar, the midline of the chest or at least its upper part is located. At the same time, the back bends slightly in the lower back, and the head is thrown back.

When performing pull-ups with a wide and medium grip behind the head, you need to stretch until the level of the crossbar coincides with the top line of the body (just above the clavicle bones). It is important not to make sudden jerks, but to keep your back straight. You can tilt your head slightly forward so as not to injure the back of your head while lifting.

The reverse grip is good for working the biceps and back muscles. The closer the hands are placed to each other, the more the biceps are involved. Otherwise, the technique is similar to performing pull-ups with a direct grip:

the hands are located at a selected distance from each other;
During lifting, the back is straight, slightly arched in the lower back;
the head is slightly thrown back;
movements are smooth, without jerks or distortions.

You can pull yourself up to the level of your chin or to the middle of your chest. Here the goal of the training plays a role: if you plan to load your arms as much as possible, pull yourself up to the chin, and if there is a need to pump up your back muscles, pull yourself up to your chest.

Parallel pull-ups are no different in technique from the previous versions, with the exception of the position of the scapular bones. In the upper peak position, you should bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible, and your elbows should be slightly pulled back. The back is in the same position as in the previous versions - slightly arched in the lower back, without lateral distortions.

The effect is also repeated: with a narrow grip, when the hands are located close to each other, the biceps and chest muscles are maximally used, and with a wide grip, the latissimus dorsi muscles work more actively.

This method is suitable only for experienced athletes with good strength training, as it has a greater range of motion compared to previous techniques. Pull-ups are performed with a forward or reverse grip. Hands at an arbitrary distance from each other.

Technique:

Dead hang at the bottom with a neutral (medium) grip.
Rhythmic pull-up to the middle of the chest.
Quick return to starting position.

Ideally, there should be no delays between the upper and lower peaks. The intensity and amplitude of movement are maximum, resulting in more active training of the upper shoulder girdle and back.

Head pull-ups

This method of pulling up is more difficult to perform, as it combines the classic exercise with pulling up by the head.

The technique is as follows:

Hands on the bar are placed slightly wider than shoulders, legs are crossed and bent at the knees.
A classic pull-up is performed up to the chest. Then the body returns to its original position, the arms are completely relaxed and straightened.
A pull-up is performed with the hands behind the head. Return to original position.

Alternating between classic pull-ups and behind-the-head pull-ups helps work out the maximum number of muscles.

The technique resembles a pull-up with a parallel grip, but the difference is that the athlete holds on to a regular horizontal bar, that is, the hands are not just located towards each other, but are on the same line. The value of this exercise is a deeper study of the shoulder and brachioradialis muscles, as well as the biceps. The muscles of the buttocks and abs are involved.

Technique:

The athlete hangs under the horizontal bar perpendicular to its direction. The hands are brought together.
The pull-up begins slowly, as the head approaches the horizontal bar, it is moved to the side, the shoulder touches the horizontal bar.
Return to hang.
The pull-up is the same as the previous one, but this time the head is moved in the other direction.
Return to original position.

Pull-ups are done by tensioning only one arm, the second is used to hold the body in an upright position.

Half-Moon or one-arm pull-up

This pull-up is practiced in preparation for one-arm pull-ups. A neutral grip or pronation is suitable for this exercise.

Starting position - hanging with arms straight and relaxed. The body is pulled up only on the right or only on the left hand. The second one is “stretched” at this time, as a result of which the line of the arms and shoulders forms a “half moon”. After mastering this type of pull-up, you can move on to

Secrets and subtleties of pull-ups

Even those who easily perform several sets of various pull-ups do not always know 100% of the facts about this exercise. The most popular questions that can be heard from experienced and beginner athletes concern the range of motion, the most effective type of grip, the height of the body lift and much more.

Up to the chest or up to the chin?

The most popular question concerns the difference between chin-up and chest pull-ups. Famous coaches and athletes recommend practicing pull-ups to the chin when using a reverse grip, and to the chest - in combination with a straight grip. With this combination, the risk of injury is significantly lower, which is especially important for novice athletes.
In general, pull-ups to the chest are more effective in terms of pumping up the back muscles, while pull-ups to the chin allow you to better work the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle and arms. Pull-ups that are too high can be dangerous because lifting your chest above the bar will place maximum stress on the muscles between your shoulder blades, which can lead to injury.

Weighting - when is it necessary?

Using extra weight when doing pull-ups can be beneficial or harmful depending on several factors:

mastery of pull-up techniques - if there is the slightest doubt that you are doing everything correctly, it is better not to use weights;
condition of the back and spine - if there is a tendency to injury or problems with the spine, it is better not to use aggravation;
if you are overweight (more than 13 kg), the burden will be unnecessary.

In general, experienced athletes who have ideally mastered the exercise technique resort to using additional weight when doing pull-ups.

Ideal amplitude - what is it?

Pull-ups “to the maximum” will benefit those who have already achieved certain results and are fluent in the pull-up technique. Discomfort and acute pain in muscles and joints should be a signal to stop training.

A small amplitude is more effective and less dangerous if training on the bar is intense and/or with additional weights. Exercises in this mode do not harm the joints and stimulate maximum muscle growth. However, it is worth remembering that severe restriction of movement and minimal range of motion will not lead to the goal of muscle growth and increased strength. Everything should be in moderation.

It is important to remember that the concept of ideal amplitude when doing pull-ups is as individual as food preferences. The athlete must listen carefully to his muscles to understand in what range of movements is best.

The “swinging” technique - to use or not?

Attempts to show a good quantitative result through the deceptive “swinging” technique leads to loosening of the joints, and has minimal effect on the muscles. By using it, a beginner risks never achieving significant results. Moreover, failure to comply with the pull-up technique often leads to injuries that imply a ban on any load. It is better to do fewer repetitions, but with high quality, than to waste time and joints, deceiving the body with the laws of inertia.

Which grip should you choose?

The main rule is that the grip should be tight. The width and direction depend on the training goal. If you plan to pump up your arms and shoulders, a narrow or medium reverse grip is suitable. For high-quality back work, a combination of wide and straight grips is ideal.

Without pulling up, it is impossible to create an ideal athletic body with a V-shaped back and chest. To master this seemingly simple way to increase mass and strength, you will have to spend several months. But it's worth it - your body will become really strong and beautiful. The main thing is to carefully study the technique of performing various types of pull-ups and systematically train to achieve your goals.

Be sure to read about it

What you need

With the help of a horizontal bar you can set an excellent load on the muscles of the back and arms. Along with classic wide-grip pull-ups, athletes around the world also use reverse-grip pull-ups. The biomechanics of this exercise are a little different from regular pull-ups, and it's a great way to add variety to your workout and work your muscles from a slightly different angle. This exercise is used in almost all strength sports: from crossfit to powerlifting, but athletes everywhere set different goals for themselves.

In this article we will tell you how to do this exercise correctly and for what tasks it will be useful for you.

Benefits and contraindications

By regularly performing pull-ups on the horizontal bar with a reverse grip, you will perfectly develop your core muscles and make them stronger. They're also a great accessory to other, more challenging bodyweight exercises, like jumping plyometric pull-ups, angle pull-ups, or two-arm muscle-ups.

Reverse grip pull-ups are great for developing strength in your palms, hands, and forearms. This will work to our advantage when performing exercises such as deadlifts, bent-over rows, or climbs.

Due to a strong grip, the projectile will not slip out of your hands, and your forearms and hands will not get tired before the target muscle group.

However, not everything is so simple with this exercise. Some athletes often have problems with it. Its implementation requires good stretching and mobility of the shoulder joints. If your deltoid muscles are tight, it will be difficult to perform, and in very advanced cases it can even be fraught with injury to the shoulder ligaments or a tear in the deltoid muscle.

You can and should combat this problem, just make it a rule to start any workout with a thorough warm-up and stretching of the shoulder girdle. The most effective exercise for this exercise is cranking your arms with a stick. After a couple of weeks of doing this, you will notice that the shoulder joint has become much more mobile, and any kind of pulling exercises for the back or pressing exercises for the chest and shoulders are much easier and more comfortable.

Also, a heavy load falls on the elbow joints and ligaments. If you have had problems with them in the relatively recent past, it is better to refuse to perform this exercise or replace it with regular pull-ups or lat pull-downs.

What muscles work?

Let's figure out which muscles work when doing pull-ups with a reverse grip:

The main load falls on the back muscles: latissimus, rhomboid, trapezius.
The biceps and posterior deltoid muscles are also actively involved in the movement.
The abdominal muscles and spinal extensors stabilize the movement and prevent us from losing balance.

Varieties of exercise

There are three main varieties of this exercise:

Close-grip pull-ups

This option shifts the load on the hands the most. The back works much less here, and only in the first half of the amplitude. Further lifting of the body is carried out purely by bending the arms at the elbow joint, which in biomechanics is more reminiscent of lifting a barbell for biceps than doing pull-ups. The narrower your hands are, the more isolated the work on the biceps is, however, placing your hands too narrow (close to each other) can harm the ligaments of your wrists.

Medium reverse grip pull-ups

Using a medium grip width, you almost exactly imitate a lat pulldown with a medium reverse grip. And this, in turn, is one of the exercises for developing the lower part of the latissimus muscles, due to which the V-shaped back is formed. It is important to try to “turn off” your arms from the movement as much as possible and try to fully focus on working your back. The deflection in the thoracic spine in this variation should be slightly less than in the others, so it will be easier for you to concentrate on working the lats.

Wide-grip pull-ups

An extremely effective exercise for giving your back impressive width. However, it is not without its disadvantages: due to the wide grip, the hands are slightly “twisted” inward. Hanging on the horizontal bar becomes uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. Straps only make this problem worse. If you also do this exercise with additional weight, your hands will literally break out. To avoid this, you need to work with a comfortable amplitude (slightly wider than your shoulders) and not try to reach the bar with your chin, but focus the load only on working your back (do not go through the last 25% of the amplitude).

Exercise technique

The technique of performing the exercise consists of the following sequence of movements:

Choosing a grip

Once you have decided on the grip width you need, start doing pull-ups. Beginners often have a question: “Which grip should you use: open or closed?” When doing pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip, it is better to use an open grip and place your thumb on top of your index finger. This way, the biceps and forearms will receive more load, and the load will be continuous: at the top point - maximum contraction, at the bottom - full stretch.

Good pumping is guaranteed. In other variations this point is not so important, do it as you feel comfortable. But keep in mind that holding your weight with a closed grip is much easier. The likelihood of your fingers unclenching is reduced. The next frequently asked question is: “Do I need to use straps?” If your goal is to isolate your back muscles as much as possible, then yes. However, they are completely useless when performing pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip.

Start of movement

Start an upward pulling movement with your back muscles. Approximately the first half of the amplitude should be completed solely due to their contraction. To better feel their contraction, as you rise, try to bring your shoulder blades together and create a slight arch in the thoracic spine. The positive phase of the amplitude will be performed while exhaling. The most common mistake when doing pull-ups is throwing your head back; almost every second athlete does it. And both beginners and experienced ones. There is no need to do this, otherwise you will create too much compression on the cervical spine. Watch the position of your elbows; you don’t need to place them to the sides, they should move along the body.

Maintain the correct amplitude

Perform pull-ups at the planned amplitude. It is not necessary to raise your chin above the bar; it is much more important for us to fully work out the muscles than to amuse our “ego”. At the end point you should not feel any discomfort in your shoulders or hands.

Completion phase

Pause for a second at the point of peak contraction to increase the load on the latissimus dorsi or biceps muscles. After this, begin to smoothly lower down, placing your shoulder blades to the side and feeling the stretch in the muscles. The downward movement should occur while inhaling. Fully straighten at the bottom and repeat the movement a second later.

Pull-up program

If you have difficulty performing this exercise, and you can’t do more than 5-7 repetitions in one approach, try training with this program. It is designed for 10 workouts, the rest time between them should be 2-3 days. We do not only reverse grip pull-ups, but also other exercises for the back and arms in order to comprehensively work out all the muscles involved in the movement.

Training no.	Exercises	Number of repetitions and approaches
1	Wide grip pull-ups Horizontal block row with a narrow parallel grip	4x8 3x12 3x12 3x10
2	Reverse medium grip pull-ups "Hammers" with dumbbells	3x6 3x10 3x10 3x15
3	Wide grip pull-ups Vertical row with a narrow parallel grip Hanging on a towel	3x10 4x12 3 – to failure
4		4x6 4x6 3 – to failure
5	Wide grip pull-ups Dumbbell curls with supination Hanging Leg Raise	4x10 3x5 4x10 4x15
6	Two-handed force exit "Jumping" pull-ups Hanging on a towel	3x6 3x15 3 – to failure
7	Diagonal pull-ups Reverse medium grip pull-ups	3x12 3x12 3x12

Crossfit complexes with exercise

Most CrossFit complexes contain pull-ups on the horizontal bar. No one is stopping you from diversifying the load and replacing classic wide-grip pull-ups with reverse-grip pull-ups with any comfortable position of your hands. This will increase the productivity of the workout, since most athletes find this exercise much more difficult. After a couple of weeks of training in this format, you will notice that your arms have become noticeably stronger, your grip has improved, and the volume of your biceps has increased.

For beginners who do not know how to do pull-ups on the bar. This exercise is quite popular among professionals. In the article, the reader will become acquainted with this type of pull-up, and will also find out which muscles work during the exercise. It would also be useful to have information on the types of grip, thanks to which you can focus the load on different muscle groups, at the request of the athlete.

Where does any training begin?

Any workout begins with a warm-up. This is the first rule of any gym, regardless of the sport, be it bodybuilding, dancing or wrestling. It is necessary to warm up the hands in the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. It doesn’t hurt to swing your arms to the sides to stretch your pectoral muscles. Bends and crunches will warm up the muscles of the back and abdominal girdle, while squats will raise blood pressure in the cardiovascular system and force the body to produce more testosterone.

If pull-ups on the horizontal bar with a reverse grip are first on the list in the training complex, professionals recommend performing a couple of sets of 20-25 repetitions with light weight on the biceps. The fact is that all people have very weak ligaments in the elbow and wrist joints, which can easily be stretched without proper warming up.

Motivation is the key to success!

According to statistics, 99% of beginners are embarrassed to learn how to do pull-ups in the gym, so we will have to touch on the problem associated with the stupidity of self-hypnosis and motivation. The fact is that all the people in the world at some stage did not know how to do pull-ups, but at different periods of maturity they learned to perform the most difficult exercise in their lives. There are several solution options here, and they all depend only on the desires of the novice athlete.

Buy a horizontal bar in a store and install it at home. You can do reverse grip pull-ups without prying eyes and not have to worry about anything. However, incorrect execution technique can very easily lead to injury.
Classes on public sports grounds. In fact, this is the most difficult path for a beginner, because sometimes the crossbar is too high, and concrete or asphalt is laid below - injury cannot be avoided.
Exercise in the gym under the supervision of a trainer. If you use the correct technique, literally within a couple of weeks no one in the gym will doubt that the beginner does not know how to do pull-ups.

Reverse grip pull-up technique

The best and most effective exercise is the one that is performed using the correct technique. This is true for any athlete, regardless of experience. It doesn’t matter how pull-ups are performed - with a narrow reverse grip or a straight wide grip, the main thing is to follow the execution technique.

Grasp the horizontal bar with the desired grip and hang on the bar. Arms and legs are perfectly straight. The thumb of the hand should pass under the crossbar.
Trying to keep your elbows as close to your body as possible, you need to pull your chest up to the bar as close as possible. In this position, move your head back as much as possible and try to bring your shoulder blades together.
After a two-second pause, slowly lower down, returning to the starting position.

What you should never do

Trying to perform technical exercises, many novice athletes try to make it easier for the muscles to work. The logic is simple - since the recommendations for correct execution do not say a word about such help, it means that you can independently correct the execution technique. The following list of restrictions is intended for people looking for easy solutions:

During pull-ups, your legs should be straight. There is no need to bend them or make jerks like the movement of a frog's legs.
At the lowest point, your arms should be fully straightened. Yes, this causes discomfort and even pain in the first stages of training, but, on the other hand, relaxation of the muscles involved in tightening will allow oxygen to enter the tissues.
Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip are the easiest to perform, so it is at this stage of training that you need to control how your chest touches the bar.

There will be no progress without pumping

Pumping is when a large volume of blood is forced into a muscle, doubling its size, and under the influence of a large load, the muscle fibers cannot withstand and tear. Naturally, when restoring fibers, the body “remembers” about the pumping and, by building up the torn fibers, increases their diameter - this is how muscles grow throughout the body.

All beginners, without exception, need to work on pumping. This will not only help you quickly build muscle mass in the initial stages, but will also not cause damage to ligaments and joints under heavy loads. The reverse grip pull-up is no exception. To do this, you need to perform at least 12-15 repetitions in each approach.

Negative repetitions

The “negative repetitions” exercise, well known among athletes, very well develops not only endurance with repeated repetitions. Quite often, this exercise is “prescribed” to all overweight beginners. The purpose of negative repetitions is to hard pump the biceps muscles. Reverse grip biceps pull-ups are performed as follows:

A chair is placed near the horizontal bar so that it is 20-30 cm behind the crossbar.
The athlete climbs onto a chair and grabs the bar with his hands, palms facing him, hands shoulder-width apart.
Pressing your chest against the horizontal bar as much as possible, you need to carefully get off the chair, hanging in the air, or, holding onto the chair with your toes, lower your knees down.
Slowly relaxing your biceps, begin to straighten your arms at the elbow joint. You need to stop and return to the starting position when the angle between the forearm and biceps reaches more than 150 degrees.

Types of grips

Professionals recommend using a narrow arm position in the initial stages of training, performing pull-ups with a reverse grip. The muscles of a poorly developed back get tired quickly, and the entire load falls on the biceps, which needs to be worked out effectively. A narrow grip means placing your palms no further than five centimeters from each other.

In addition to the narrow grip, there is a medium grip - the hands are located shoulder width apart. It is also called classic, apparently because it has been used in schools for several decades as an alternative pull-up for overweight children.

A wide grip with a reverse position of the hands is used very often, because its advantage is that, unlike a direct grip, it lightly loads the back muscles, transferring the load to the biceps. Pull-ups with a wide reverse grip make it possible to maximally load the back muscles, which, in case of failure, will transfer the load to the biceps.

Working muscles in pull-ups

Many beginners, naturally, are interested in the question when performing pull-ups with a reverse grip - “which muscles are pumped?” They will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the list is quite long.

Latissimus dorsi muscles. Upper side part, affecting half of the back. The wider the grip, the greater the load on these muscles.
Rhomboid muscle. Rotates the shoulder blades into their final position, bringing them closer to the spine.
Pectoralis major muscle. Pulls the torso upward, and its activity increases only when the elbows approach the torso.
Biceps and triceps. The biceps bends the arm at the elbow joint, which fixes the triceps at the end point.
The pectoralis minor, coracobrachialis and subscapularis muscles strengthen the shoulder joint, participating in pulling up the torso.

Setting and completing tasks

It turns out that reverse grip pull-ups are effective not only for beginners. We figured out which muscles are involved in the exercise. It remains to understand what goals the athlete pursues after learning how to do pull-ups on the bar. But first, you should pay attention to the recommendations of professionals that pull-ups on the horizontal bar are not basic exercises for developing biceps; accordingly, they should only be contained in a complex aimed at developing the back muscles.

At the beginning of the workout, it is recommended to perform pull-ups with an even grip and wide arms. You need to do 4-5 approaches with the maximum number of repetitions. Having loaded the latissimus dorsi muscles, you can move on to an exercise that loads the lower torso - block row, in a sitting position, for example. After this, you can “finish off” the latissimus dorsi muscles by performing pull-ups with a reverse grip and a wide stance. As the effectiveness of the exercise decreases, the athlete can reduce the grip width, reducing the focus of the load on the arm muscles.

Finally

Obviously, the reverse grip pull-up is the best exercise for all beginners, because they solve several problems at the same time:

Learn to do pull-ups on the horizontal bar. For many beginners, a complete study of the technique is enough, and after just a couple of workouts it seems that the athlete has been able to do pull-ups freely since birth.
Biceps development. It's no secret that the “cans” on the hands are indicative, that is, they are visible even under clothes. Naturally, a beginner will be able to attract attention to himself after just a month of training.
Wide back. This is what many men and women come to the gym for - standing out from the gray mass with huge lats is quite easy.

Close-grip pull-ups on the horizontal bar are the best basic exercise for developing biceps. Most athletes train their biceps only with isolated exercises - mainly barbell or dumbbell curls. But to maximize the growth of the target muscle group, it is also necessary to use heavy basic exercises, which provide a powerful impetus for muscle growth. In this article we will talk about the technique of performing pull-ups with a narrow grip, consider common mistakes and give useful recommendations for training biceps.
What muscles work
During close-grip pull-ups, the main load falls on the biceps, shoulder muscles and lower areas of the latissimus muscles. If your lats dominate and your arms lag behind, then close-grip pull-ups are undoubtedly the best exercise for developing big biceps.
As you know, pull-ups on the horizontal bar can be performed with a forward or reverse grip. When training biceps, we recommend using both options to work all muscle areas of the target muscle group.
Technique for performing pull-ups with a narrow grip
To fully understand the technique of performing close-grip biceps pull-ups, we also recommend that you watch the video at the end of the article.
Common mistakes made by newbies
Many athletes lower themselves too sharply during pull-ups, which greatly increases the load on their arms, namely the elbow joints. The lowering should be smooth and uniform; this will not only reduce the risk of injury, but also increase the load on the biceps.

During pull-ups, you should not fully extend your arms in the starting position, as this also increases the load on the elbow joints.

If your goal is maximum biceps growth, then pull-ups must be performed without jerking. It’s better to do 10 high-quality repetitions than 20 dirty ones with cheating.

Proper biceps training
Basic exercises play a key role in the development of any muscle group, so you should not neglect them. Close-grip pull-ups should definitely be included in your training program if you want to have powerful and voluminous arm muscles (pull-ups can also be replaced with close-grip lat pull-downs). At the beginning of working out the biceps, we advise you to do the basics - pull-ups with a narrow direct or reverse grip, and then move on to the best isolating exercises:
On our forum you can find a lot of materials about biceps training, but we would advise you to familiarize yourself with:

Close-grip pull-ups are one of the many variations of the most popular exercise. Its peculiarity is that it no longer works the upper, but the lower part of the so-called “wings”, the latissimus dorsi muscles, and the muscles that are located near the spine. Other muscles are also involved in the work. This exercise, in turn, has a certain number of variations, which allows you to alternate load options. The correct technique is very important to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the exercise.

Close-grip pull-ups, as their name suggests, involve placing your hands narrowly on the bar. This slightly shifts the load on the muscles. Pull-ups are an indispensable exercise for those who want to get a beautiful upper body shape. It is mainly popular among men, although female athletes also often include it in their programs.

In addition to stressing the muscles, pull-ups help to form beautiful posture, strengthen the back and spine, thereby ensuring the prevention of numerous diseases.

Another interesting nuance. Many athletes have probably noticed that doing pull-ups with a close grip is much easier than with any other grip. Why is this happening? It's a matter of anatomy. Our muscles are designed in such a way that this position is most convenient for the strongest traction. Therefore, often those who find it difficult to do pull-ups with a standard grip at least ten times can easily repeat narrow pull-ups 12-13 or more times. This makes it possible to use more weight.

What muscles work?

Due to the fact that when performing the exercise, the hands are placed narrowly, the emphasis of the load from the back shifts to the muscles of the arms. The exercise can be performed with a forward, reverse or parallel grip.

First of all, when performing such pull-ups, the following work: muscles:

biceps (biceps brachii);
brachialis muscles (they are located slightly deeper than the biceps muscle and are also called “brachialis”);
latissimus muscle;
teres major muscle.

A reverse grip is often practiced, as it works great on the biceps. It can be used as a basic or additional one. Pull-ups with a narrow straight grip distribute part of the load from the biceps to the brachialis muscle. And pull-ups with a narrow parallel grip work the lower region of the latissimus muscles.

If you want to pump up the latissimus muscles, then your program should also include wide-grip pull-ups.

Close-grip pull-ups: technique

The most popular option is close-grip biceps pull-ups with a reverse grip, so we will consider this technique as a classic one. This exercise is performed as follows:

Starting position – hanging on the horizontal bar. Keep your arms straight, the distance between the hands is 20-30 cm (less than shoulder width). The peculiarity of the reverse grip is that the thumbs should be turned out, looking in opposite directions. The palms are directed towards you, due to which the biceps receive the maximum load.
Hanging on the horizontal bar, you should feel a stretch in your back. Take a deep breath.
Now, making an effort through the target muscles, pull yourself up while exhaling. When you reach the top, the bar should reach about the level of your chin (since with this grip you are unlikely to be able to reach your upper chest). The latissimus muscles contract.
Then smoothly and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise as many times as necessary.

As for the number of approaches and repetitions, for starters you can do 2-3 sets of 7-12 times without using additional weights.

While performing the exercises, try not to swing on the horizontal bar - this will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. Also, try to keep your elbows in one position.

Types of pull-ups with a narrow grip

There are different variations of the exercise. So, pull-ups with a narrow straight grip are practically no different from the opposite, except for the fact that the palms are turned away from you rather than towards you. In this case, the load shifts from the biceps to the back. As for the parallel grip, the lower latissimus muscles work primarily here.

If pull-ups are easy for you and you can repeat them more than 10-15 times without problems, you can use additional weights. Usually, in the case of this exercise, heavy plates or weights are used, and in the second option, special care is needed. The load is secured to the belt or legs. Another option is to use a backpack filled with something heavy. Put it on before you begin the exercise.

The classic close-grip pull-up on the horizontal bar is not the only option that can be included in the training program. You can use interconnected D-shaped handles for pull-ups. In addition, good results are obtained by performing exercises on parallel bars, which are located close to each other, and the height of which must be adjusted.

Despite the fact that pull-ups with a narrow grip are easier than with a wide grip, they can be quite difficult for beginners. The same applies to girls, whose hands are much weaker than those of men. The best option may be narrow reverse grip rows on a special simulator. The movement in this case will be the same, but the weight that will be used in the work will be less than its own. This option, such as a close-grip gravitron pull-up, helps to effectively work the muscles and prepare them for greater stress.

However, there is another option that will allow beginners to start doing pull-ups right away, without a machine. It involves the use of special tourniquets attached to the crossbar and legs. Thus, the load when pulling up will be significantly lower, since the weight will be reduced. When you master this version of the exercise freely, you can move on to regular pull-ups.

Contraindications and precautions

Pull-ups are a useful and effective exercise, but not everyone can do them. First of all, those who suffer from scoliosis (curvature of the spine), as well as intervertebral hernias and protrusions, should refrain from performing it. Caution is needed for osteochondrosis. Despite the fact that pull-ups improve blood circulation and increase the mobility of spinal structures, which is important for such a diagnosis, they can put too much stress on the spine, which will lead to degenerative changes. With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, pull-ups can provoke dizziness and pain.

At first, it is difficult for beginners to do at least a few correct repetitions of the exercise. And the next one bothers them list of factors:

Overweight. Excess weight puts additional stress on the muscles, even if they are sufficiently developed. Therefore, it is initially recommended to lose weight, and only then begin to pull yourself up - this way you will significantly reduce the risk of injury.
Physical weakness. Even at a normal weight, mastering pull-ups from scratch can be difficult. This will require some strength and endurance, so train them.
Weakness of accessory muscles. Biceps, latissimus dorsi and other muscles belonging to the main groups are not all that is needed to master pull-ups. It is also necessary to develop auxiliary groups, namely, the pectoral muscles, radial muscles, posterior deltoid muscles, and so on.
Technique. The technical aspect is also important - it is the undeveloped technique that often prevents beginners from mastering pull-ups. It needs to be brought to perfection so that the muscles are worked out efficiently and the risk of injury is minimized. That is why, to begin with, try to focus on quality rather than quantity.

The correct pull-up technique has been described above, but there are a few more points to consider:

You need to pull yourself up solely using muscle strength. Lifts should be smooth, without jerking or swaying, without the use of inertia.
You also need to lower your body smoothly. The times of ascent and descent should be approximately the same.
Right breathe: you need to rise while inhaling, descending while exhaling.
During the exercise, keep your body strictly vertical.
The narrow grip is mainly intended for working on hands. If you want to pump up your back as well, use a wide one.
If you have some experience and good training, you can use weights, attaching them to your belt.
The load on the biceps only makes sense when using a reverse grip. In other options, you should work with your body, not your hands.
If you have recently started doing pull-ups on the horizontal bar, and it is still difficult for you to perform the movement in full amplitude, you can ask your partner for help. He can hold your legs and push you towards the bar - this will help you master the correct technique.
Throughout the entire exercise keep your back straight and the body is straight.
When practicing on a low-ceilinged bar, be careful not to hit your head at the top.
When performing pull-ups, focus on working the target muscle. Experts confirm that the mental connection between the muscles and the brain is no less important than the direct technique of execution.
When you reach the top of the lift, try to bring the “wings” together.
Before using weights or practicing advanced types of pull-ups, make sure that you have perfectly mastered the classic technique. There is no need to rush to increase the load and chase the number of repetitions.

A little more about why it is important to avoid rocking when performing pull-ups. In this case, non-target muscles will receive the load, which will greatly reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. You don't need to help yourself this way. The chest should be pushed forward, the back can be slightly arched at an angle of about 30 degrees, but not bent. You cannot swing your body or jerk your legs.