The Ultimate Pull Up Progression Plan for Beginners

If pull ups aren’t one of your favorite exercises, it's time to change that. After all, the pull up is among the best upper body exercises you can do for strength and hypertrophy.

But what if you can’t do pull ups?

First of all, don't feel embarrassed or anything, it is a very difficult exercise. Second, with hard work, dedication, and a foolproof pull up progression plan, nearly everyone can learn how to do pull ups, not to mention move on to more advanced pull up variations, including you. 

In this guide to mastering pull ups, we will cover:

• 9 Week Pull Up Progression Plan
• Correct Pull Up Form
• Pull Up Test Comparison
• Pull Ups Muscles Worked
• Benefits Of Pull Ups
• Pull Up Variations 
• Pull Up Workouts
• Pull Up Challenges.
• FAQs

If you can do pull ups, you will still find this pull up guide useful, as we outline ways to progress beyond just strict pull ups. That way, you can continue to develop upper body strength, endurance and muscle with this absolutely essential, age-old bodyweight exercise.

Without further ado, it's pull up time.

9 Week PULL UP PROGRESSION PLAN

Now, here's what you've been waiting for - the perfect pull up progression program. 

Above is a video explaining how to practice pull ups and get stronger using progression exercises. We also have everything written out in step-by-step, week-by-week format just below. We even have a pull up progression chart that you can screenshot or refer back to as you run this beginner pull up program. 

We guarantee that if you follow our 9-week pull up plan, we will take you from Pull Up Zero to Pull Up Hero.

FYI - This is not a Crossfit pull up progression plan, so you won't be learning kipping pull up progression or butterfly pull up progression. You are here to master the strict pull up.

Our pull up progression program is 9 weeks long and you won't be doing strict pull ups until week 9. 

We recommend that you do each exercise at least once a week for the recommended sets and reps, but two to three times per week would be best if you want to build up to pull ups faster. You can add these exercises to your regular routine as you see fit.

Equipment needed: You will need a low bar and a high pull up bar. There is also band assisted pull up progression incorporated into this plan, so you will need a 41" loop resistance band.

However, if you don't have one, it can be replaced with an assisted pull ups machine. Assisted pull up machine progression isn't as good as resistance bands, but it will work fine as well.

WEEK 1-2:

For weeks 1 and 2, you will be doing Australian pull up progression, which basically means variations of inverted rows. There are three exercises to practice. 

Exercise 1: Australian Pull Ups (Bar at Belly Button Level) - 10 reps x 3 sets

• For this exercise, your body will be in a vertical position in the starting position.

Exercise 2: Australian Pull Ups (Bar a Midway from Belly Button and Chest) - 10 reps x 3 sets

• For this exercise, the starting position will have your body in a diagonal position.

Exercise 3: Australian Pull Ups aka Inverted Row (Bar a Chest Level) - 10 res x 3 sets

• This exercise is essentially your first beginner pull up. For this one, your body will be almost parallel with the floor. Your feet will be extended straight forward.

WEEK 3-4:

Continue practicing exercise 3 from above and add the following two pull up progression exercises to your routine for weeks 3-4. 

Exercise 4: Dead Hangs - 9 sets x 10-60 seconds (as long as you can hold)

• Normal grip: 3 sets
• Wide grip: 3 sets
• Close grip: 3 sets

Exercise 5: Shoulder Depressions - 5 sets x 10 reps

WEEK 5-8:

Continue practicing exercise 5 from above and add the following two pull up progression exercises to your routine for weeks 5-8. 

Exercise 6: Band Assisted Pull Ups - 5 sets x Max reps

• Assisted pull ups are a big step in your progression plan. This is the first time you'll be doing actual pull ups! For resistance band pull up progression, start with the most assistance needed (larger bands or multiple bands together) and slowly work your way down to less or lighter bands over week 5-8.

Exercise 7: Negatives - 5 sets x 8-10 reps

• Use a chair or jump up into position.
• Lower down from the top position (chin above bar) as slowly as you can.

WEEK 9+:

Exercise 8: PULL UPS - 5 sets x Max reps

• Do your first pull up. Even if you can only do a single one with good form, then do sets of 1!
• Over time you will quickly see your rep count improve.
• Be sure to do full range of motion reps. If you can't, then from here you will be working on chest to bar pull up progression.
• Eventually you can do weighted pull up progression or other advanced progressions.

Practice pull up grip variations too!

Try different grip variations once you get the standard grip pull up down.

• Close Grip
• Wide Grip
• Neutral Grip
• Switch Grip

We will run through these further below.

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Pull Up Progression Chart

Here is a chart that covers everything above. You can screenshot this for when you start the pull up progression program.

WHEN TO DO THESE PULL UP PROGRESSION EXERCISES?

Week by week, do these exercise 1-3 times a week, spread out evenly (make sure you are fully recovered from the previous workout).

You can do these at the beginning of your regular workout routine on back day. Or, you can do them separately from your regular workout plan (i.e. if you workout in the evening, do these in the morning).

HOW TO DO A PULL UP WITH CORRECT FORM

1. Get into a dead hang position, which means you are hanging down completely straight, arms extended, scapula relaxed. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Activate your scapula by pulling them down and back (retract and depress your shoulder blades). This will put you in a position to use your lats and arms to pull you up. Skipping this step can lead to instability. 
3. From there, use your back (focus on your lats) to pull your body up in a straight line. Your arms are there to assist you, not do all the work.
4. Keep your chest up and shoulder blades retracted as you pull up.
5. Get your chin above the bar. Then slowly lower back down to a dead hang with your arms fully extended and repeat.

PULL UP FORM TIPS:

• Everything should be done in one fluid motion. Dead hang -> Scapular Activation -> Pulling Yourself Up...it's all one smooth movement.
• Don’t cheat. Unless you are doing Crossfit, don't kip or swing your body. It's better to do 5 strict pull ups than it is to do 10 flailing ones.
• Use a full range of motion. Again, it's better to do 5 perfect reps than it is to do 10 half reps. 

PULL UP TEST Comparison

1. Make sure you have a pull up bar that is high enough so you can fully hang (ideally with your legs straight).
2. Using the correct pull up form that we went over above, do as many pull ups as you can. 
3. Record your score. 

Remember, these are full range of motion, strict pull ups. No cheating.

Test Results:

Here are the average number of pull ups that teens and adults (both male and female) can do. See how you stack up!

Teens:

• Boys 13-18: 3-8 is average. The older you are, the more you should be on the higher end.
• Girls 13-18: 1 pull up is average.

Adults:

• Men: 8 is average, 13-17 is considered above average.
• Women: 1-3 is average, 5-9 is considered above average.

Based on your test result, here is how you can go about training:

• If you can’t perform a proper pull up: Follow the progression plan above from start to finish.
• If you can perform a proper pull up, but you are below average: Skip the progression plan and work on doing strict pull ups. Band assisted and negative pull ups will also be beneficial for you at this stage (you saw these above in the progression plan). Practice pull ups 2-3 times a week if you can. Perform 5 sets to near failure each time. Do this and you will see your reps increase quickly. Be sure to give yourself enough rest time between days so that your muscles can recover.
• If you can do the average or above average reps: Start to practice with some more advanced pull up variations and weighted pull ups. You can also try other methods of progressive overload, like lowering rest time, slowing down your reps (slower tempo), or adding more reps. That way you can continue to improve and get stronger, bigger, and gain more upper body endurance.

Why can't I do pull ups?

There could be a number of reasons why you can’t do a pull up, including it being completely mental. The most common reason people can’t do them, is they don't have the upper body strength and/or grip strength. This could be from a lack of strength training, an injury, or being overweight.

The good news is you can do it if you set your mind to it. Training to do pull ups is simple. The other good news is there are tons of pull up variations, meaning there is definitely a regression of the exercise you can start doing now. Follow the progression guide above and you will achieve your first pull up before you know it!

Pull Ups Muscles Worked

Let’s take a look at the anatomy of the muscles worked with a standard pull up. This is just good to know, plus it should help with mind-muscle connection.

Primary muscles (movers):

• Latissimus Dorsi (largest muscle of your back) - primary mover**
• Biceps Brachii
• Brachioradialis and brachialis (forearms)
• Infraspinatus
• Lower Trapezius

Secondary muscles:

• Rear deltoid
• Rhomboids
• Levator scapulae
• Pectoralis Major/Minor

Stabilizers:

• Rotator Cuff Muscles (infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor)
• Triceps
• Obliques
• Erector Spinae

Importance of Grip Strength

Grip strength is a major factor for pull ups. Even if your back and arms are strong enough to pull you up, if you don’t have the grip strength (and grip endurance), you won’t be able to do sets. Therefore, working on your grip strength will directly improve your pull ups.

Here are other things you can do to improve your grip strength.

Benefits of Pull Ups

The pull up is one of the most important upper body exercises that you can do, and the benefits are endless. It doesn't matter what workout program you are running - bodybuilding, calisthenics, powerlifting, etc., - pull ups should be included in your workout program.

No questions asked.

It’s an essential exercise for building upper body mass and pulling strength. This applies to all fitness levels, and it works for all fitness levels because of its incredible versatility.

If you can’t do a pull up, then this should be one of the first things you aim to master in fitness. There's a reason it is included in every fitness test (i.e. Military). It is a clear indicator of overall strength, as are push ups.

What are pull ups good for?

1. The pull up is one of the most effective compound exercises for strengthening and building back muscles, which includes your latissimus dorsi, trapezius, erector spinae, and infraspinatus. What man doesn’t want a strong, wide back like that of a silver back gorilla? And what women doesn’t want a defined, beautiful, v-shape back?
2. They will strengthen your biceps, forearms, and shoulders as well. In fact, many will agree that pull ups and chin ups are the best bicep exercises you can do. The best part is all you need is your own bodyweight.
3. They will help you build incredible grip strength. Way underrated.
4. They also increase shoulder stability and core strength! As those are your stabilizing muscles when performing pull ups.
5. Improves upper body explosiveness. This will lead to improvements in all areas of your fitness as well as competitive sports.
6. They burn a lot of calories. They're difficult so they will get your heart pumping like crazy, allowing you to burn more calories (and thus fat) and boost your metabolism.
7. The are so many ways to continue progressing. When a strict pull up becomes too easy, you can progress by adding more reps, lowering rest time, doing harder variations or adding more weight to your body (weighted vest or weight belt). There are so many ways to make them more challenging (or easier). Furthermore, each variation creates different stimulus on your muscles, which is great for increasing strength and total muscle development.
8. They are a bit easier on the joints than other exercises. Unlike squats, deadlifts, bench press, and military press, pull ups are much less taxing on the joints. The best part is, they offer just as much reward as these big lifts. They are high reward, low risk for the most part. There aren’t many exercises like this (burpees are another high reward low risk exercises!).
9. They'll help you improve posture.

The above is not an exhaustive list of benefits. We could really go on and on about why they're great, but we will leave it at that. You get the point.

PULL UP VARIATIONS

All pull up exercises will be a vertical pulling motion, so pretty much all the same muscles will be worked no matter what variation you chose.

However, there are differences in which muscles are being activated more and the intensity of the muscle contraction depending on the variation you choose. For example, a wide grip emphasizes the lats more, while close grip involves the biceps more.

Once you master the standard pull up, performing different variations will be beneficial for building your lats, mid-back, rear delts, biceps, forearms and even your core.

Moreover, by recruiting the muscles equally, you will have more well-rounded strength, and it will help you become resilient to injuries and overuse of the muscles.

Grip Variations

• Pronated (overhand) vs Supinated (underhand) Grip: Overhand grip is going to be more difficult than an underhand grip because your biceps are in a less optimal position that is difficult to produce maximal force. Note: Overhand is considered a pull up. Underhand is a chin up.
• Neutral Grip: This is a grip where your hands are facing in towards each other. This would be considered middle difficulty, between overhand and underhand grip.
• Switch Grip: This is where one hand is facing in (underhand) and one is facing out (overhand). This is like a standard deadlift grip. This is not a typical grip for pull up exercises, but it is a way to change up the angle of how you are hitting your muscles. Just be sure to switch which hand is over and under evenly.

Grip Width Variations

You also have to consider the distance between your hands as this will change the stimulus on your muscles.

Close Grip: 

Standard Grip: 

Wide Grip: 

The wider your grip the harder the pull up will be as your lats are getting less help from your arms.

14 BEST VARIATIONS OF PULL UPS:

Let's have a look at our favorite variations. We have put them in order of easiest to hardest.

The main purpose of doing pull up variations is so you can hit your back from all angles. Thanks to these variations, all you need is a pull up bar to get a great back workout in. For the minimalists out there, this should be music to your ears. 

These variations can also be used for an advanced progression plan!

1. Chin Up

• Grip: Supinated (Underhand)
• Hand Position: Shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on the bicep, teres major, middle back

2. Switch Grip (aka Mixed Grip)

• Grip: Under/Over (like a deadlift)
• Hand Position: A little further than shoulder-width
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on arms and lats

Note: Be sure to switch your grip each set so you train your body evenly.

3. Mid-Grip Pull Up

• Grip: Pronated (Overhand)
• Hand Position: Slightly less than shoulder width
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on Inner lats, lower traps, and pecs. 

4. Close Grip Pull Up

• Grip: Pronated (Overhand)
• Hand Position: Centered and together
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on biceps, Inner lats, lower traps, and pecs 

5. Neutral Grip Pull Up

• Grip: Neutral (Facing in towards each other)
• Hand Position: Slightly less than shoulder width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on latissimus doris, trapezius, biceps

Note: We didn't have a standard neutral grip pull up bar to demonstrate on this day, which would have been easier than the parallel bars. The closer your hands are to each other, the easier it will be.

6. Wide Grip Pull Up

• Grip: Pronated (Overhand)
• Hand Position: Half-foot to a foot wider than your shoulders on both sides
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on the latissimus doris, trapezius, rhomboids, external obliques

7. Commando Pull Ups

• Grip: In/in
• Hand Position: Stacked - body perpendicular with the bar, directly underneath.
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on biceps, traps, lats.

8. Slow Down Pull Ups

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: Standard (Shoulder-width or slightly more than shoulder width)
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats, traps, biceps, rhomboids. This one works all the same muscles as a standard pull up (so your entire back) but it does it with more eccentric contraction. Thus, this is a great movement to develop strength and endurance in your pull up game. 

9. Behind the Neck Pull Ups

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: More than shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats, traps, rhomboids major and minor, pectoralis, biceps, teres major.

10. Lean Back Pull Ups

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: More than shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats and core.

Note: It will be very hard to get your chin over the bar on this one, but it will still be effective if you can not. 

11. Pull Up Rows

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: More than shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats, forearms, shoulders, erector spinae, rhomboids, teres major. 

12. Typewriter Pull Ups

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: More than shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats and arms

Note: For this one, pull up to one side, so your chin is above the bar and near your hand. Then staying above the bar with your chin, move along the bar to your other hand, then return to the starting position. It's similar to an around the world pull ups. 

13. High Pull Up

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: Shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on lats, biceps, forearms, traps, core. 

Note: For this one, you can start by kipping (as seen in the pic, that was done with kipping pull ups). As you develop strength, try to perform high pull ups without kipping. This movement will directly help you gain strength and correct form to perform a muscle up. It's a muscle up progression exercise.

14. Plyometric Pull Ups (and Clapping Pull Up)

• Grip: Overhand
• Hand Position: Shoulder-width apart
• Primary Muscles Worked: Emphasis on the latissimus doris, trapezius, rhomboids, external obliques

Note: For this one, perform the pull up similar to a high pull up, you want to explode up so you can remove your hands from the bar (above the bar) then catch the bar on your way down. It's a very explosive exercise and the best back plyometric exercise you can do. As you develop strength for this, try to clap your hands together above the bar. 

More Advanced Pull Up Variations:

If you are getting really strong, you can start to try even more advanced pull ups, such as:

• Archer Pull Ups
• Muscle Ups
• One Arm Pull Ups
• L-Sit Pull Ups
• Towel Pull Ups

How to incorporate variations into your pull up routine?

At a bare minimum, you should be doing pull ups at least once a week for 3-5 sets. While strict form are always a go-to, you can mix in variations as you see fit. 

Now, if you want to really emphasize pull up training, the best routine will involve more variations and thus more sets. To do this, you can spread out your volume across the week. 

For example, the first session you could do:

• 3 Sets Wide Grip
• 3 Sets Standard Pull Ups
• 3 Sets Chin Ups
• 3 Sets Commando
• 3 Sets L-Sit Pull Ups

Then, on the second session that week you could do:

• 2 Sets Wide Grip
• 2 Sets Standard
• 2 Sets Chin Ups
• 2 Sets Behind the Neck
• 2 Sets Offset (each side)
• 1 Set Clapping Pull Ups
• 1 Set High Pull Ups

Note: If you are adding pull ups into your regular routine, the above is likely too much. So, adjust as needed and don’t worry so much about having the perfect plan, just get out there and do some pull ups. 

OTHER EXERCISES TO BUILD STRENGTH FOR PULL UPS

In addition to the pull up progression plan above, you can train for pull ups with other resistance exercises. The following exercises work as a progression to pull ups because they build strength in the same muscles used by the pull up.

• Lat pulldowns
• Single arm rows
• Barbell rows
• Bicep curls and other accessory exercises for arms.
• Deadlifts

Essentially any pulling exercise will help to strengthen your muscles for pull ups. But the best way to build pull up strength is by actually doing them!

2 PULL UP WORKOUTS

Here are two pull up workouts you can try.

1. BEGINNER PULLUPS WORKOUT:

• 5 Sets x Max Reps

Expecting something more in-depth? Nope, that’s it, just go out there and do your sets. If you can do more sets, then go for it! Aim to do a minimum of 5 sets, though.

2. INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED PULL UP WORKOUT:

With pull up variations, you can hit all the muscles in your back, allowing you to get a serious back workout in with just your pull up bar. Here is a good pull up-only workout that includes several variations, targeting all the muscles in your back effectively, along with your biceps, forearms and core.

• 3 Sets Wide Grip x Max Reps
• 3 Sets Standard x Max Reps
• 3 Sets Chin Ups x Max Reps
• 3 Sets L-Sit Pull Ups x 80% Max Reps
• 1 Set Clapping Pull Ups x 80% Max Reps
• 1 Set Commando Pull Ups x 80% Max Reps
• 1 Set (each side) Offset Pull Ups x 80% Max Reps
• 1 Set High Pull Ups x 80% Max Reps
• 1 Set Dead Hang x Max Time
• 1 Set Standard Pull Ups x Max Reps

6 PULL UP CHALLENGES

Let this be a bit of inspiration before you begin…

Pull up world record: 4,321 pull ups in 24 hours. Set by Mark Jordan, a 54-year old American from Texas.

Try these pull up challenges after you master the pull up. Record your scores and see how you improve over time.

Be sure to warm up before you attempt any of these challenges.

1) 1 Minute Pull Up Challenge (Beginner to Intermediate):

See how many strict pull ups you can do in 1 minute.

2) 5 Minute Pull Up Challenge (Intermediate):

See how many strict pull ups you can do in 5 minutes.

3) 10 Minute Pull Up Challenge (Advanced):

See how many strict pull ups you can do in 10 minutes.

4) 100 Reps Pull Up Challenge (Intermediate to Advanced):

Time yourself to see how long it takes you to do 100 pull ups with correct form.

5) Weighted Pull Ups Challenge (Intermediate to Advanced):

Test your 1RM on weighted pull ups.

6) Dead Hang Challenge (All Levels):

See how long you can hang onto a pull up bar at dead hang. If you have a strong grip, try this with one arm too! Test on both sides. 

Pull Up FAQs

Will pull ups make me bigger?

Absolutely. Pull ups are the most effective bodyweight exercise for building upper body muscle mass and strength, as they are very challenging. In fact, even among big lifts, pull ups land on top for building up the lats and biceps. They put a lot of tension on your upper body muscles. By doing pull ups on a weekly basis, you will build an impressive back and arms. 

And just to reiterate, once the standard pull ups become easy, there are many ways to increase the difficulty so you can continue to progress and build muscle...

For example, you can:

• Add more reps
• Lower rest time
• Do more sets
• Do a more difficult variation
• Add weight to your body with a weighted vest or belt.

All of these methods will allow for progressive overload.

What is a pull up progression plan?

A pull up progression plan is designed to help you build the strength and endurance needed to perform your first pull up. Essentially, the plan begins with easy regression exercises, and then works up from there with selected pull up variations and assisted pull ups. 

The regression exercises will have a progression to them as well. Meaning, they will get harder and harder, until you are able to do a proper pull up. Some of the regression exercises will also prime you, so that you develop good pull up habits.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If a regression exercise is too easy for you, you can skip it and start from a point in the progression plan that makes sense for you. 
• If you are still struggling with an exercise, keep at it for a week or two more until you get it.
• Conversely, if the exercises become easy quickly, advance at your own pace. 

Who should follow a pull up progression plan?

Easy answer. Anyone who can’t do a pull up with correct form.

If you can do a pull up, but not as many as you'd like, then keep working on strict pull ups. Do at least 5 sets of near-max reps 2 times a week. You can also incorporate some pull up variations into your training.

Finally, if you can do proper pull ups for a fair amount of reps, start adding weight to your pull ups and try some pull up variations, as this will allow you to continually progress and hit your back muscle fibers from all angles.

How many reps and sets should I do for pull ups?

Pull ups are like any other exercise. You'll typically want to work in a 5-20 rep range.

Whichever rep range you choose, be sure that you are challenging yourself in that rep range. To increase the difficulty, add weight with a weighted vest or weight belt. 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I DO PULL UPS?

If your goal is to improve your pull ups, then you should be doing them as often as you can. Just be sure your muscles have recovered from the previous session. At a bare minimum, train pull ups once a week. 

Can I do Pull Ups Every day?

This really depends on your fitness level. If you are just starting out, your body will need more time to recover. So, ideally, you’d do pull ups when your muscles have recovered, which would likely be 2-3 times a week (every couple days). 

The great thing about pull ups is that you can progress quickly. If you can do just 1-2 pull ups now, don’t be surprised if you can do 10 in a few weeks. Once they start getting easy, change up your tempo, rep scheme, rest time, etc. Aim to keep increasing the difficulty this way.

If you have a high fitness level right now, standard pull ups won’t tax your body as much and you will be able to do them more often. That being said, it would be more beneficial if you increase the difficulty instead of doing the same standard pull up rep scheme every day. And if you were to do this, it would make you sore and your muscles would need time to recover. Thus, you’d be doing them 2-3 times a week just like a beginner would.

Be sure to sleep good, eat good and drink a lot of water so you can recover optimally.

Related Content:

• Pull Ups vs Chin Ups, What's the Difference?
• 13 Best Pull Up Alternatives To Work The Same Muscles