Exercise guide
Ring Pull-Up
- Advanced
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
The ring pull-up is a superior compound movement that allows for natural joint rotation, reducing shoulder strain while maximizing lat and bicep recruitment through an increased range of motion.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Adjust the rings to a height where you can hang with fully extended arms without your feet touching the floor.
- Grip the rings with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) or a false grip if preparing for muscle-ups.
- Assume a dead hang position with your legs straight or slightly in front in a 'hollow body' position.
- Depress your scapula by pulling your shoulder blades down away from your ears.
How to do it
- Exhale and pull your body upward by driving your elbows down toward your hips and pulling your chest toward the rings.
- Allow the rings to rotate naturally from a neutral grip to a supinated grip (palms facing you) as you reach the top of the movement.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the rings and your chest is close to your hands, pausing for a second to emphasize the contraction.
- Inhale and lower yourself with a controlled 2-3 second tempo back to the starting dead hang position, rotating the wrists back to neutral.
Form checklist
- Maintain a tight core and squeezed glutes to prevent swinging or kipping.
- Ensure your elbows stay relatively close to your ribcage rather than flaring out excessively.
- Achieve a full range of motion by starting from a dead hang and finishing with the chest at ring height.
- Keep your neck neutral; do not reach with your chin to get over the rings.
Pro tips
- At the peak of the movement, try to 'pull the rings apart' slightly to maximize the activation of your rear deltoids and middle trapezius.
- Focus on the eccentric phase; the instability of the rings requires more motor unit recruitment to stabilize the descent.
Make it harder
- L-Sit Ring Pull-Up: Perform the entire movement with your legs held straight out in front of you, parallel to the floor.
- Weighted Ring Pull-Up: Use a dip belt or weighted vest to increase the resistance once you can comfortably perform 10-12 bodyweight reps.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the ring pull-up work?
- The ring pull-up primarily targets the lats and trapezius, and also works the abs, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the ring pull-up?
- The ring pull-up uses suspension trainer.
- Is the ring pull-up good for beginners?
- The ring pull-up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.