Exercise guide
Ring Wide Pull Up
- Advanced
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
The Ring Wide Pull Up utilizes the instability of suspension rings to maximize lat width and upper back recruitment while allowing for a more natural joint path than a fixed bar. This advanced variation emphasizes the outer lats and rear deltoids, requiring significant shoulder stability and core control.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Adjust the rings to a height where you can hang with arms fully extended and feet clear of the floor.
- Set the rings significantly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the rings with a pronated (overhand) grip, ensuring your palms face away from you.
- Engage your core and glutes to maintain a slight hollow-body position with legs straight or crossed.
How to do it
- Exhale as you pull your body upward by driving your elbows down and out toward your sides.
- Continue the pull until your chest is level with the rings, focusing on pulling the rings 'apart' as you rise.
- Inhale as you lower yourself back to the starting position with a controlled 3-second eccentric phase.
- Return to a full dead hang with arms locked out before beginning the next repetition.
Form checklist
- Keep your elbows flared out to the sides rather than tucked forward.
- Maintain a neutral neck and avoid reaching upward with your chin.
- Ensure the rings do not rotate inward; keep the palms facing forward throughout the movement.
- Avoid swinging or using momentum from the lower body to assist the pull.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'mind-muscle connection' by imagining you are pulling your elbows to your ribcage rather than pulling your hands to the rings.
- At the top of the movement, actively depress your scapula (shoulder blades) to ensure maximum lat and lower trap engagement.
Make it harder
- Perform the exercise in an L-sit position to increase core demand and shift the center of gravity.
- Add a pause at the peak of the contraction for 2 seconds to eliminate all momentum.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the ring wide pull up work?
- The ring wide 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 wide pull up?
- The ring wide pull up uses suspension trainer.
- Is the ring wide pull up good for beginners?
- The ring wide pull up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.