Uneven Pull Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Grip the pull-up bar with your primary hand using a firm overhand grip.
2. Place your secondary hand lower than the primary hand, either by gripping a towel looped over the bar or a lower structural support.
3. Hang with arms fully extended, shoulders packed down, and feet crossed or held together.
4. Engage your core and glutes to create a rigid 'hollow body' position to prevent rotation.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you pull your chest toward the bar, focusing on driving the elbow of the primary arm down toward your ribcage.
2. Pull until your chin clears the bar, keeping the secondary arm as straight as possible to minimize its assistance.
3. Inhale as you lower yourself back to a full dead-hang with a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.
4. Complete the set on one side before switching hand positions to ensure symmetrical development.

Form checklist

• Keep your shoulders depressed and away from your ears throughout the movement.
• Avoid 'kipping' or using leg momentum to reach the top.
• Ensure the primary arm is doing at least 70-80% of the work.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid excessive arching in the lower back.
• Keep your torso square to the bar to prevent twisting toward the lower hand.

Pro tips

• To maximize lat engagement, imagine pulling the bar down to your chest rather than pulling your body up.
• The lower you place your secondary hand on the towel or support, the more difficult the exercise becomes for the primary arm.
• Squeeze the bar as hard as possible with your primary hand to increase neural drive and shoulder stability.

Make it harder

• Lower the secondary hand further down the towel to reduce its leverage and assistance.
• Add a 2-second isometric pause at the peak of the contraction with your chin over the bar.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the uneven pull up work?

The uneven pull up primarily targets the lats, rhomboids, and trapezius, and also works the forearms, grip muscles, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the uneven pull up?

The uneven pull up uses pull up bar.

Is the uneven pull up good for beginners?

The uneven pull up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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