Your Complete Guide to Doing
Pull-ups (Even if you can't do One) To Get Bigger Back & Biceps

• How To Get Strong Enough to Do 1 Pull-up
• Pull-up Workout for Bigger Back & Biceps
• Pull-ups vs. Chin-ups. Which is Better?
• 6 Best Kinds of Pull-ups & Chin-ups

To Get Strong Enough to Do 1,

• Do 1 of the 5 exercises below for 2-to-4 sets of 5 reps. Once you're able to do 2-to-4 sets of 5 reps,
• Use less assistance in your next workout to gradually build up enough strength to do one Pull-up on your own.

This is the best way because it's easier to track your progress by gradually decreasing the assistance by 5-to-10 pounds. The other ways are harder to verify how close you're getting to doing pull-ups on your own.

Depending on the type & how many bands you have available… It may be a difference of 50 pounds worth of assistance between bands and if that's the case… You may have to do sets of 10-to-20 reps before you progress to the next level.

• If you're unable to make each negative rep last at least 5 seconds then stick with 1 of the 4 exercises above but usually,
• Once you're able to complete at least TWO 5-to-10 second negative pull-ups you should be strong enough to do 1 pull-up.

Quick Tip → Do negative pull-ups AFTER Doing assisted pull-ups to quickly build up enough strength to do 1 pull-up.

Pull-up Workout for Bigger Back & Biceps

Do 6-to-12 sets of 6-to-20 reps of ONE of the 6 kinds of Pull-ups or Chin-ups below 1-to-2 days per week depending on your goal (see pull-ups vs. chin-ups)

• To progressively get bigger & stronger back and biceps you'll need to go from bodyweight-to-weighted Pull-ups or Chin-ups.
• Use a Weight Vest, Dipping Belt, book bag filled with weights, hold a dumbbell or weight between your legs to do weighted Pull-ups or Chin-ups.

Tip → Do Supersets of Pull-ups or Chin-ups with Dips to make every muscle in your upper body bigger.

Pull-ups vs. Chin-ups → Which is Better?

• Pull-ups done with your palms facing away focus more on your back muscles and are harder to do
• Chin-ups done with your palms facing you focus more on your biceps and the easiest to do.
• Parallel Pull-ups done with your palms facing each other focus equally on back & biceps.
• The close grip Pull-up and Chin-up variations work your arms more.
• The wider shoulder width grip Pull-ups and Chin-ups work your back more.

Don't use an ultra wide grip wider than shoulder width because it can actually injure your joints and it decreases your range of motion giving you a worse workout.

6 Kinds of Pull-ups & Chin-ups

Sternum Chin-ups not only work your biceps & back but also your chest because it's like doing a bodyweight pullover but… They're also the hardest to do because you have to touch your chest to the bar.

Close grip chin-ups is the best compound exercise you can do to quickly get bigger biceps.

Close Grip Pull-ups is the best exercise for your biceps peak or the brachialis muscles centered between your biceps & triceps. A bigger brachialis makes your biceps look bigger.

Do regular pull-ups to focus mostly on your back.

More Tips

• How to Build Muscle At-Home Without Weights
• The Best Exercise for Bigger, Broader Shoulders
• How to Get a Bigger Back
• How To Get Bigger Arms