Wide Grip Rear Pull Up

Master the wide grip rear pull-up to build a strong, broad back. This advanced bodyweight exercise targets your lats, traps, and rhomboids effectively.

AdvancedBack Body weight

Movement: Compound
Force: Pull
Per set: 1 min
Rest: 2 min

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Variations of Wide Grip Rear Pull Up

Compound

Shoulder Width Neutral Grip Pull-up

Back · Body weight

Intermediate

Compound

Reverse grip Pull up

Back · Body weight

Advanced

Compound

Close Grip Pull-Up

Back · Body weight

Advanced

Compound

Wide Grip Pull Up

Back · Body weight

Intermediate

Description

A pull-up variation that primarily targets the lats, traps, and rhomboids. The exercise is performed by pulling oneself up on a bar with a wide grip and leaning back slightly.

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How to do Wide Grip Rear Pull Up

01
Setup
Stand under a pull-up bar and grasp it with a wide, pronated (palms facing away) grip, about 1.5 times shoulder-width apart.
02
Setup
Hang freely with your arms fully extended, shoulders depressed, and a slight arch in your lower back, engaging your core.
03
Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down and back, leaning your torso back slightly as you pull your upper chest towards the bar.
04
Continue pulling until your upper chest or clavicle makes contact with the bar, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the peak contraction.
05
Slowly and with control, lower your body back to the starting dead hang position, fully extending your arms and feeling a stretch in your lats.

Tips

Focus on scapular depression and retraction: Before initiating the pull, actively depress and retract your shoulder blades to properly engage your lats and prevent shrugging.
Maintain a slight lean: Leaning back slightly during the pull helps to better align the lats for optimal contraction, emphasizing the "rear" aspect of the pull-up.
Control the eccentric phase: Don't just drop down; slowly lower your body over 2-3 seconds to maximize time under tension and build greater strength and muscle mass.
Breathe effectively: Exhale forcefully as you pull up and inhale slowly as you lower down, using your breath to assist with core stability and power.

Common mistakes

Not achieving a full range of motion limits muscle activation; ensure you fully extend your arms at the bottom and pull until your upper chest touches the bar.
Using momentum or swinging to get up reduces the target muscle's work; focus on a strict, controlled pull by engaging your back muscles throughout the movement.
Shrugging your shoulders towards your ears instead of depressing them can lead to neck strain; actively pull your shoulder blades down and back as you ascend.

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Questions

Is Wide Grip Rear Pull Up good for beginners?

Wide Grip Rear Pull Up is rated advanced. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.

What equipment do I need for Wide Grip Rear Pull Up?

You need Body weight to perform Wide Grip Rear Pull Up. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.

What are the best tips for Wide Grip Rear Pull Up?

Focus on scapular depression and retraction: Before initiating the pull, actively depress and retract your shoulder blades to properly engage your lats and prevent shrugging. Maintain a slight lean: Leaning back slightly during the pull helps to better align the lats for optimal contraction, emphasizing the "rear" aspect of the pull-up. Control the eccentric phase: Don't just drop down; slowly lower your body over 2-3 seconds to maximize time under tension and build greater strength and muscle mass. Breathe effectively: Exhale forcefully as you pull up and inhale slowly as you lower down, using your breath to assist with core stability and power.

What are common mistakes when doing Wide Grip Rear Pull Up?

Not achieving a full range of motion limits muscle activation; ensure you fully extend your arms at the bottom and pull until your upper chest touches the bar. Using momentum or swinging to get up reduces the target muscle's work; focus on a strict, controlled pull by engaging your back muscles throughout the movement. Shrugging your shoulders towards your ears instead of depressing them can lead to neck strain; actively pull your shoulder blades down and back as you ascend.