PlanWorkouts

Exercise 0670 · REF CbFSYC1

Rear Pull-Up exercise animation

Rear Pull-Up

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Lats

The rear pull-up brings the bar down behind the neck rather than to the front of the chest, which changes the shoulder angle and puts the joint in a position that not everyone's shoulders tolerate well. A front pull-up is the safer default for most lifters unless shoulder mobility is already solid.

How to Do the Rear Pull-Up

  1. Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
  3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

The Rear Pull-Up primarily targets the Lats, with Biceps as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Forearms.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Lats Exercises

Back Pec Stretch Back Pec Stretch Body Weight · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band · Lats Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band · Lats

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same lats with different equipment.

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell · Lats

FAQ

What muscles does the Rear Pull-Up work?
The Rear Pull-Up primarily targets the lats, with the biceps and forearms assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Rear Pull-Up?
The Rear Pull-Up is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Rear Pull-Up?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Alternate Lateral Pulldown targets the same lats using cable instead.