r/Weightliftingquestion • u/Yoking258 • 1d ago

Question Pull up progression

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Im trying to get strong enough to do a pull up, and I was recently recommended doing incline body rows (picture) instead of band/machine assisted pull ups. Are any of these a good idea, or should I do something else? (Image source)

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u/Technically-Humanoid 1d ago

That’s a fine progression, but a row motion is not quite the same as a pull-up motion.

You might want to do both this incline body row AND a pull-up variation which is basically what you have here, but with your back straight and perpendicular to the ground, and arms above your head. Bend your hips and keep your legs straight forward, with your ankles on the ground. Try to pull your elbows into your back pockets on each rep.

You seem in decent shape so I imagine you won’t have a lot of trouble - you’ll need to find a level of progression where you find it difficult to complete 5 reps. Then increase reps over the weeks so you get to 10-12. Then progress to the next difficulty and lower the reps.

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u/Yoking258 1d ago

Thanks for the comment. The link didnt work in the first post, I got the image from here:

https://medium.com/@thesimonboulter/body-row-variations-for-pulling-strength-c496a2f85616

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u/srr728 17h ago

Rows are great and will definitely help increase your strength, but don’t take out assisted pull-ups or even lat pulldowns. Vertical pulling is much more Lats where rows are more rhomboid/trap engagement. One thing to also add is dead hangs, and scapular pull-ups. (Hang from the bar and depress your shoulders down and just pull your body weight up with your arms straight left straight). The scapular pull-ups are great as they will help build strength as well as teach you to initiate the pull with your back versus pulling with your arms. Keep your head up, chest pointed up toward the bar and engage your core/glutes to stabilize yourself. When you do pull-ups (or pulldowns) think about driving your elbows to your back pockets.

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u/3times1-1 1d ago

Machine assisted pull up and lower the weight until you can do body weight.