Home/pull/Wide Grip Pull-up

Wide Grip Pull-up

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ Intermediatepull

Home Setup

Install a doorway pull-up bar or use a sturdy exposed beam, ensuring it can support at least 1.5x your bodyweight and allows full arm extension without feet touching the ground

doorway pull-up barceiling beamsturdy door frame

💡 Pro tip: Place a chair nearby for assisted negatives when training to failure, and ensure at least 6 inches of clearance on each side of the doorframe for proper wide grip positioning

Gym Setup

Standard pull-up bar or assisted pull-up machine with wide grip handles positioned 6-12 inches wider than shoulder-width on each side

Safety: Ensure the bar is secure and rated for your weight; avoid swinging or kipping to prevent shoulder strain; use a spotter or resistance band for assistance if unable to complete reps with proper form

💪 Muscles Worked

Latissimus DorsiTeres MajorLower TrapeziusRhomboidsBiceps Brachii

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Wide grip pull-ups are exceptional for building back width and developing the V-taper physique by maximally engaging the outer lats. This variation reduces bicep involvement compared to narrow grips, placing greater emphasis on the back muscles and improving shoulder stability and scapular control essential for advanced calisthenics movements.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Resistance Band Assisted Wide Grip Pull-up

pull-up bar + resistance band

Reduces effective bodyweight by 20-60% depending on band thickness, allowing proper form development while building strength

2. Wide Grip Negative Pull-up

pull-up bar + box or bench

Focuses on the eccentric phase which is easier to control and builds strength faster than concentric movements

3. Wide Grip Inverted Row

low bar + TRX straps + sturdy table

Horizontal pulling pattern with adjustable difficulty based on body angle, builds same muscle groups with reduced load

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Weighted Wide Grip Pull-up

pull-up bar + weight belt + dumbbell + weighted vest

Adds external resistance to increase strength demands beyond bodyweight

2. Wide Grip Chest-to-Bar Pull-up

pull-up bar

Increases range of motion by requiring chest to touch the bar, demanding greater lat and upper back strength

3. Wide Grip L-Sit Pull-up

pull-up bar

Adds core stabilization challenge and prevents momentum by maintaining legs parallel to ground throughout movement

↕️ Similar Movements

Standard Grip Pull-up
Shoulder-width variation that allows more bicep involvement and typically higher rep counts
Chin-up
Supinated grip variation that shifts emphasis to biceps while still training back muscles
Archer Pull-up
Unilateral progression that develops single-arm pulling strength using wide hand positioning
Muscle-up
Advanced progression combining pull-up with transition and dip, requiring explosive pulling power
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
Machine-based alternative with similar movement pattern and adjustable resistance for building foundational strength

Form Checklist

✓Grip the bar 6-12 inches wider than shoulders with thumbs over or around bar
✓Initiate pull by depressing and retracting shoulder blades, then drive elbows down and back
✓Pull until chin clears the bar while keeping chest up and core engaged
✓Lower with control to full arm extension without losing shoulder blade engagement
✓Avoid excessive swinging, kipping, or shrugging shoulders toward ears

Common Mistakes

  • •Gripping too wide (beyond comfortable range) which limits range of motion and increases shoulder injury risk
  • •Using momentum or kipping to complete reps instead of controlled muscular contraction
  • •Not achieving full range of motion by stopping short at the top or not extending fully at the bottom
  • •Allowing shoulders to shrug up toward ears instead of maintaining depressed, stable shoulder position
  • •Craning neck forward to get chin over bar rather than pulling chest toward bar

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can perform 3 sets of 8-10 strict wide grip pull-ups with full range of motion, 2-second controlled descent, and no momentum or form breakdown on the final rep