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Explosive Pull Up
The Explosive Pull Up is a plyometric exercise on a pull-up bar for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 26%, lats (lower) 18% and biceps (long head) 8%.
How to do it
- Grip a pull-up bar with palms forward, a little wider than the shoulders.
- Hang with straight arms, legs together and the body braced.
- Pull as fast and hard as possible so the chest reaches or passes the bar.
- Keep hold of the bar at the top and absorb the height.
- Lower under control to a full hang, reset and repeat.
Tips
- Reset fully at the bottom so every rep starts from a dead stop.
- Aim for the bar to touch the lower chest or even the belly.
Common mistakes
- Kipping with the hips to create the speed.
- Dropping from the top straight into the next rep.
Muscles worked by the Explosive Pull Up
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Pulling the body up to a bar is shoulder adduction and extension led by the lats, with the elbow flexors and lower traps doing a large share; the core holds the body still.
Explosive Pull Up alternatives
Easier
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Explosive Pull Up work?
Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The biceps (long head), lower traps, biceps (short head), rhomboids and brachialis assist.
Is the Explosive Pull Up good for beginners?
The Explosive Pull Up is rated advanced. If you are new, learn the Pull Up first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Explosive Pull Up?
For example the Pull Up, Kipping Pull Up and Muscle Up. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
Sources
- Youdas et al. 2010, JSCR 24(12):3404-3414 (pull up, chin up)
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