16 Different Pull-Up Grips For Building a Jacked Physique

Pull-ups are a compound movement that engages almost every muscle group in your upper body. It is one of the most versatile exercises, and you can program it into any workout, depending on your training objectives.

Whether your goal is to build muscle and strength or improve your overall functionality, pull-ups can help you get there. The effectiveness of pull-ups makes them a staple in calisthenics training. This article is a treasure trove for exercisers who want a list of the best pull-up variations.

Why Use Different Pull-Up Grips?

Many exercisers stick to a single pull-up grip and question the need for switching hand positions.

The conventional shoulder-wide pull-up primarily engages the lats while also engaging other muscle groups like the biceps, forearms, and upper back musculature, including the rhomboids, traps, and teres major and minor.

Different pull-up grips comprise unique lines and angles of pull and involve a varying degree of elbow flexion and extension. It can help target your muscles from different angles, improving overall growth and development. Also, some pull-up grips are more difficult to execute, which ensures you are constantly learning new skills. Changing your pull-up grips can help you avoid and break through strength and muscle plateaus.

Besides covering different pull-up grips, we will also delve into some of the most effective pull-up variations, which will help you take your gains to the next level.

16 Different Pull-Up Grips & Variations You Must Master

Here are the 16 different pull-up grips and variations that should be a part of your exercise arsenal:

Shoulder Wide Pull-Up

This is the most popular pull-up grip and is the one taught to newbies. Drilling the conventional pull-up before moving on to other variations will help you build a solid base.

Steps:

1. Stand on an elevated platform like an aerobic step under a pull-up bar.
2. Grab the pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip. Wrap your thumbs around your fingers.
3. Step off the elevated platform. Your body should be in a straight line.
4. Brace your core and pull your chin over the bar by driving your elbows toward the floor and into your sides while contracting your lats.
5. Pause and squeeze your lats at the top of the motion.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the recommended reps.

Wide Grip Pull-Up

The wide-grip pull-up results in much greater upper and lowers lats and trapezius muscle engagement than the conventional pull-up. However, holding the bar with a wider grip makes the exercise harder.

Steps:

1. Grab the pull-up bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width grip.
2. Keeping your chest proud and back slightly arched, lift your chest to the pull-up bar by flexing your elbows and driving through your lats.
3. Hold the isometric contraction at the top.
4. Slowly return to the start position.
5. Rinse and repeat.

Behind-the-Neck Pull-Up

This pull-up variation involves the same hand placement as the wide-grip pull-up. However, the angle of pull will change slightly. During the conventional wide-grip pull-up, you stand facing the pull-up bar, whereas you’ll be standing under the bar in this exercise.

Steps:

1. While standing under a pull-up bar, grab the bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width overhand grip.
2. Brace your core, lean forward slightly, and pull the back of your neck to the pull-up bar.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.
4. Your mobility can be a limiting factor in his pull-up variation. Ensure that you are adequately warmed up before performing this exercise.

Narrow Grip Pull-Up

This is an advanced pull-up variation. Holding the bar close together increases your range of motion, requiring greater elbow and shoulder extension and flexion. You will also have to work harder to hold the lats in the shortened position at the top of the range of motion.

Steps:

1. Grab the pull-up bar with a narrow (close-than-shoulder-width) overhand grip.
2. Keeping your elbows parallel, begin the movement by flexing your elbows.
3. Your body will move in a slight arc while performing this exercise.
4. Hold the isometric contraction at the top.

Neutral Grip Pull-Up

Some lifters find the overhand grip taxing on their wrists and forearms. The neutral-grip pull-ups, also known as the hammer-grip pull-ups, can solve this problem. However, you will need a pull-up bar with parallel bars for this exercise.

Steps:

1. Grab the parallel bars using a neutral (palms facing inward) grip.
2. Keeping your elbows pinned, raise your chin over the bar by flexing your elbows.
3. Pause and contract your lats at the top of the range of motion.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Underhand Grip Pull-Up

Also known as the chin-up, this exercise also targets the biceps. Many exercisers use ‘chin-ups’ and ‘pull-ups’ interchangeably; however, these are different exercises. The primary difference between the two is that pull-ups involve an overhand grip, whereas chin-ups involve an underhand grip.

Steps:

1. Grasp a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide underhand grip.
2. Maintain a slight arch in your back to bias your lats.
3. Keeping your upper arms parallel, raise your chin over the bar.
4. Hold the isometric contraction at the top.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Use slow eccentrics to focus on your biceps.

False-Grip Pull-Up

Many exercisers complain of biceps and forearm stimulation while performing pull-ups. Using a false grip can help limit this. In a false grip, you place your thumb over the pull-up bar instead of wrapping it around the bar. It is also known as a monkey grip.

You could employ a false grip while using the shoulder-wide, narrow, or wide grips. Some people also use the monkey grip while performing the chin-ups to restrict forearm engagement and focus on their lats.

Remember, although the false grip limits forearm engagement on pull-ups, it can lead to greater forearm recruitment on high-skill gymnastics movements like the ring muscle-ups by firing up the brachioradialis and forearm flexors.

Mixed Grip Pull-Up

This variation is excellent for folks that have difficulty holding onto the pull-up bar using a double overhand or underhand grip. In the mixed grip pull-up, one hand is in the overhand position, whereas the other is in the underhand position.

Steps:

1. Hold the pull-up bar using a pronated grip and a supinated grip.
2. Pull your chin over the bar by bending your elbows and driving them into your side.
3. You can stack your ankles while performing this exercise for better stability.

Mixed Grip Military Pull-Ups

This exercise combines the neutral grip and the mixed-grip pull-ups and takes it a step further. Remember, you must follow a full range of motion while performing these exercises to get the best bang for your buck.

According to a Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports study, “Full range of motion (ROM) resistance training is more effective than partial ROM to maximize muscle strength and muscle hypertrophy.” [1]

Steps:

1. Stand under a pull-up bar, so it is perpendicular to your body.
2. Grab the bar with your right hand over your head. Place the second hand next to your right.
3. Brace your core and pull yourself toward the ceiling while pushing your elbows together.
4. Move your head to your right side as it passes over your elbow pits. Your left ear should be next to the bar at the top of the range of motion.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
7. Switch your hand placement between sets for balanced strength and muscle development.

Towel Pull-Up

We are pulling into the advanced pull-up territory with this exercise. You must master the nine exercises mentioned above before trying the following seven pull-up variations.

Towel pull-ups are the best pull-up exercise to build forearm and grip strength. While this exercise might look similar to neutral-grip pull-ups, the towel completely changes the dynamics of the movement. You will end up with a forearm-ripping muscle pump after a single set of towel pull-ups.

Steps:

1. Wrap a towel around a pull-up bar.
2. Grab both ends of the towel using a neutral grip. Hold the towel closer to the pull-up bar for an optimal range of motion. Also, beginners with a weak grip strength might slide down the towel during the strength.
3. Keeping your upper arms parallel, bring your shoulders to your hands by flexing your elbows and contracting your lats.
4. Pause and contract your lats at the top.

Typewriter Pull-Up

The typewriter pull-ups are a favorite of calisthenics experts. This exercise demands insane upper body and core strength to perform correctly.

Steps:

1. Hang onto a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide monkey grip.
2. Perform a pull-up so that your chin is over the bar. Your body should be in a straight line at this position.
3. Bring your body’s midline toward your right hand. Your left shoulder and biceps should touch the pull-up bar at this position, and your left forearm and hand should be resting on top of the bar. Your left arm should be parallel to the ground, whereas your right upper arm should be perpendicular.
4. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat on your left side.
6. Alternate between sides for the recommended reps before lowering your chin below the bar.

Around the World Pull-Up

Around the world pull-ups help you focus on one side of your body at a time, resulting in better mind-muscle connection. That said, they require much greater core strength, stabilizer recruitment, and hand-eye coordination.

Steps:

1. Hang off a pull-up bar using a wider-than-shoulder-width overhand hand.
2. Contract your lats and pull yourself toward your right hand in a semi-circle.
3. Move back to the center of the bar in a sweeping motion as your head approaches your right hand.
4. Your chin should be in the center and over the pull-up bar at the top of the motion.
5. Lower yourself to the starting position in a circular motion on your left side.
6. This one full circle will be one rep.
7. Complete the recommended reps using the same anti-clockwise motion.
8. Use the clockwise pattern for the next set.

Uneven Pull-Up

In uneven pull-ups, you hold the bar with one hand while you hold onto an implement hanging off the bar with the other hand. The implement could be a towel, resistance band, or a D-handle bar.

Steps:

1. Wrap a towel around a pull-up bar.
2. Grab onto the pull-up bar with your right hand and hold the towel 10 inches below the bar.
3. Brace your core, contract your lats, and lift your chest to the pull-up bar.
4. Ensure that your shoulders are square throughout the range of motion.
5. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
6. Perform an even number of sets for this exercise to ensure balance development.

One-Arm Pull-Up

Single-arm pull-ups are undoubtedly one of the most badass-looking pull-ups. It is an ultimate testament to your grip and upper body strength. It’s safe to say that folks who can perform a bodyweight one-arm pull-up can pull themselves out of any life-threatening danger.

Steps:

1. Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip using your right hand.
2. Initiate the movement by pulling your shoulder blade back and down.
3. Contract your lats and push your elbow down and into your side to lift yourself to the pull-up bar.
4. As you approach the pull-up bar, shrug your left shoulder and touch it to the bar.
5. Slowly lower into the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps before switching sides.

Muscle Up

The muscle up is arguably the most difficult exercise on this list. This exercise requires total body control, coordination, and strength. Muscle-ups have a steep learning curve, and getting your first muscle up might take a long time.

Steps:

1. Hang onto a pull-up bar with a shoulder-wide double overhand grip and start kipping.
2. While transitioning from the arched position to the hollow body position, lean back slightly, generate an explosive hip pop, and pull the bar to your belly button by driving through your elbows.
3. Roll your hands over the bar and lean over it.
4. Complete the movement by performing a triceps dip.
5. Drop into a hollowing position and transition into an arched position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Different Implements

The more hand grips you try on the pull-ups, the better you will get at this exercise. Place a V-handle bar around a parallel bar, hang off the cable pulley machine’s thick railings instead of the pull-up bar, or attach ball grips to a squat rack. Get creative, and you’ll be surprised by the improvements in your pulling performance.

How To Choose The Best Pull-Up Grip For You

Here are the things to consider while choosing the right grip for you:

Body Mechanics

Each individual is built differently. What feels great to someone might be uncomfortable for the other. People with broad shoulders usually prefer a wider-than-shoulder-width grip, whereas exercisers with average-sized shoulders find the shoulder-wide grip most comfortable. That said, you should always try different grips before settling on one.

Training Objective

Trainers trying to limit the muscle engagement to their backs should opt for the overhand grip, whereas individuals attempting to incorporate their arms should use the underhand or neutral grips. People training for hypertrophy and aiming for a V-taper should use a wide grip and perform three to five sets of 8-12 reps. On the flip side, people training for endurance should favor the shoulder-wide grip.

Benefits of Pull-Ups

Here are the advantages of adding pull-ups to your training regimen:

1. Build Strength and Muscle Mass: Pull-ups can help improve your aesthetics by building new muscle tissue. Lifters aiming to improve their strength should do three to six sets of one to five reps of weighted pull-ups.
2. Boosts Grip Strength: Performing pull-ups involve holding onto your body weight for an extended period, which can improve your grip strength.
3. Promotes Coordination: Pull-up variations like muscle-ups, around the world, typewriter pull-ups, and mixed grip military pull-ups will help improve your hand-eye coordination.
4. Improves Posture: Individuals suffering from a hunched back or rounded shoulders can benefit from doing pull-ups as it can undo the damage of a sedentary lifestyle.
5. Enhances Core Strength: Pull-ups are an excellent core exercise. The more advanced exercises on the different pull-up grips list can help boost your core stabilizer strength.

FAQs

Should I do kipping or strict pull-ups?

The strict vs. kipping pull-up debate is often a hot one. The truth is, both should have a place in your training program. You should do strict pull-ups to bias hypertrophy, whereas kipping pull-ups should be your go-to for endurance training, where you need to perform a high number of reps per set.

Which type of grip do kipping and chest-to-bar pull-ups include?

Most exercisers recommend a slightly wider-than-shoulder-width grip for kipping and chest-to-bar pull-ups. However, your body mechanics and training goal play a huge role in determining your grip width. Folks with broad shoulders and decent upper body strength training for endurance can use a wider grip as it involves a shorter range of motion.

People trying to bias the upper lats should stick to the shoulder-wide grip, whereas lifters working on their lower lats can use a wider grip.

Do I need to warm up before doing pull-ups?

Since most people stick to bodyweight pull-ups, they don’t feel the need to warm up before starting their back workout. However, not only does it lead to suboptimal results, it also increases your risk of injury. You must spend 10-15 minutes warming up before a training session to get your blood flowing and ensure your ligaments, tendons, muscles, and joints are ready for your workout.

Can I replace pull-ups with lat pulldowns in my training regime?

Many lifters tend to substitute bodyweight pull-ups with lat pulldowns, as they opine that the resistance training exercise is more effective at targeting their lats. However, this is just a coverup to perform the easier exercise. That said, both exercises should be a part of your training regimen for developing a well-defined V-taper.

Wrapping Up

The pull-up is one of the most effective bodyweight exercises. It can help improve your aesthetics, upper body strength, and functionality. Contrary to what most people think, there are several pull-up variations to choose from, and each exercise can help train your target muscle groups from different angles.

This article details 16 different pull-up grips. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced calisthenics practitioner, there is something for everyone on this list. Make these exercises a part of your exercise arsenal, and watch your back take on a life of its own. Best of luck!

References

1. Pallarés JG, Hernández-Belmonte A, Martínez-Cava A, Vetrovsky T, Steffl M, Courel-Ibáñez J. Effects of range of motion on resistance training adaptations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021 Oct;31(10):1866-1881. doi: 10.1111/sms.14006. Epub 2021 Jul 5. PMID: 34170576.

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