Upper body strength is a big move for your back and arms. Pull ups target back more than chins. One of the biggest factors affecting the wide grip pullup is the “latissimum dorsi”. When you have a back and core tight bicep routine you want a grip pulldown that’s a step above the rest.
What are Wide Grip Pull-Ups?
Wide grip pull-ups are a more powerful variation of the pull up exercise, targeting the upper body including back, shoulders and arms. In this exercise your hands are placed on the pull up bar with a grip that’s wider than shoulder width apart, usually 1-2 inches wider. This wider grip engages the latissimus dorsi muscles more, to create a broader back and wider upper body. . Wide grip pull ups muscles worked up-ups are an advanced exercise, requiring a lot of strength, control and proper form to do it right.
Pronated (pull-up)
Traditional pronated pull-out grips are a great way to build lat and rhomboid strength and to a lesser extent forearm, shoulders and biceps. Proper shoulder blade positioning is key to maximum muscle engagement and effectiveness of the exercise, as pulling the shoulder blades back targets the rhomboids and improves posture. The pronated grip on the bicep is helpful for those who tend to use their bicep over lats when doing pullup exercises.
Tip: At the start of the pull try to depress the scapular and engage the legs. You should push the elbows forward with the elbow facing forward with the shoulders up as you push them. When the shoulders are not up with the shoulders the movement becomes too dependent on the upper traps.
Pull-Ups vs. Chin Ups
Chin-ups should not be confused with pull-ups. You can also integrate this in the course you are teaching. Chin-up targets the front chest muscles, shoulders and pectorals more but less the brachioradialis or forearms. A chin-down targets the legs but not as much as a pull-up. An independent grip pull-down mechanism is easier for everyone. It’s less dependent on the arm thoracic muscles and wrists. It’s good for beginners. A pull-up is less effective at pulling biceps than a trapeze pull-up, it’s also good for delts, squabs and for thigh flexions.
A closer grip in chin-ups can recruit more chest and biceps muscles and can increase the number overall strength of reps.
Supinated (chin-up)
The traditional supinated chin-up grip helps build leg strength but is also targeted to your biceps. Because of high bicep bias they are a good tool to retrain the muscle, as other movements, strict muscle retraining involves false holding and using false grip on the body’s chin. Tip: Same as pronated grip pull-up, keep your shoulders numb and engage your legs throughout the pull.
How to do a wide-grip pullup
Start with your palms facing back to the pulley bar. When wide-grip pullup is too hard, you can try a weighted push-up machine. Bodyweight exercises are crucial for building strength and progressing in pullup variations. This machine is a platform where you kneel on during a pullup which helps you build strength for normal wide-grip pullups. The most efficient way to use the pull-up is to start with weights you are comfortable with and increase the counterweight so the exercise is easier.
Proper Form and Technique
To do a wide grip pull-up with proper form grip strength and technique:
- Position yourself: Stand under the pull-up bar with your back and spine straight.
- Grip the bar: Reach up and grab the bar with a wide grip, hands shoulder width or wider apart.
- Engage your core: Draw your belly button to your spine to engage your core muscles.
- Pull up: Squeeze your lats and pull the bar to your chest, focus on using your back to lift your body not just your arms.
- Controlled Motion: Don’t swing or jerk. Use slow and controlled motion throughout the exercise.
- Lower yourself: Lower yourself back to the starting position, take 2-3 seconds to do so.
By following these steps you can ensure that you are doing wide grip pull-ups with proper form, maximum benefits and minimum risk of injury.
Neutral Grip
Many find that taking a neutral grip where the palm of the hand faces the palm of the other hand on two parallel pull-up handles is an easy form.The pull-up allows you to use all the upper muscles. Plus the softer grip can increase strength in the forearms. Tip: Because of the neutral grip pullup is easy, this can be a good way to train more pull-up volume, you can do more reps with good form than with a pronated grip.
Wide-grip pull-downs
When you need help in doing wide-grip pullups, a pull-down can be a good starting point as it mimics the muscle movements. Build the foundation and size for the movements - a grip wider than shoulder width. Do 12 reps the first week of the week. Increase weight every week and decrease reps. Once you have some strength, take off the weight on the lift.
Wide grip vs close grip
Pullups have many benefits as you change your grip and recruit more muscle. For beginners a narrower grip can be beneficial as it engages different muscle groups, especially the biceps and certain back muscles not as targeted by wider grips. You can also do it by pulling a tight grip. Close-grip pull-over changes hand width. With wide grip the hand is a lot wider than shoulder width. With tight grip your hands are closer together which affects your shoulder joints during the exercise. Close grip pull ups can increase the biceps and abdominal muscles compared to wider grip so you can do the same workout multiple times.
Latissimus dorsi
The “lat” is the largest muscle of the upper back which runs from slowly lower midback to the upper backbone and under the armpits. Conrad says that these muscles are involved in shoulder extension and shoulder rotation in reducing stress.
Negative Pull-ups
Is gravity the force of gravity? Hold the weight and hold your hand up the bar and then let go of the bar and fall into an uncontrolled movement until you are hanging. This exercise will only require one rep per session. Try to do at least more repetitions than 6-7 minutes.
Narrow grip pull-ups
If there are no controls for wider grip, then you can start with a narrower grip which engages the same muscles as wide grip pull-ups. Use the tightest grip or neutral grip to strengthen your shoulders. If you want more movement, your hand can rotate with your elbows near you. Keep your elbows down to your side instead of your palms face up on your head.
Assisted Pull-Up Machine
Use the assisted lift and squatting machines to your advantage. Keep the handles to the length of your shoulder. With the assist, the heavier the product, the faster. Subtract the assisted weight to the weight of your body weight only. It will help you less weight.
Resistance Band
Take a large, heavy-duty resistance band and strap them to your pullup bars. Place one of the feet on top. It’s hard to step out of a band when other foot is holding on to a pullup bar.
Weight Loss Benefits
If you want weight loss through pullup and conditioning then wide-grip pullup is part of the workout plan.. Bodyweight exercises that uses compound movements like pullups and chinups helps your body burn more calories. Upper bodyweight exercises engages more synergistic between different muscles rather than isolated movement. Muscle strength means more calorie burn. This kind of exercise can boost your metabolism.
Why wide pull-ups are harder?
The wider the grip the more back engagement especially the lat muscles and more strain is transmitted to those muscles. If you choose a wider grip it will strengthen your triceps.
Which pull-up grip works most muscles?
Wide grip Pullups Place a bigger hand than a standard grip to do push ups with this wide grip variation. It also reduces tucking and good for people with lower back.
Wide grip better than close?
The wider grip increases shoulder elevation and elbow flexion, increases stress on the shoulder joint and can cause shoulder discomfort. When held close to the elbow, a tight grip can reduce shoulder stress. This is safer for the shoulder. 2021.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When doing wide grip pullups, make sure to avoid common mistakes that can lead to poor form and injury. Here are common mistakes to watch out for:
- Using Momentum: Avoid swinging or jerking movement, it will put unnecessary strain on your muscles and joints.
- Not Engaging Core: Not engaging your core muscles will lead to poor form and put unnecessary strain on your back.
- Wrong Grip Width: Using a grip that is too narrow or too wide will affect the muscles worked and put unnecessary strain on your joints.
- Not Lowering Slowly: Not lowering yourself slowly will put unnecessary strain on your muscles and joints.
By avoiding these common mistakes you can do wide grip pullups more effectively and safely.
Tips to Master Wide Grip Pull-Up
Mastering wide grip pullup requires patience, persistence and proper training. Here are some tips to help you master this great exercise too:
- Start with Assisted Pull-Ups: If you’re new to pullups, start with assisted pullups using a resistance band or a partner to help you build strength.
- Focus on Proper Form: Always use proper form and technique when doing wide grip pullups to maximize effectiveness and minimize injury.
- Increase Grip Width Gradually: Increase your grip width as you build strength and confidence in your pullup abilities.
- Mix it Up: Mix in variations like negative pullups, close grip pullups and neutral grip pullups to target different muscle groups and to add variety to your training.
- Train Consistently: Consistency is key. Train regularly and give your muscles time to recover between sessions.
Follow these tips and you’ll improve your wide grip pullup performance over time.
