Pull Ups: Getting That V-Shape

Sep 6, 2012

Pull Ups: Getting That V-Shape

The Pull Ups exercise works your back, especially your lats. Pull Ups also work the shoulders, neck, traps, and triceps. This is an exceptional exercise because you use your own body weight to perform a compound lift. This leads to more toning across your back, leading to the coveted V-Shape that most people want.

Main Muscle Group Used: Shoulders, Lats
Secondary Muscle Groups Used: Neck, Traps, Triceps
Experience Level: Beginner
Exercise Type: Strength
Equipment Required: Pull Ups Bar (see below)

To perform the standard Pull Ups exercise:

From a standing position, grab the Pull Ups Bar.
Inhale, and pull your body up, so that your chin is above the bar.
Exhale, lower your body until you are back at starting position.

Pull Up Alternatives

For a harder alternative, you can add weights to a backpack. Then, just strap the backpack on and continue your workout. If you are having trouble, add leg support. Use a bucket or something to rest your legs on, and simply use as little help as you need, in order to accomplish the exercise.

Popular Pull Up Workouts

Plenty of athletes and celebs use Stability Ball Leg Curls as part of their leg workouts:

The Kim Kardashian workout uses pull ups to get that hourglass figure that women want.
The Sofia Vergara workout also tones her back with pull ups, so that her waist looks thinner, when contrasted against her upper torso.
The Brad Pitt workout warmed up with pull ups for his Fight Club Tyler Durden body. Then, Pitt would do seated rows, lat pulldowns, and t-bar rows to finish the workout.
The Joe Manganiello workout uses the Finger Tip version of the Pull Ups exercise. This variation helps work the ends of your muscles, instead of the bulky parts. The result, is that you chisel your muscles to the point where the definition really shows, instead of just making them bulkier.
The Jay-Z workout, and the Beyonce workout, both use Pull Ups and Chin Ups in the workout routines. He also has them do L-Pull Ups. Here, you do a normal pull-up, then swing your legs forward to create an “L” shape. (View the example in the video below).

Pull Up Safety

Try not to over-extend your arms. Look up while doing a Pull Up to avoid necks strain and injury. If you are new to Pull Ups, start with the How to Do A Pull Up workout.