Grayson West
That pull-up bar isn’t nearly as limited as you think. Sure, you’ve mastered the standard grip, but your muscles have already adapted and stopped responding. You might not know, but elite athletes rotate through dozens of variations that build explosive power and muscle control. So, stop doing the same tired movement expecting different results and try these 10 styles that’ll actually challenge your body.
Strict (Standard) Pull-Up
The strict pull-up removes all the cheating from your workout. Using an overhand grip and starting from a full hang, you pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. No swinging or cutting corners—your movement should force your back muscles to work harder.
Wide-Grip Pull-Up
Wide-grip pull-ups are the king of back-building exercises. When you spread your hands beyond shoulder-width with an overhand grip, your biceps step aside and your lats take complete control. It’s harder than regular pull-ups, but that extra difficulty is what creates that impressive V-shaped physique.
Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Those parallel handles at your gym are to be used for neutral-grip pull-ups. If standard grips hurt your wrists or shoulders, this palm-to-palm position changes everything. You’re crushing your back and biceps without the pain, so there’s no excuse left. Time to actually build that strength.
Close-Grip Pull-Up
Close-grip pull-ups flip the script on traditional back training. By bringing your hands in tight, closer than shoulder-width with an overhand grip, you shift focus from lower lats to your upper and middle back. Your biceps work harder as well, making this a distinctly different strength-building experience than standard pulls.
Weighted Pull-Up
Bodyweight feeling too light? Just add more. Weighted pull-ups let you strap on a belt or vest to make things brutal. You can keep building muscle and strength forever this way. Some people get so into it that they actually compete to see who can pull the heaviest weight.
Chest-To-Bar Pull-Up
You’re pulling up, chin clears the bar, but you keep going—all the way until your chest makes contact. That’s chest-to-bar pull-ups in action. This CrossFit favorite absolutely crushes your upper back with that extended range. You need decent shoulder mobility and solid control to pull it off without your form falling apart.
Ring Pull-Up
Bars are fine, but they’re also stuck in place and kinda bossy with your wrists. Rings? Total freedom. Ring pull-ups let your joints move however feels right. The instability is actually perfect—it fires up your shoulders and core way more. Plus, you can hang them from literally anything and train wherever life takes you.
Inverted Row (Incline Pull-Up)
Here’s a pull-up you can do with your feet on the ground. Lie under a bar, grab it, and pull your chest up toward it. The inverted row is easier than regular pull-ups because your feet help support you, but you can change the angle 15–30 degrees to make it harder.
Isometric / Hold Pull-Up
Instead of moving up and down, just hold yourself still at any point during a pull-up. Hang at the bottom, middle, or top—whatever spot you want. Isometric pull-ups build serious grip strength and muscle control by making you freeze in position. Great for fixing weak spots in your pull-up.
Scapular Pull-Up
Nobody’s going to film this for Instagram. Your arms stay straight, you shrug your shoulders down slightly, and that’s the whole show. But scapular pull-ups are the secret weapon for shoulder health and pulling power. They’re the broccoli of exercises—not sexy, not fun, but incredibly good for you.