Wide-Grip Pull-Up

Anton YefanovUpdated October 10, 2026

The wide-grip pull-up is an overhand hang with the hands set clearly outside the shoulders, arms and torso forming a Y at the bottom. You depress the shoulder blades, drive the elbows toward the floor and pull until the chin clears the bar. The lats are the prime mover, supported by the trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus and teres minor, with the biceps and trunk muscles assisting; EMG of pull-ups put the latissimus dorsi well above every other measured muscle. A closer grip recruits the biceps and chest more, which is why the wide version tends to allow fewer reps.

How to do the Wide-Grip Pull-Up

Set an overhand grip on the bar noticeably wider than your shoulders.
Hang with straight arms so your arms and torso form a Y shape.
Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to stop the legs swinging.
Depress your shoulder blades, then drive your elbows down toward the floor.
Pull until your chin clears the bar and the lats are fully shortened.
Lower under control to near full arm extension and repeat.

Muscles worked

The wide-grip pull-up works the lats as the prime mover, supported by the rhomboids, mid traps, rear delts and biceps. With the hands set well outside the shoulders, pulling your body up is mostly shoulder adduction: the elbows sweep down and in toward your sides, and that is the movement the lats are built for.

The lats are stretched hardest in the dead hang, where your arms and torso form a Y, and they work through to the top, where the chin clears the bar and the elbows are pinned down by your ribs. Depressing the shoulder blades before you bend the arms gets the lats and lower traps working first. A closer grip recruits the biceps more, so the wide grip keeps more of the pull on the lats. Your abs and glutes keep the legs from swinging.

Primary:: Back
Secondary:: Biceps, Shoulders, Traps, and Core

Why train it

Needs only a bar, so it fits home and outdoor program tracks.
Puts the lats in charge of a full overhead pulling range.
Scales in both directions with band assistance or added load.

Common mistakes

Kipping with the hips to clear the bar, which removes the lats from the work.
Arching the lower back instead of pulling higher, which shortens the range.
Stopping halfway down each rep, which skips the stretched position where strength is built.
Adding reps with a partial range rather than regressing to band or machine assistance.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need for the Wide-Grip Pull-Up?

Only a pull-up bar. Your own weight is the resistance, so there is nothing to load.

Is the Wide-Grip Pull-Up suitable for beginners?

With some training behind you. The Wide-Grip Pull-Up is rated intermediate, which means the setup matters as much as the effort. It is a reasonable first month goal rather than a first session one, and the alternatives below are the easier way in.

Can I do the Wide-Grip Pull-Up at home?

Yes, if you own a pull-up bar. That is the whole requirement, and it is the reason this one travels well between a home setup and a gym floor.

How many sets and reps of the Wide-Grip Pull-Up should I do?

Three to four sets taken within a rep or two of failure. There is no weight to add here, so progress by slowing the lowering phase, pausing at the hardest point, or moving to a harder variation once you can clear 15 clean reps.

What are good alternatives to the Wide-Grip Pull-Up?

Barbell Bent Over Row, Kettlebell Gorilla Row, and Smith Machine Bent-Over Row train the same primary muscles as the Wide-Grip Pull-Up. Pick whichever one suits the equipment in front of you.