Wide-Grip Pull-Up

About This Exercise

Wide-grip variant of the standard Pull-Up performed to the front (chin clears the bar in front of the face, not behind the neck). The wider grip — roughly 1.5x shoulder width — biases the load toward the lats and rhomboids and reduces biceps recruitment compared to a standard or chin-up grip. Distinct from Pull-Up (shoulder-width grip, more biceps), Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up (behind-neck — different rotator-cuff loading and potential shoulder-impingement risk), and Chin-Up (supinated grip, biceps-emphasis).

1Setup

Hang from a pull-up bar with a pronated (palms-forward) grip, hands placed roughly 1.5x shoulder width apart. Engage the scapulae downward (lats engaged before the rep), with a slight hollow-body brace in the trunk. Feet relaxed below; do not kip.

2Execution

Pull upward by driving the elbows down and slightly out toward the hips — lead with the elbows, do not curl with the biceps. Continue until the chin clears the bar in front of the face. Pause briefly at the top with the chest up. Lower under control to a full hang at the bottom, keeping scapulae engaged at the bottom (do not deload into the shoulder joint).

Pro Tips

• Lead with elbow drive — the hands follow; if you feel the biceps doing all the work, the grip is too narrow
• Wide grip = ~1.5x shoulder width. Wider than that increases shoulder strain without adding lat recruitment
• Full ROM — chin over the bar at the top, full hang (without losing scapular engagement) at the bottom
• No kipping. If the load is too heavy, use a band or a partner-assisted variant