How To Do The Reverse Grip Pull-Up: Exercise Technique, Tips, Benefits, Variations, Muscles Worked – Fitness Volt

Are you an overhand or underhand grip sort of exerciser? Some individuals select to have one of the best of each worlds however in case you’re somebody who at all times goes palms down, flipping your grip generally is a game-changer. The reverse grip pull-up is a variation of the traditional pronated grip pull-up however the reality is many do the latter however don’t truly really feel it working. Using a supinated or underhand grip may be your reply to maximizing mind-muscle connection and contraction, and it appears to lead to a greater stretch in the course of the negatives.

Here’s a full information to this must-have again motion.

How To Do The Reverse Grip Pull-Up

There’s extra to the reverse grip pull-up than merely altering your grip place. That’s as a result of the underhand huge grip will barely change the mechanics of the way you pull your self as much as a bar. Below we’ve included detailed directions to make sure you hit the goal muscle teams successfully. 

Step 1: Grip 

• Reach up and grasp the pull-up bar along with your palms about shoulder width aside and palms dealing with towards you (underhand grip).

Safety tip: Avoid utilizing a wider than shoulder width grip as it could actually place numerous stress on the shoulder joints. 

Step 2: Scapular positioning

• While hanging with arms totally prolonged, pull your shoulders down. This will guarantee correct and secure motion of your scapula in the course of the pull-up.

Safety tip: Do not permit your head to sink down into your shoulders at any level in the course of the train. 

Step 3: Proper leg positioning

• Keep your legs totally prolonged and collectively, then bend at your hips and raise your legs barely in entrance of your physique. This will assist to stop any vitality leaks that will have an effect on your pull-up power. 

Step 4: Pre-rep preparation

• Lean your torso barely again at an angle, tighten your core, and tense your lats muscle tissue. This will can help you optimize the motion and carry out every rep effectively. 

Step 5: The pull-up 

• Drive your elbows right down to your hips and pull down on the pull-up bar as arduous as you possibly can till your chin reaches the bar. Slowly decrease your self again down till you’re feeling a stretch in your lats and take a couple of seconds to reset earlier than the subsequent rep. 

Reverse Grip Pull-Up Benefits 

Pull-ups are one of the best higher physique body weight train you could and there’s no debate. With that comes many advantages you could examine beneath. 

Build an attractive posterior chain 

A muscular and toned again is without doubt one of the sexiest issues about an aesthetic physique. In an Ace-sponsored study, pull-ups hit the lat again muscle tissue higher than any of the opposite frequent again workout routines. Lats are massive muscle tissue that contribute rather a lot to the form of your higher rear. 

Get a greater contraction  

Many instances, switching from an overhand to underhand grip will fully change the texture of an train. Maybe that’s as a result of the other hand place causes you to maneuver the burden up slightly in a different way. Try this: Perform bent over rows on a Smith machine utilizing an overhand grip, then strive it with an underhand grip. While you could not, many do really feel a big distinction in how the muscle contracts. 

An important biceps and forearm train

While you possibly can count on to construct plenty of muscle and power in your again, all pulling actions closely have interaction the biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis muscle teams. 

Bodyweight solely/equipment-free

The great thing about body weight workout routines is you don’t want any fancy or costly tools. Although pull-ups do require a pull-up bar which you could find right here and which are very inexpensive and extremely versatile by the identical token. 

However, in case you do select so as to add extra weight to your pull-ups, it’s quite simple. Use a dipping belt, weighted vest/backpack, or maintain a dumbbell between your ft. Voila, you might have the choice to extend the resistance greater than you’d ever have the ability to. 

Intensify your mind-muscle connection

Building muscle isn’t just lifting weights. It’s having a psychological connection along with your muscle tissue in the course of the contraction and lengthening section of an train. Sure you’ll nonetheless construct muscle lugging round weights however different muscle tissue are inclined to takeover too and therefore you’re not maximizing your efforts. 

Read extra about mind-muscle connection and why it’s key to raised features right here. 

Drawbacks 

While the reverse grip pull-up is a wonderful train, there are a couple of drawbacks. 

You want higher physique power

This is apparent however you want first rate higher physique power to do pull-ups. If you can’t, listed below are 8 methods to get higher at pull-ups and chin-ups. 

Grip width 

Going too huge can harm or injury your shoulders. Stay shoulder width or nearer and if you wish to do additional huge pull-ups, use an overhand grip. 

Variations

We love having the choices of variations and alternate options as a result of they permit us to work all the identical muscle tissue no matter expertise degree. Plus, it’s additionally good to have selection in your coaching to stop boredom and hold your coaching contemporary and thrilling. 

1. Assisted reverse grip pull-up

Whether you utilize a devoted assisted pull-up machine or bands, assisted pull-ups are an excellent strategy to get higher at pull-ups since you’re mimicking the motion regardless that you’re being helped. Not to say, it’s a lot simpler to regulate the resistance and hold observe of your power development. 

2. Close grip reverse pull-up

Want to essentially overload the biceps? Move your palms in with an inch area in between and pump out a couple of units of pull-ups. 

3. Reverse grip inverted or Australian pull-up

A means underrated again train, the inverted or Australian pull-up will too contain the identical muscle teams as the traditional pull-up. What’s additionally nice is that it’s nonetheless simpler however you’re lifting solely a portion of your physique weight and may regulate the resistance by altering your physique angle. 

Check out these Best Pull Up Alternatives and Variations For All Fitness Levels.

Alternatives 

1. Cable/machine reverse grip pulldown 

If you wish to work the identical posterior muscle tissue however without having a pull-up bar, you can’t go flawed with the legendary cable pulldown. You can replicate the reverse grip lat motion and since you need to use as little or as a lot weight as you want, this variation is feasible for nearly anybody no matter higher physique power. 

2. Reverse grip rows 

Row variations are presumably one of the best general again workout routines as a result of they appear to hit all the again muscle tissue symmetrically higher than most (1). And whereas we’d agree deadlifts do as nicely, rows contain transverse adduction (pulling the arms again behind the physique) which implies you additionally get a full contraction again there. 

How To Program Reverse Grip Pull-Ups In Your Back Workouts

Besides performing the usual 3 units of 10 reps, listed below are another methods to do reverse grip pull-ups.

Drop units

One of one of the best muscle constructing depth coaching methods, drops units are once you carry out a couple of reps with a heavy weight earlier than dropping the resistance and persevering with to crank out extra reps till you hit failure. You can do a number of drop units inside a set.

Partials

One actually efficient approach that can mild your again and biceps on hearth is to carry out partial repetitions within the high half of a pull-up vary of movement. We advocate doing full vary of movement pull-ups till you attain a couple of reps shy of failure earlier than squeezing out as many half reps as attainable.

How Many Sets and Reps?

Typically, we advocate particular units and reps ranges based mostly in your objectives. Although, it is best to use all for finest outcomes. Here are some ideas based mostly on what you’d like to perform.

• Muscle endurance: 2-3 units x 15-25+ reps
• Hypertrophy: 3 units x 5-8 reps
• Strength: 4-5 units x 3-5 reps

FAQs

Muscles Worked

While the pull-up is understood to construct an incredible again, it’s additionally an efficient train for a number of different higher physique muscle teams. Check out our transient descriptions for every one beneath. 

• Latissimus dorsi – The latissimus dorsi or lats for brief is a broad, flat muscle that spans the decrease posterior thorax. It helps to adduct, medially rotate, and prolong the humerus. The lats are additionally concerned in transferring the trunk ahead and upward when the arms are positioned overhead like throughout pullups and pulldown variations. 
• Teres Major – The teres main is a thick muscle of the shoulder joint that medially rotates and adducts the arm and stabilizes the shoulder joint. Unlike the teres minor, it’s not a rotator cuff muscle. Wide grip pull-ups particularly emphasize these underrated muscle tissue and a reverse grip is the icing on high. 
• Brachialis – sandwiched between the outer biceps head and triceps, brachialis extends from the outer higher arm and crosses the elbow joint, making it a main elbow flexor muscle. When nicely developed, the brachialis contributes to higher arm width and is most seen on a lean physique. 
• Brachioradialis – Making many of the lateral higher forearm, brachioradialis crosses the elbow and is therefore a main elbow flexor. It additionally supinates and pronates the forearm (flipping the palm up and down respectively) and is concerned in all pulling and curling workout routines.
• Deltoid Posterior – Anytime you pull your elbows again or down, the rear shoulders are activated. The deltoid posterior is liable for extension of the arm behind the physique plus it really works with the opposite two deltoid heads to help in arm abduction (lifting the arm as much as laterally to your physique).
• Levator Scapulae – The levator scapulae is a superficial muscle positioned on the higher again. This muscle features to raise the scapula or shoulder blades with assist from the trapezius and rhomboid muscle tissue of the higher again. Surrounding muscle tissue additionally assist the levator scapulae to inferiorly rotate the scapula. 
• Pectoralis Major Sternal Head – Also generally known as the decrease chest, the pectoralis sternal head is a separate part of muscle fibers that help in pulling the arms downward.
• Core – consisting of the abs, obliques, and spinal erectors, the core muscle tissue transfer the torso in all instructions and stabilize the backbone to maintain your physique from swinging to a lot throughout pull-ups. 

Bottom Line

The reverse grip pull-up is a worthwhile variation of a traditional again builder and presumably the best higher physique bodyweight-based posterior chain train. When your aim is to construct extra muscle and improve power, various your grip could make a distinction in muscle engagement and it’s among the finest methods to develop mind-muscle connection. 

Try out this model of the pull-up subsequent time you do a again exercise session!