How to do the Neutral-Grip Pull-Up
Step by step
- Grip parallel handles with palms facing each other and hang with arms straight.
- Set your shoulders down and brace your core so you do not swing.
- Pull your chest up toward the handles, driving your elbows down and back.
- Lower yourself under control all the way to straight arms and repeat.
The thing people get wrong
Start each rep from a full dead hang and pull to the top - the neutral grip is easier on the elbows, so use the full range rather than short bounces.
Coaching cue
Pull until the handles reach chest height, leading with your elbows rather than reaching with your chin.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Loop a band under one knee for help, or do slow lowers only.
- Harder: Pause for two seconds at the top of each rep.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Lats, Biceps
- Secondary: Upper Back, Core, Forearms
What to do instead
Same job, different movement — useful if you don't have the equipment or it doesn't feel right today.
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.