Proper Pull up form (retracting or depressing first?)

G

gokua

New member
Hi newbie here,

I´m having a question regarding proper pull up form,

do you

a) first engage your lats and then retract the shoulder blades

(e.g.
)

b) or first retract your shoulders and then engage your lats (depress shoulders)

( e.g.
)

I´m having a hard time with a) but retracting my shoulder first and then depressing it works fine.

Thx for your help
 
@gokua It's hard to do one without the other. Usually you'll want to start by depressing, but you'll be limited in terms of depression ROM if you don't also retract. So you should start by depressing, and then slightly retract to enable even more depression. But honestly don't overthink it, the movement should be what feels natural and comfortable.
 
@rachid I agree, always start out with depressing. Retraction does play a role even with a range of motion that is only vertical. But you're not putting the scapula in the position of retraction, you are just keeping tension for retraction to keep your shoulder/body neutral as you pull up. I see guys at my gym new to pull ups or just never really improved and as they pull up, they swing forward because they are not tensioning for retraction to keep control of the movement. Most people already have the retraction strength needed to stay neutral for pull ups and will learn to apply it without thinking about it after some time of training pull ups. If you do chest to bar pull ups, that's going to include a bit more retraction at the top and the scaps will actually be in the position of retraction. But chin to almost bar pull ups, retraction is just to be stable in the pull and is something most will just learn without thinking about it.

Planche requires a lot of protraction strength (and knowing to stay depressed) and front lever requires a lot of retraction strength. In Planche, you actually go into a full protraction position. In front lever, you don't actually go into the position of retraction. You maintain tension for retraction to stay shoulders neutral and not drooped forward.

Google image search Front Lever, look at their shoulders. They are not in the position of retraction. They are tensioning for retraction to keep shoulders neutral though. Same thing with chin to @ bar level or hopefully above.
 
Why posterior pelvic tilt? I always read that and I know it's popular but I don't really get why.
 
@gokua To work your back more and get better long term results it helped me once I focused on retracting shoulderblades first, pushing my chest upwards and then bringing it to the bar.

It's also safer but my bones grew wrong so without thinking about it I damage my tendons if I just "go at it"
 
@gokua From dead hang, pull yourself up in one smooth and powerful motion. Don't depress the shoulders first, that will reduce the power. No need to retract the blades at the bottom, slightly retract once you're near the top in order to prevent shoulder rounding.

This is a very good explanation detailing the reasons.
 
@gokua I start in a complete dead hang. That does mean depressed scapula. Completely relaxed. Then, you pull. You're automatically gonna retract when you start the pull.

The only reason you wouldn't want to depress first is to get more reps because it takes time.
 
@gokua Don't think so hard about it, just focus on pulling your bar to the chest. Your body will figure out the best way to move.
 
@dawn16 Great way to fuck your shoulders. Please people, anyone who isn't sure their joints and bones grew exactly as it should don't do this. I spent too much time with inflamed tendons to know better.
 
@padycustom What is a great way to fuck your shoulders? Moving in a way that your body naturally wants to? I was just pointing out that the motor cortex in our brain is very good at its job and will figure out the most efficient way to perform a movement. We don't need to use so many internal cues like whether to retract first etc, it's just making it harder for you. I've been lifting for 10+ years and never had any issues with my shoulders. As long as your technique is decent injuries are most likely due to overdoing volume
 
@dawn16 I was doing calisthenics at 14-16 years old. At my peak I did pull ups for cardio, I could bank out 160 L-sit pull ups by 10 rep sets in a bit 240 push ups at 20 rep sets and it was a breeze. I knew no such thing as overloading or straining my body. Had some teenager problems back then and stopped working out altogether. At 19 or 20 I got to back to it slowly again and I couldn't lift my arm up after few weeks of working out. Tendon in my shoulder is rubbing against the bones when I perform a certain move. I had to undergo electro-theraphy because inflammation wouldn't go down on it's own. I had to re-learn some movements and do them in a safer manner than I did when I was 15 where your body is invincible. Few more injuries followed till I ironed out all the kinks.
 
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