Pull-ups and Science

[this_dot]

The science of Pull-ups​

This is a compilation of results by scientific studies found by searching pubmed. For most part, I avoid describing the methods or weaknesses of the studies, focusing on the “Take Home” points for easy digestion. Feel free to ask for more details.

From this research, my main conclusion is that research focused on bodyweight fitness is lacking compared to weight exercises.

The basics (Ronai, 2014)​

Pull-up is a multi-joint upper-body exercise (shoulder, scapulothoracic and elbow joints) that can improve an athlete’s shoulder girdle strength, stability, and ability to produce high forces during pulling activities.

Muscles involved: middle trapezius, lower trapezius, rhomboids, pectoralis minor, pectoralis major, posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, teres major, subscapularis, biceps brachii, brachialis, brachioradialis, flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus, flexor digitorum profundus, flexor digitorum superficialis, and flexor pollicis longus, external oblique, and erector spinae.

Technique​

A comparison of electromyographical activity Snarr et al, 2017 between normal pull-up, suspension pull-up and towel pull-up only showed less activity of Mid-Trapezius on towel pull-ups with no differences on other muscle groups. They conclude that all variations are effective exercises for the targeted muscles.

Youdas et al, 2010 used Electromiography to compare muscular activity between pull-up,chin-up and the Perfect·Pullup[sup]TM[/sup] rotational device. Authors concluded that the pectoralis major and biceps brachii had significantly higher EMG activation during the chin-up than during the pull-up, whereas the lower trapezius was significantly more active during the pull-up. There was no increased muscular recruitment using the Perfect·Pullup[sup]TM[/sup] rotational device.

Velocity vs Endurance​

Beckham et al, 2018 showed a correlation between velocity of first pull-up repetition and maximum repetitions. The authors suggest that determining the velocity of first pull-up could increase the efficiency and effectiveness of exercise testing batteries for military or police. Thomas et al, 2018 showed similar results.

Comparison with Lat Pulldown​

Halet et al, 2009 compared 1 RM of lat-pull with max reps of pull-ups and lat-pulls (at 80% of 1RM). There was a moderate correlation between lat-pull 1RM and number of pull-ups, but not between number of pull-ups and number of lat-pulls. They conclude that this low correlation between exercises indicate that they should not substitute one another.

Safety​

Shoulder impingement is the trapping of rotator’s cuff tendons during shoulder movements. It can be caused by repeated movement, like overdoing with Pull-ups. A study Prinold et al, 2016 was performed to determine if pull-up technique differences could increase or decrease risk of impingement. The authors concluded that reverse technique (chin-ups) and wide technique have movement patterns that could indicate higher risk of injury.

Case reports of rhabdomyolysis exist associated as pull-ups. One example is presented by Kiberd et al, 2011 who report a case that followed a short duration high-intensity training that included 84 pull-ups, 84 overhead shoulder presses with 30-lb dumbbells.

References​

Ronai, Peter & Scibek, Eric. (2014). The Pull-up. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 36. 88-90. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000052.

Snarr RL, Hallmark AV, Casey JC, Esco MR. Electromyographical Comparison of a Traditional, Suspension Device, and Towel Pull-Up. J Hum Kinet. 2017;58:5-13. Published 2017 Aug 1. doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0068

Youdas JW, Amundson CL, Cicero KS, Hahn JJ, Harezlak DT, Hollman JH. Surface electromyographic activation patterns and elbow joint motion during a pull-up, chin-up, or perfect-pullup rotational exercise. Journal of strength and conditioning research. 2010;24(12):3404-14.

Beckham GK, Olmeda JJ, Flores AJ, Echeverry JA, Campos AF, Kim SB. Relationship Between Maximum Pull-up Repetitions and First Repetition Mean Concentric Velocity. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2018;32(7):1831-7.

Thomas E, Bianco A, Raia T, Messina G, Tabacchi G, Bellafiore M, et al. Relationship between velocity and muscular endurance of the upper body. Human movement science. 2018;60:175-82.

Halet KA, Mayhew JL, Murphy C, Fanthorpe J. Relationship of 1 repetition maximum lat-pull to pull-up and lat-pull repetitions in elite collegiate women swimmers. Journal of strength and conditioning research. 2009;23(5):1496-502.

Prinold JA, Bull AM. Scapula kinematics of pull-up techniques: Avoiding impingement risk with training changes. J Sci Med Sport. 2016;19(8):629-35.

Kiberd M, Campbell S. Delayed-onset rhabdomyolysis after intense exercise. CMAJ. 2011;183(16):E1222.

 

[angelsoverme]

@this_dot Thanks for writing this up!

 

[this_dot]

@angelsoverme You're welcome!

It's a way to give back to a community that's been teaching me so much.

I wish you guys find something interesting in the post. The research was not as fruitful as I was hoping for...

 

[dawn16]

@this_dot For newbies, this has a lot of good info!

I was especially interested in the bit about wide grip and chin ups potentially being more prone to shoulder injury. I have had shoulder issues before, so it’s really good to know.

 

[this_dot]

@dawn16 I started with chin-ups, because it felt easier. And they talk about that:

Thus, the reverse pull up technique potentially increases sub-acromial impingement risk in the hanging and initiation phase, an important consideration, given that it is anecdotally easier and thus prescribed for weaker participants. Further work could analyse weight-assisted front pull-ups as a lower risk alternative.

 

[dawn16]

@this_dot haha...i do chin ups for precisely this reason. it's so much easier, i can do more, and so i feel "stronger."

in my more "sane" moments, i realize that it isn't about the number of reps, and i've certainly seen a lot of reports/articles claiming that the difference between muscle involvement in forward and reverse grip is negligible...just less biceps.

so, forward grip it is!

 

[findingtruth]

@dawn16 it's ok to mix grips during your workouts. in fact, it's probably better.

instead of, say, 4 sets of 8-12 normal pullups, do 1 set of 8 strict pullups, 2nd set of strict chin ups, 3rd set of strict pullups, 4th set of strict chin up. you're still targeting the same back muscles, but you're alternating different muscle groups in the arms. usually the limiting factor is the arms, so your back is likely not getting enough stimulation when you're unable to keep repping. so by alternating grips, you're able to rep more and thus give your back the attention it needs because lets not forget, the pullup is essentially a back workout.

 

[saidative]

@findingtruth I do aswell....I also throw in neutral grip and vary grip width

 

[dealonpill]

@findingtruth I've been doing pull ups for quite long time. When I started I only had in mind regular pull ups. I progressed enough in a month (went from 1 set of 4 pull ups, to 3 sets of 6 pull ups). However, I decided to train with different angles and pull up varieties. From that, I progressed way faster and started feeling stronger. So, I always recommend doing as many varieties as possible of pull ups for a optimal progress.

 

[findingtruth]

@dealonpill Yeah a lot of people have a similar mindset like that. People tend to think because the normal pull up is harder that they should only focus on that. But like you said you’ll see more improvement when you work different grips.

 

[7messrobhackopen]

@dawn16

Authors concluded that the pectoralis major and biceps brachii had significantly higher EMG activation during the chin-up than during the pull-up, whereas the lower trapezius was significantly more active during the pull-up.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this seems to indicate they favor different muscle groups entirely so they're not as interchangeable as they'd seem.

 

[dawn16]

@7messrobhackopen IIRC, the differences are minimal.

 

[this_dot]

@7messrobhackopen These are the numbers:

Activation of the pectoralis major ranged from 44 ± 27% MVIC for the pull-up to 57 ± 36% MVIC for the chin-up

The biceps brachii produced very high EMG signals that varied from 78 ± 32% MVIC for the pull-up to 96 ± 34%MVIC for the chin-up.

The lower trapezius was activated early in the 3 pull-up/chin-up exercises at an average of 14.7% of the pull-up cycle and a magnitude of recruitment ranging from 45 ± 22% MVIC for the chin-up to 56 ± 21% MVIC for the pull-up.

These are significant, but I don't know if in practice it makes that big of a difference, meaning: will your biceps develop significantly more if you do chin-ups instead of pull-ups? Probably not...

 

[koolsheep]

@dawn16 I do the same added weight for the same reps on both. If you do both of them just as well(dead hang, slow negative) you shouldn't have one that is much stronger than the other(the study confirms this) . You're probably cheating more on the chin-up à.

Now one hand facing each way, that one is way harder. I can barely do a few good reps with only bw.

 

[silverfang]

@dawn16 I've heard from numerous sources about the issues with wide-grip pullup, including my own issues with them (they feel like they will rip my arms out of my shoulders). This is the first I've heard about chinups (reverse as they call it), and not terribly surprised as to do the movement, your chest and other parts feel like they get in the way. So not surprised there could be some impingement issues.

 

[dawn16]

@silverfang I have had multiple sources (people that should know their stuff; trainers, body builders, etc.) tell me that wide grip is the best back workout and that it should be your go to.

OP’s post pretty much makes me think that’s all hear-say.

 

[silverfang]

@dawn16 While a very wide-grip might target the back well (tho regular pullups also do probably just as fine a job, along with safer back workouts), medical and physiological sources all seem to point out it puts your shoulders in a back position, making them very prone to injury. Like I still see ppl do pushups or bench presses with arms straight out from their bodies (perpendicular to the body). Sure, you can get away with it for a while, especially while young, but in the end, you'll likely end up with injury and probably surgery later. However, I'm no doctor, I just try to listen from many different medical sources.

 

[dawn16]

@silverfang That's weird to me that the more medial set on arm position results in less injuries on bench. Most of my injuries have always been when using a wider grip. Maybe I'm just an oddity.

 

[hermit76]

@silverfang I'm not 100% sure what you mean by this one. Are you talking about flat bench when you're talking about perpendicular to the body?

 

[silverfang]

@hermit76 I'm talking about the angle of your upper arms to your body trunk.
Doing pushups, bench press, whatever, your upper arms should be no greater than around 45 degrees or so from your body sides. Perpendicular would be where your upper arms are straight out from your shoulders, make a 'T' shape. The 45-degree rule is a general one, less is fine but if your arms are very close to your body, that will tend to focus the effort more on just your triceps and less on your chest. Arms perpendicular will work your chest well, but at the expense of your long term shoulder health. So you have to balance it, hence why around 45 degrees is suggested. There's tons of articles out there explaining the mechanics and physiology behind this issue.