Band Assisted Pull-Up

Lats
Abs
Forearms
Upper Back

Equipment: Bands

New to this

Your first band assisted pull-up

What weight should I start with on the band assisted pull-up?

Start with the thickest band available, usually green or black. It takes 40 to 80 lb off your bodyweight at the bottom, which is exactly where you need it.

Do 3 sets of 5. When you can do 3 sets of 8 with clean form, move to the next band down.

Loop the band over the bar, put one knee or foot in the bottom, and step in while holding the bar. The band pulls hardest at the bottom of the rep and gives you almost nothing at the top, which matches where a pull-up is hard.

What usually goes wrong on the band assisted pull-up?

You bounce out of the bottom off the band's stretch. Pause for a beat with your arms straight before you pull.

Your chin barely clears the bar with your neck craned. Pull until your collarbone is near the bar and keep your chin tucked.

You go straight to a thin band because the thick one feels like cheating. Assistance you can control beats a rep you have to thrash through. Drop a band size only when the reps look identical to a real pull-up.

If there are no bands

Chin-ups with your palms facing you are meaningfully easier than pull-ups and most people get their first rep that way. Pulldowns and inverted rows let you set any load you like, so they're where you build the strength.

How to do it

Choke the band around the center of the pullup bar. You can use different bands to provide varying levels of assistance.
Pull the end of the band down, and place one bent knee into the loop, ensuring it won't slip out. Take a medium to wide grip on the bar. This will be your starting position.
Pull yourself upward by contracting the lats as you flex the elbow. The elbow should be driven to your side. Pull to the front, attempting to get your chin over the bar. Avoid swinging or jerking movements.
After a brief pause, return to the starting position.