How to do the Wide Grip Pull-Ups?

Wide grip pull-ups are the essential exercise for achieving a wide back. 

This exercise is not always within the reach of beginners, you may need to gain some strength from the vertical pull-ups beforehand. If your body weight doesn't allow you to do the pull-ups, you can read this article: How to do pull-ups successfully?

You will thus make work mainly the large dorsal, the trapezoids, and the large round. Will be also strongly solicited the biceps, and the long portion of the triceps. To a lesser extent, you will make work your forearms, and your shoulders.

It is thus a question of carrying out pull-ups using preferably a bar bent at the ends. This exercise can however be carried out with a long straight bar. In this case, it is the work of the external portion of the large dorsal which will be favoured.

How do you do the exercise?

Hang from the bar with your hands pronated (as if you were gripping a motorcycle handlebar). Your hands should be more than shoulder width apart. Your back muscles should always be tense. Try to keep them tight for the duration of the exercise. Pull on your arms to bring the bar in front of your face.

Tips

1. When doing the wide grip pull-ups, don't go higher than your chin at the bar, otherwise you'll be performing an undesirable shoulder rotation.
2. Keep your shoulders well back, try to make the rib cage rise, the pectoral muscles upwards.
3. Don't rush or jerk, you could get hurt.
4. Slowly lower yourself down, controlling the movement.
5. Don't stretch your arms completely, always keep a little flexion: this way you limit the risk of injuring your triceps. Do not forget that it is your chest that you must bring out, and that you must try to raise towards the sky.
6. Don't work with a round back, but don't arch your back too much either.

Variant

• Pull-ups can be done in a wide grip but also in a tight grip in pronation or supination. You also have the possibility to do them in hammer grip...