Tip: Most Common Pull-Up Mistake

Most lifters over-pull when doing pull-ups and lat pulldowns. Here's why that's not good and what the movement should look like.

Rather than trying to touch the bar to your chest or reaching your chin over the bar (both of which can produce dysfunctional mechanics), the goal should be to achieve proper upper back and lat activation. This requires several components.

  1. Create ample t-spine extension.
  2. Pull to the sternum.
  3. Point the elbows straight ahead.
  4. The bar should NOT touch the chest.