BIP.

Exercise library · Back

Assisted pull-up

Vertical pull for the back on a machine.

How to do it

1 of 3

Knees on the pad, grip slightly wide

  1. Starting position

    Place your knees or feet on the machine support and grip the bar overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width.

  2. The movement

    Pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar, then lower yourself slowly until your arms are straight.

Most common mistake

Don't let the support push you up quickly, keep your body steady and control the whole movement.

Watch the video larger →

Muscle group
Back
Equipment
Machine
Where
Gym
Logged as
Weight × reps

Muscles worked

The assisted pull-up trains the same muscles as a regular pull-up, but the machine takes some of your bodyweight. Your lats do most of the work, pulling your elbows down towards your sides. The muscles between your shoulder blades, the back of your shoulders and your biceps help, and your forearms hold the grip. Machines with more than one grip let you shift the balance: an underhand grip gives your biceps more to do, and many people find palms facing each other kindest on the shoulders.

Common mistakes

  • Choosing too much assistance. Every set becomes easy and your back gets too little work. Set the assistance so you just reach your target reps, with one or two left in the tank.
  • Pulling with your arms from the start. From a slack hang with your shoulders by your ears, your arms take over. Start each rep by drawing your shoulder blades down a little, then pull your elbows towards your sides.
  • Reaching for the bar with your chin. Poking your chin forward does not make the rep longer, it only strains your neck. Pull your chest towards the bar and keep your head in line with your body.

Variations and alternatives

  • Pull-ups are the goal for many. Try an unassisted rep at the start of a session now and then.
  • Chin-ups with an underhand grip give your biceps more to do, and are often the first unassisted version people manage.
  • The wide grip lat pulldown trains a similar movement seated, with a weight you set yourself.
  • The inverted row is an easier bodyweight pull that works at home.

Sets and reps

To build muscle, 6 to 12 reps over three or four sets works well. To get stronger ahead of unassisted pull-ups, reduce the assistance and do 3 to 6 reps per set, with two to three minutes' rest. Sets of 12 to 15 reps work for endurance. The guide to sets and reps explains more.

Progress runs the other way here. On most machines a higher weight means more assistance, so you are getting stronger as the number drops. Once you reach the top of your range in every set, take one step less assistance next session. That is progressive overload, with the machine as your measure. Log the assistance alongside your reps, so you can see how much of your own weight you are pulling. The guide to reps in reserve helps you judge how close to your limit a set was.

Also called

  • assisted pull up

Swap for

Taken, or missing the equipment? The same movement with something else.

Want it in a programme?

Tell BIP your goal and your equipment, and BIP builds a week with sets, reps and rest worked out. You log your weights as you train and watch yourself get stronger. The first week is free.

Create a programme →