Most people know pull-ups to work your arms and the back. This is because the majority of the workout experience is focused on these muscles. However, pull-ups are a great exercise to work the abs as well. While the arms do the majority of the work, the chest and abs help to create the tension needed to pull the body weight up to the desired position and they are also used to lower the body back down at a steady rate.
Because of the focus on the chest and stomach, it is a great exercise to help build and accent your 6 pack abs.
Benefits
The primary muscles that are focused on in a pull-up are the back and the arms. However, there are secondary muscles that are targeted through this exercise. These secondary muscles are the arms, upper back, abs and obliques. The key is to ensure that you use the proper form for the entire duration of the pull-up.
How to Warm-up
Since so many muscle groups are used to perform a pull-up, you should ensure that you perform a well-rounded warm up. The warm-up to prepare for pull-ups should be intensive and before you are finished, you should already be working up a sweat.
Here are the exercises and instructions to preforming each warm-up exercise.
Torso Turns
Starting Position:
Exercise:
Turn your torso as wide as possible, turn to look at your right foot while bringing your left hand down to touch your right foot. Stand back up in the same manner you bent down. Repeat going the opposite directions.
Repeat this exercise 15 times in each direction.
Bends
Starting Position
Plant feet shoulder width apart on the floor. Keep knees and legs straight throughout the entire exercise.
Exercise
Bend to the right and touch the right toe with both hands, or come as close to touching your toe as possible without straining. Try to touch your forehead to your knee.
Repeat in the opposite direction.
Repeat this exercise 10 times.
Hip Rotation
Starting Position
Place your hands on your hips with your feet shoulder width apart.
Exercise
Complete wide circles with your hips.
Complete 10 circles to the right and then complete 10 circles to the left.
Abdominal Muscles
Starting Position
Lay flat on your back with your feet a few inches from the floor.
Exercise
Do horizontal scissors with your legs for 30 seconds.
Rest your abdominal muscles for 5 seconds.
Do vertical scissors with your legs for 30 seconds.
Back Muscles
Starting Position
Lay on your stomach with your hands straight out.
Exercise
Lift arms and legs at the same time and hold for one second. Repeat 20 times.
Arm Circles
Starting Position
Feet should be planted firmly shoulder width apart.
Arms should be straight out in a “V” Shape above the head.
Exercise
Complete circles with both hands at the same time.
20 times to the front
20 times to the back
Forearm Circles
Starting Position
Start with feet planted firmly on the floor, shoulder width apart. Hands should be straightened to the sides and at shoulder level.
Exercise:
Complete circles, bending arms at the elbows:
Circle arms inward for 30 seconds
Circle arms outward for 30 seconds
Wrist Rotation
Starting Position
Place hands together and intertwine fingers.
Exercise
Rotate wrists in both directions for 60 seconds.
The Proper Form
A pull-up can be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to building the perfect body. It is easy to do, but it is also easy to injure yourself while doing pull-ups.
Before we dive into how to do one, let’s cover a commonly mistaken terminology problem.
Pull Up – Hands facing away from you. This works your back and your biceps as well as secondary muscle groups, including your abs.
Chin Up – Hands facing toward you. Works your back but has more emphasis on your biceps and secondary muscle groups, including abs.
How to Do a Proper Pull-Up
The steps to completing a proper pull-up are:
How to Cool Down
Cooling down from chin ups is just like cooling down from other exercises. You need to cool your muscles down slowly by doing exercises like jumping jacks, windmills, and similar exercises.
After your muscles have cooled down, you should stretch out all muscle groups involved in the exercise, both primary and secondary muscles. This will ensure that the muscles do not build up lactic acid, the main cause of aching and soreness after working out. The less you cool down, the more you will hurt post-workout.