Videos
Instructions
- Grip the pull-up bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Start from a dead hang position with arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and initiate a pull by driving elbows down and back.
- Use a kip or strict strength to raise your chest toward the bar.
- Touch your chest to the bar just below the collarbone.
- Lower yourself under control back to the starting position and repeat.
Technical Tips
- Maintain a hollow body position to control your movement.
- Drive your elbows behind you, not just downward.
- Keep your chest lifted to meet the bar at the top.
- Use a consistent kip rhythm if performing the dynamic variation.
Breathing Tips
- Inhale at the bottom position.
- Exhale forcefully during the pull toward the bar.
- Inhale as you lower yourself back down under control.
Medical restrictions
- Shoulder impingement or instability
- Elbow or wrist tendinopathies
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Acute thoracic spine issues
The Chest-to-bar Pull-Up is a high-level upper-body pulling exercise commonly used in functional fitness, CrossFit, and calisthenics. Unlike the standard pull-up, this variation requires the athlete to pull high enough for the chest to make contact with the bar, increasing the range of motion, muscular activation, and technical demand. It enhances strength and control in the back, arms, and core while challenging grip endurance and coordination. Athletes can perform this movement with strict form for maximum strength development or add a kipping or butterfly technique to improve speed and efficiency in competitive settings. The chest-to-bar pull-up builds superior pulling mechanics and is integral to performance in high-rep workouts and advanced gymnastics progressions. As a result, it is best suited for trained individuals looking to develop explosive upper-body power and muscular endurance.
What muscles are worked in chest-to-bar pull-ups?
Chest-to-bar pull-ups primarily work the back muscles, especially the lats, with secondary activation of the biceps, rhomboids, triceps, and core.
What is the difference between pull-ups and chest-to-bar pull-ups?
Chest-to-bar pull-ups require a higher pulling range to make contact with the chest, increasing muscular activation and technical demand compared to standard pull-ups.
Are chest-to-bar pull-ups harder than regular pull-ups?
Yes, chest-to-bar pull-ups are more challenging because they demand a greater range of motion and explosive pulling power.
Can I do chest-to-bar pull-ups without kipping?
Yes, they can be performed strictly without momentum, which increases strength gains but may reduce rep volume.
How can I get better at chest-to-bar pull-ups?
Improve strength with strict pull-ups, practice kipping technique, and train with accessory movements like rows and lat pulldowns.