Exercise

Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked

Last updated 26 July 2026

What muscles does the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up work?

The Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up primarily targets the lats, and also recruits the biceps, middle back, shoulders as secondary muscles. It's classified as a intermediate-level strength movement using no equipment.

What are the most common Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up mistakes?

• Leading with the arms instead of initiating the pull from the back and shoulder blades.
• Rounding the upper back rather than keeping the chest up through the pull.
• Using momentum — a body swing or a jerk of the torso — instead of pulling with the target muscles.
• Letting the shoulders shrug up toward the ears instead of pulling the shoulder blades down and back.

How should I program the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up — sets, reps and frequency?

As a pulling movement, it responds well to a moderate-to-heavy 4-8 reps for 3-5 sets when trained for strength, or 8-12 reps for hypertrophy. Most lifters train it once or twice a week as a primary movement in a push/pull/legs or upper/lower split. Add small amounts of weight or an extra rep once every working set can be completed with good form — the same progressive overload principle behind every strength exercise in the library.

What are good Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up variations and alternatives?

• Chin-Up — bodyweight, beginner level, lats
• Pullups — bodyweight, beginner level, lats
• Band Assisted Pull-Up — other, beginner level, lats
• Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown — cable, beginner level, lats

Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up at a glance

Attribute	Value
Level	Intermediate
Equipment	Bodyweight
Category	Strength
Primary muscles	Lats
Secondary muscles	Biceps, Middle Back, Shoulders

How to do the Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up, step by step:

1. Step 1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
2. Step 2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
3. Step 3. Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
4. Step 4. After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
5. Step 5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.