Close Grip Pull Up

How to Perform the Close Grip Pull Up

Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand (pronated) grip, hands approximately 6-8 inches apart.
Hang from the bar with arms fully extended and feet off the floor. Depress your shoulder blades and engage your lats.
Pull your body upward by driving your elbows down toward your hips, focusing on contracting your lats.
Continue pulling until your chin clears the bar. At the top, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Pause briefly at the top, then slowly lower yourself back to a full dead hang under control.
Keep your core tight and body controlled throughout the movement. Avoid kipping or excessive swinging.

Using too wide a grip

Keep hands within 6-8 inches for a true close grip. The narrow position is essential for targeting the lower lats and brachialis.

Cutting range of motion short

Start from a complete dead hang with fully extended arms and pull until your chin is clearly over the bar.

Relying on momentum

Perform strict, controlled reps. If you cannot do full reps without swinging, use an assisted variation to build strength.

✓The narrow grip increases the range of motion compared to wider grip pull-ups, leading to greater muscle stretch and contraction.
✓Effectively targets the lower lats, helping build a wider, more tapered back.
✓Develops brachialis and forearm strength, which supports performance in all pulling exercises.

●The overhand close grip emphasizes the brachialis and brachioradialis more than a supinated grip, contributing to overall arm thickness.
●Keep your elbows pointed forward rather than out to the sides to maximize lat engagement with this grip width.
●Add weight with a dip belt once you can perform 3 sets of 8-10 strict bodyweight reps.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps (weighted)

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 6-12 reps (bodyweight or weighted)

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at bodyweight

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