Band Assisted Pull Up

1. Loop a resistance band over the pull up bar and pull one end through the other so it hangs securely.
2. Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width, then place one foot or knee into the bottom of the band.
3. Hang with arms fully extended, shoulders active rather than fully slack, and core braced so your body does not swing.
4. Exhale and pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back.
5. Continue until your chin clears the bar, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the top.
6. Inhale and lower yourself under control back to a full hang, resisting the band's push on the way down.
7. Keep the leg in the band steady throughout; do not kick or bounce out of the stretch.
8. As you get stronger, move to progressively thinner bands until you can pull up unassisted.

Common Mistakes

• Using too thick a band forever: heavy assistance removes the training stimulus at the hardest part of the rep; step down band thickness as soon as you can complete your target reps.
• Bouncing out of the bottom: letting the band's recoil launch you skips the dead hang position where pull up strength is actually built; pause briefly at full extension.
• Cutting range at both ends: half reps from mid hang to eyebrow height do not transfer to strict pull ups; go from straight arms to chin over the bar.
• Letting the shoulders shrug at the top: finishing with elevated shoulders instead of retracted shoulder blades takes the lats and mid back out of the final pull.