Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Band Assisted Pull-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The band assisted pull-up is a variation of the traditional pull-up that uses a resistance band to provide assistance, making it easier to perform the movement. This exercise targets the latissimus dorsi (lats) and also works the biceps and forearms.

Primary muscles
Lats
Secondary muscles
Forearms , Biceps
Equipment
Band
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the band assisted pull-up
Front view: muscles worked by the band assisted pull-up. Primary: lats. Secondary: forearms and biceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the band assisted pull-up. Primary: lats. Secondary: forearms and biceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the band assisted pull-up

  1. Step 1: Attach the band to a pull-up bar or sturdy anchor point.
  2. Step 2: Step onto the band and grip the bar with your palms facing away from you, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Hang with your arms fully extended, keeping your core engaged and your shoulders down and back.
  4. Step 4: Pull your body up towards the bar by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows down towards your hips.
  5. Step 5: Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the band assisted pull-up by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Band Assisted Pull-Up alternatives

More exercises that train the lats as their main target:

More lats exercises

See the best lat exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.