Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound
Biceps Pull-Up: How to Do It & Muscles Worked
The biceps pull-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets the biceps, with secondary emphasis on the forearms and shoulders. It involves pulling your body up to a bar with an overhand grip, focusing on elbow flexion to maximize biceps engagement.
- Primary muscles
- Biceps
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Level · type
- Advanced · Compound
How to do the biceps pull-up
- Step 1: Hang from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Step 2: Engage your core and pull yourself up by bending your elbows, bringing your chest towards the bar.
- Step 3: Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Step 4: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets, reps and programming
| 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.
Biceps Pull-Up alternatives
More exercises that train the biceps as their main target:
-
Biceps Narrow Pull-Ups
Biceps · Body Weight · Advanced compound -
Dumbbell Alternating Bicep Curl with Leg Raised on Exercise Ball
Biceps · Dumbbell or Stability Ball · Advanced compound -
Dumbbell Bicep Curl on Exercise Ball with Leg Raised
Biceps · Dumbbell · Advanced compound -
Dumbbell Biceps Curl V Sit on BOSU Ball
Biceps · Dumbbell · Advanced compound -
Dumbbell Seated One Arm Bicep Curl on Exercise Ball with Leg Raised
Biceps · Dumbbell · Advanced compound -
Kettlebell Bottoms Up Clean from the Hang Position
Biceps · Kettlebell · Advanced compound -
Simple Dumbbell Alternating Bicep Curl with Leg Raised on Exercise Ball
Biceps · Dumbbell or Stability Ball · Advanced compound -
Athletic Cable Overhead Curl on Exercise Ball
Biceps · Cable · Intermediate compound
More biceps exercises
-
Barbell Curl
Biceps · Barbell · Beginner compound -
Dumbbell Biceps Curl
Biceps · Dumbbell · Beginner compound -
Band Alternating Biceps Curl
Biceps · Band · Beginner compound -
Band Concentration Curl
Biceps · Band · Beginner compound -
Band One Arm Overhead Biceps Curl
Biceps · Band · Beginner compound -
Barbell Alternate Biceps Curl
Biceps · Barbell · Beginner compound
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.