Machine-assisted pull-up

The machine-assisted pull-up takes a classic back-building exercise and adds assistance to make the movement easier than the bodyweight version. The amount of assistance can easily be changed by moving the pin in the stack. While some people use this variation as a substitute for pull-ups or as an assistance exercise for pull-ups, it is also effective as a way to perform the pull-up motion in traditional muscle-building ranges. This variation is often performed for moderate to high reps, such as 8-12 reps per set or more, as part of upper-body or back-focused training.

Benefits

  1. Helps build the lats (latissimus dorsi), biceps, and upper-back muscles
  2. Makes an advanced exercise accessible to beginners
  3. Makes it so bodyweight is not a limitation for pull-ups
8.2
Average

Machine-assisted pull-up Images

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Machine-assisted pull-up Instructions

Machine-assisted pull-up muscle diagram
  1. Use an assisted pull-up machine or securely attach a heavy-duty band to a pull-up station, securing it around just one knee. The tension should be taut enough to pull that lower leg up. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip just outside shoulder width and hang at full arm extension. This is your start position.
  2. Keeping your body straight, contract your lats to pull yourself up as high as you can, driving your elbows down.
  3. Slowly release to full arm extension. Repeat for the required number of reps and safely dismount from the apparatus.

Alternative Exercises for Machine-assisted pull-up

Lat pull-down thumbnail image Lat pull-down thumbnail image

Lat pull-down

Muscle Targeted: Lats
Equipment Type: Cable
8.6
Average
Band-assisted pull-up thumbnail image Band-assisted pull-up thumbnail image

Band-assisted pull-up

Muscle Targeted: Lats
Equipment Type: Bands
7.6
Average