Back · Pulldown and pull-up
Negative Pull-Up
The Negative Pull-Up mainly trains your lats. Also working: biceps, upper back and forearms.
Bodyweight
Pull-up bar
Stable
How to do it
- Jump up from a bench or stool, chin over the bar
- Hold briefly at the top, shoulders away from your ears
- Lower evenly over 4–5 seconds
- Hang fully at the bottom, step down, jump up again
Coach’s tip
You’re much stronger lowering than pulling up: that’s exactly what this exercise uses. Count honestly: once you can’t take at least 3 seconds to lower, the set is over.
Noticeably loads the elbow. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Grip
Pull-up bar, slightly wider than shoulder width
Load
Bodyweight
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (pulldown and pull-up). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Negative Pull-Up work?
Mainly the lats. The biceps, upper back and forearms help.
What can I do instead of the Negative Pull-Up?
For the same movement: Pull-Up, Band-Assisted Pull-Up and Kneeling Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Negative Pull-Up in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.