5 days ago · What muscles do pullups work? Here, experts explain exactly what muscles you're training when you hit the bar to do the comprehensive upper body exercise.

Chin ups work the biceps more and work the lats less. This is because, during a pull up, the biceps are unable to activate effectively due to the overhand grip (pronated) leaving the lats to work harder.

Sep 15, 2024 · Pull-ups work almost all of the muscles in your back, with the notable exception of your spinal erectors. That includes your rear delts, rotator cuff, rhomboids, lats, and mid and lower traps.

Jul 6, 2025 · While standard pull-ups don’t work the chest much, some variations involve the pectorals as stabilizers or secondary movers. The chest-to-bar pull-up is your best bet—it forces you to pull …

Oct 18, 2023 · What muscles do pull-ups work? The main muscles worked during pull-ups are the back muscles, more specifically: Pull-ups also work the teres major, teres minor, infraspinatus, forearms, …

Oct 21, 2024 · Of the muscles pull-ups work, the upper arm muscles (namely the biceps brachii) and the latissimus dorsi carry most of the load. However, the pull-up is a timeless bodyweight exercise that …

Aug 5, 2024 · Pull-ups work the lats, pecs, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms as well as chest-down muscles like the core, glutes, quads, and hamstrings, says Rivera. “The pull-up is a pretty …

Oct 9, 2024 · The main muscles that pull-ups work are your lats and biceps, alongside many other upper-body muscles and your core. Some benefits of pull-ups include increased grip strength, …

Dec 2, 2025 · Pull-ups are a compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, but the back muscles bear the brunt of the work. Among these, the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius, and …

Jul 24, 2025 · Yes, pull-ups are excellent for building upper-body muscle. They target major muscle groups like the lats, biceps, and traps, and can lead to increased strength and muscle growth when …