Butterfly Pull-Up

Body region

• Back
• Arms

Muscles

Main

• Latissimus Dorsi
• Teres Major

Helps

• Deltoid
• Pectoralis Major
• Trapezius
• Rhomboids
• Biceps
• Brachialis
• Brachioradialis

Holds

• Rectus Abdominis
• Rectus Femoris
• Flexor Digitorum Superficialis

Equipment

• Pull-Up Bar

Technique

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with hands just outside the shoulders and build a hollow-to-arch swing.
2. Swing the legs behind you, pulling the chest forward and up in a circular, butterfly path.
3. Pull the chest toward the bar as the hips drive forward, then push the bar away to move back into the next swing.
4. Keep a continuous rhythm and drop down under control to finish.

Cues

• Only attempt this after mastering strict and kipping pull-ups.
• Keep the rhythm smooth.
• Use a pull-up bar with space around it.

Common mistakes

• Rushing the swing and losing control of the shoulders.
• Doing too many reps with tired shoulders.
• Hanging on a bar that is too low for the swing.

Alternatives

• Kipping Pull-Up
• Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up