How to Get Your First Pull-Up (and Why It’s Not Just About Strength)
Strength Made Simple Blog – Bedford Strength & Conditioning
If we had a pound for every time we heard this in goal reviews…
👉 “I want to get my first pull-up”
👉 “I want to be able to do multiple pull-ups”
We’d be doing pretty well.
It’s one of the most common goals we hear — and for good reason.
Pull-ups are:
Challenging
Impressive
A true sign of strength
And incredibly rewarding when you finally get one
But they’re also one of the most misunderstood movements in the gym.
🤔 “I Just Need to Get Stronger…”
This is what most people think.
And yes — strength matters.
But pull-ups aren’t just about strength.
They require:
Grip strength (can you even hold onto the bar?)
Upper back strength (lats, not just arms)
Core control (to stay stable)
Coordination (to move efficiently)
Confidence (hanging from a bar isn’t natural for most people!)
That’s why just jumping up to the bar and “having a go” over and over again rarely works.
🧠 What a Proper Pull-Up Actually Looks Like
A pull-up starts from a dead hang and finishes with your chin over the bar.
But what really matters is how you get there.
A strong pull-up looks like this:
👉 Shoulders engage first
👉 Back does the work
👉 Core stays tight
👉 Elbows drive down toward your ribs
It’s not just arms pulling you up.
It’s a full body movement.
❌ Common Mistakes That Hold People Back
We see the same issues time and time again:
Pulling with the arms first instead of using the back
Letting the body go loose and swing around
Rushing the way down instead of controlling it
Avoiding the bar altogether because it feels uncomfortable
All of these make the movement harder than it needs to be.
🪜 How to Actually Get Your First Pull-Up
You don’t “unlock” a pull-up overnight.
You build it — step by step.
Here’s what that looks like:
✔️ 1. Get Comfortable Hanging
Start simple:
Dead hangs
Grip work
Just getting used to being on the bar
This builds both strength and confidence.
✔️ 2. Learn to Engage Your Shoulders and Back
Before you pull, you need to learn how to “set” your shoulders.
This is where the movement really begins.
✔️ 3. Use Smart Progressions
Instead of struggling through full reps, we use:
Banded pull-ups
Negative (eccentric) pull-ups
Ring rows or bar rows
These build strength in the right positions.
✔️ 4. Strengthen the Supporting Muscles
Pull-ups don’t exist in isolation.
We build:
Upper back strength
Core stability
Grip strength
All of which make the final movement much easier.
✔️ 5. Stay Consistent and Progress
Like everything in fitness — consistency wins.
Small improvements each week:
Longer hangs
Better control
Stronger reps
And suddenly… you’re there.
💬 The Good News
If you’ve been struggling with pull-ups, it’s not because you “can’t do them.”
It’s usually because:
👉 You haven’t been shown the right steps
👉 You’ve been trying to skip the process
👉 Or you’ve been doing the wrong things
Your first pull-up is absolutely achievable.
🚀 The Takeaway
Pull-ups aren’t about brute force.
They’re about:
Technique
Control
Progression
Consistency
Build those — and your pull-up is closer than you think.
If you’d like help to get your first pull-up book a call with us below: