.png)
Pulling exercises are essential if you want to build a strong, balanced upper body. Pulling exercises are a great way to target the upper back, lats, rear shoulders, and biceps. If you want to look strong AND be strong, you need to incorporate a significant amount of pulling exercises in your routine.
Pulling is the opposite of pushing. Any move where a weight or object starts away from you and ends closer - that's a pull. Examples of the pull include pullups, inverted rows, barbell or dumbbell rows, lat pulldowns, bent over rows, and pretty much anything with "row" in the name.
Most casual gym goers and exercisers are under-developed in the pulling area. Lack of strong pulling muscles lead to bad posture, underdeveloped physiques, and even shoulder pain. If you sit often at a computer, your posture is probably bad. To fix this, we spend a lot of time pulling.
For most people I recommend pulling at least twice as much as pushing. I program a minimum of a 2:1 [pull:push] ratio for my clients. This means that pulling should be included two times for every pushing exercise. This 2:1 pulling ratio is to ensure proper posture, shoulder health, and overall upper body health. For athletes or on an individual basis, I may recommend even more.
You can measure your ratios by volume using sets x reps. For example: 3 sets of 8 dumbbell presses = 24 total reps. I would then recommend doing 42 total reps of various pulling exercises. The volume is based on weekly exercises.
Here are a few of my favorite pulling exercises you can do with minimal equipment, and how to do them correctly.
Inverted Row
Using a bar, bench, TRX straps, or anything you can hold onto, the inverted row is a great exercise for targeting the major pulling muscles. You hit the back, biceps, and posture muscles with one move.
It's relatively easy and can help add reps to your 2:1 pulling ratio.
Three-Point Row
I like this variation of the dumbbell row because it requires shoulder and core stability while you work one arm at a time. It's more challenging than it looks! You just need something heavy to hold onto and something sturdy to lean against.
Pullups
If you can do 15 strict pullups (full hang) in one set, then you're going to have a strong upper body and good posture. Strength and health are side effects of pullups.
Practice pullups by using a band or by hanging from a bar.
Cable Face Pulls
This exercise has many variations with bands, dumbbells, or other accessories. But if you have access to a cable station, it's an excellent exercise for your upper back and posture. Consider doing 50 reps a day (break them up into sets) and you'll find yourself strong and pain free in no time.
That's Not All
Of course this list isn't complete. There are thousands of variations of rowing, pulling, and other posture exercises. But these are a few of my go-to exercises for both beginners and advanced exercisers.
Use different variations and different set / rep schemes to accumulate the right amount and raise your pulling:pushing ratio!
MORE Information
Need more exercises? Want to learn what's right for you? Get a FREE consult from me!