Negative Pull-Up

How to perform the Negative Pull-Up

1. Set a box or bench under the pull-up bar so you can step or jump up with your chin already over the bar.
2. Take an overhand grip a little wider than shoulder width and hold the top position with the shoulder blades pulled down.
3. Brace the core, squeeze the legs together, and begin lowering yourself slowly, aiming for three to five seconds.
4. Keep the elbows tracking down and in as you descend, resisting the drop the whole way rather than letting gravity win.
5. Reach a full active hang at the bottom, then step back onto the box to reset for the next rep instead of pulling up.
6. Progress by slowing the descent or adding reps until you can pull yourself over the bar without help.

Suggested working range: 3–6 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Dropping through the bottom half quickly instead of controlling the whole descent.
• •Jumping so hard off the box that the chin flies past the bar and the shoulders jolt on the catch.
• •Letting the shoulders shrug up to the ears in the hang rather than keeping them pulled down.
• •Stopping short of a full hang, which skips the stretched range the lats need to build strength.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.

Conventional Deadlift

Back · Barbell

Barbell Row

Back · Barbell

Pull-Up

Back · Bodyweight

Lat Pulldown

Back · Machine

Seated Cable Row

Back · Cable