V-Bar Pullup — start position
Start
V-Bar Pullup — end position
End

Back / Beginner / Compound (multi-joint)

V-Bar Pullup

A bar exercise for the lats, with the biceps, upper back and rear delts assisting.

At a glance

Primary
Lats
Secondary
Biceps, Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps), Rear delts, Forearms & grip
Equipment
Pull-up bar
Movement pattern
Vertical pull, Elbow flexion (curl)
Level
Beginner
Type
Back, Compound (multi-joint)

How to do it

  1. Start by placing the middle of the V-bar in the middle of the pull-up bar (assuming that the pull-up station you are using does not have neutral grip handles). The V-Bar handles will be facing down so that you can hang from the pull-up bar through the use of the handles.
  2. Once you securely place the V-bar, take a hold of the bar from each side and hang from it. Stick your chest out and lean yourself back slightly in order to better engage the lats. This will be your starting position.
  3. Using your lats, pull your torso up while leaning your head back slightly so that you do not hit yourself with the chin-up bar. Continue until your chest nearly touches the V-bar. Exhale as you execute this motion.
  4. After a second hold on the contracted position, slowly lower your body back to the starting position as you breathe in.
  5. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

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Muscles worked

Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps — secondary (Front)Forearms & grip — secondary (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) — secondary (Back)Rear delts — secondary (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats — primary (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip — secondary (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)
FrontBack
  • Primary: Lats
  • Secondary: Biceps, Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps), Rear delts, Forearms & grip

Best for

How specific this exercise is to each movement.

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Photos and instructions: free-exercise-db (github.com/yuhonas/free-exercise-db), public domain.