- EquipmentBand
- PatternPull
- Reps4 to 15 reps
- Joint loadShoulder
Loop a resistance band over a pull-up bar and place one foot or knee in the loop. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders.
First cueA thicker band gives more help.
How to do the Band-Assisted Pull-Up
Set up. Loop a resistance band over a pull-up bar and place one foot or knee in the loop. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders.
- Hang with straight arms, supported by the band.
- Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar.
- Lower under control to straight arms.
Form cues
- A thicker band gives more help.
- Keep the body still.
- Use the full range.
Common mistakes
- Letting the band catapult you out of the bottom.
- Losing your footing in the loop.
Muscles worked
Main target: Lats. The latissimus dorsi is the widest muscle of the back, running from the lower spine and pelvis up under the arm to the upper arm bone. It pulls the arm down and back: pull-ups, pulldowns and the start of a deadlift.
On the way: Biceps and Upper back.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Side delts and Triceps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Band-Assisted Pull-Up, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Upright Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Prone T-Raise Same pull session: it trains the rear delts.
- Power Clean Same pull session: it trains the traps.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Band-Assisted Pull-Up first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Band-Assisted Pull-Up 3 × 4 to 15 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Prone T-Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pull-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Assisted Pull-Up
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Lat Pulldown
The Band-Assisted Pull-Up loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Pull-Up.
Other variations of the Pull-Up: Chin-Up, Lat Pulldown, Assisted Pull-Up, Negative Pull-Up and Scapular Pull-Up.
Do before it: Scapular Pull-Up (shoulder blades), Negative Pull-Up (same movement, lighter), Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades) and Dead Hang (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Band-Assisted Pull-Up is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Band-Assisted Pull-Up?
Set up: Loop a resistance band over a pull-up bar and place one foot or knee in the loop. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders. Steps: 1. Hang with straight arms, supported by the band. 2. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar. 3. Lower under control to straight arms. Form cues: A thicker band gives more help. Keep the body still. Use the full range. Common mistakes: Letting the band catapult you out of the bottom. Losing your footing in the loop.
What muscles does the Band-Assisted Pull-Up work?
It trains the lats as its main target and works the biceps and upper back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Band-Assisted Pull-Up?
At home: Pull-Up. In a gym: Assisted Pull-Up. With less load on the shoulder: Lat Pulldown. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Band-Assisted Pull-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Upright Row, Prone T-Raise and Power Clean.