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 Can't Do a Pull-Up? Start Here: 3 Foundational Exercises to Build Strength
Feb 05, 2024

Can't Do a Pull-Up? Start Here: 3 Foundational Exercises to Build Strength

Stop making excuses. Here are the three non-negotiable exercises that will build the strength foundation you need for your first pull-up.

You can’t do a pull-up yet. That’s fine. What’s not fine is continuing to avoid the work that will get you there.

Most people approach pull-up training backwards. They jump on an assisted machine, use bands, or attempt negative reps without building the foundational strength first. It’s like trying to run a marathon when you can’t walk a mile.

Here’s the truth: pull-ups require specific strength patterns that most people have never developed. Your lats, rhomboids, and posterior deltoids are probably weak. Your grip strength is likely insufficient. Your core stability under load is probably non-existent.

Stop looking for shortcuts. Start building the foundation.

Exercise 1: Inverted Rows - Your Pull-Up Gateway Drug

If you can’t do a pull-up, you start with inverted rows. Non-negotiable.

Why this works: Inverted rows teach the exact pulling pattern of a pull-up while allowing you to adjust the difficulty by changing your body angle. You’re building the same muscle groups, same movement pattern, but with manageable resistance.

Setup:

  • Use a barbell in a squat rack, TRX straps, or even a sturdy table
  • Position the bar at hip height to start
  • Lie underneath, grab the bar with an overhand grip
  • Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels

Execution:

  • Pull your chest to the bar
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together
  • Lower with control
  • No sagging hips, no momentum

Progression Protocol:

  • Week 1-2: 3 sets of 8-12 reps at 45-degree angle
  • Week 3-4: Lower the bar 2-3 inches, maintain reps
  • Week 5-6: Continue lowering until you’re nearly horizontal
  • Goal: 3 sets of 15 reps at horizontal position

When you can complete this, you’re ready for the next level.

Exercise 2: Lat Pulldowns - Building Vertical Pulling Strength

Lat pulldowns get dismissed by purists, but they’re essential for building the specific strength needed for pull-ups.

Why this matters: You need to develop the ability to pull your body weight vertically. Most people lack the lat strength to initiate a pull-up from a dead hang. Lat pulldowns build this strength progressively.

Setup:

  • Use a lat pulldown machine with a wide bar
  • Sit with thighs secured under the pads
  • Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width

Execution:

  • Pull the bar to your upper chest
  • Lead with your elbows, not your hands
  • Squeeze your lats at the bottom
  • Control the weight up—no dropping

Progression Protocol:

  • Week 1-2: 3 sets of 8-12 reps at 70% of body weight
  • Week 3-4: Increase to 80% of body weight
  • Week 5-6: Work toward 90% of body weight
  • Week 7-8: Aim for 100% of body weight for 8-10 reps

When you can lat pulldown your full body weight for multiple reps, you’re mechanically ready for pull-ups.

Exercise 3: Dead Hangs - The Unglamorous Game Changer

Dead hangs look boring. They feel boring. They’re also absolutely critical.

Why you can’t skip this: Grip strength fails before lat strength in most beginners. You can’t pull what you can’t hold. Dead hangs also teach proper shoulder positioning and build the initial strength needed to support your body weight.

Setup:

  • Grab a pull-up bar with an overhand grip
  • Hang with arms fully extended
  • Shoulders slightly engaged (not completely relaxed)

Execution:

  • Just hang there
  • Breathe normally
  • Don’t swing or kip
  • Focus on maintaining the position

Progression Protocol:

  • Week 1: 3 sets of 15-30 second hangs
  • Week 2: 3 sets of 30-45 second hangs
  • Week 3: 3 sets of 45-60 second hangs
  • Week 4+: Work toward 2-minute continuous hang

Most people underestimate how challenging this becomes. A 2-minute dead hang requires serious grip and shoulder strength.

The Integration Protocol

Don’t just do these exercises randomly. Here’s how to structure your training:

Training Frequency: 3 times per week, non-consecutive days Session Structure:

  1. Dead hangs (3 sets)
  2. Inverted rows (3 sets)
  3. Lat pulldowns (3 sets)

Weekly Progression:

  • Week 1-2: Master form, establish baseline
  • Week 3-4: Increase difficulty/weight
  • Week 5-6: Push toward target standards
  • Week 7-8: Test pull-up readiness

The Readiness Test

You’re ready to attempt pull-ups when you can:

  • Dead hang for 60+ seconds
  • Complete 15 horizontal inverted rows with perfect form
  • Lat pulldown your full body weight for 8+ reps

If you can’t hit these standards, you’re not ready. Keep working the foundations.

Common Mistakes That Kill Progress

Mistake 1: Rushing the progression Spending only 1-2 weeks on each exercise before moving on. Your tendons and ligaments need time to adapt. Be patient.

Mistake 2: Ignoring form for numbers Sloppy inverted rows with sagging hips don’t build pull-up strength. Perfect form at easier angles beats poor form at harder angles.

Mistake 3: Skipping grip work Your lats might be strong enough for a pull-up, but if your grip fails at 15 seconds, you’re not pulling anything.

Mistake 4: Training too frequently These movements are demanding. Your muscles need recovery time to adapt and grow stronger.

The Mental Game

Building foundational strength is unglamorous work. You’re not doing pull-ups yet. You’re hanging from a bar, pulling yourself up to tables, and moving weights on a machine.

This is where most people quit.

They want the sexy exercise (pull-ups) without earning it through the foundational work. They want the result without respecting the process.

Don’t be most people.

Every second you hang from that bar is making you stronger. Every inverted row is teaching your muscles the movement pattern they’ll need. Every lat pulldown is building the strength foundation your first pull-up will depend on.

The work isn’t glamorous, but it’s necessary. Do the work that others won’t, and you’ll achieve what others can’t.

Your first pull-up isn’t a destination—it’s a checkpoint. But to reach that checkpoint, you need to build the road. These three exercises are your construction tools.

Stop looking for shortcuts. Start building your foundation. Your future self will thank you when you’re cranking out pull-ups while others are still making excuses.