A standard pull-up is one of those upper body exercises that almost everybody might be familiar with if they have ever hit the gym. A regular pull up can help you build muscles in your upper arms, your shoulders, back and abs.
The only thing is that this exercise doesn’t get to all the right areas that should be addressed when you’re exercising in the gym. There is another exercise called behind the neck pull-ups. Not many people know about it nor do they know about the benefits.
We are going to take a look at how you can do behind the neck pull-ups properly and what benefits you stand to gain from it.
How to do behind the neck pull-ups
Behind the neck pull-ups are basically a variation of the standard pull up exercise. When you are performing this exercise, instead of pulling on the bar in front of you, your focus is to have the hands towards your back when you have pulled up.
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You need to make sure that your form is just perfect when you are doing this exercise. An incorrect form can lead to muscle injury and compromised progress of bodybuilding. When you are doing behind the neck pull-ups, keep these few tips in mind.
- Start by grasping the bar with an overhand grip that is wider than the shoulder-width grip.
- Bend your knees and cross your lower legs behind your body to balance yourself properly.
- Make sure that you keep your back completely straight and your abs tight.
- Keeping this form intact, pull yourself up towards the bar and move your head underneath.
- As soon as your neck touches the bar, slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
Benefits of behind the neck pull-ups
Behind the neck, pull-ups offer you a bit more intensity in your workouts than other forms of exercise. They can help you exercise a region of your body that has muscles slightly weaker than the ones you work out during standard pull-ups. Behind the neck pull-ups focus on all the muscles that standard pull-ups do as well as providing greater emphasis to the upper back muscles.
While the basic function of rear pull-ups is the same as standard pull-ups, it places greater emphasis on other muscles, which you would otherwise not give that much attention. It helps you make your lower back and chest even stronger.
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Main muscles affected by rear pull-ups
Here is a look at some of the main muscular areas that get targeted when doing behind the neck pull-ups.
- Rhomboids
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Arm muscles
- Cardiovascular muscles
Final thoughts
Pull-ups, standard or otherwise, are a very functional exercise. These motions repeatedly work the muscles and the parts of the body that you normally use for everyday activities.
This means that the exercise effectively makes it easier for you to perform your day-to-day tasks by focusing on the muscles you would use. It offers maximum muscle involvement as well as stimulates muscle growth to help you become fitter and stronger.
