Pull-ups are one of the most rewarding bodyweight exercises you can do. They build serious upper body strength, improve posture, support shoulder health, and make everyday movements like lifting, climbing, and carrying feel easier. But for many people, especially adults returning to fitness or just starting out, getting that first rep can feel impossible.

Here’s the good news: you don’t need to be able to do a full pull-up to start training for one. In fact, there are plenty of smart progressions you can do right now to move closer to your first rep - without frustration or injury.

Start With the Basics: Horizontal Pulls

If you’re starting from scratch, the easiest and safest place to begin is with horizontal pulling movements, like bodyweight rows or TRX rows. These allow you to pull yourself toward a fixed object while keeping your feet on the ground. They teach you how to engage your back, shoulders, and core with more stability and less load than a vertical pull-up.

As you get stronger, you can make these harder by elevating your feet, which shifts more of your bodyweight onto your upper body and core.

Build Grip & Shoulder Control From Hanging

Can’t do a pull-up yet? No problem. Just hanging from the bar is a great place to start. It builds grip strength and helps your body get used to supporting your weight from an overhead position.

From there, add scapular pull-ups - a small but powerful movement where you shrug your shoulder blades down and back while hanging. This improves scapular awareness and strengthens the stabilizer muscles you need for full pull-ups.

Use Bands

Resistance bands can reduce the amount of bodyweight you’re lifting without taking away the need for core control and proper form. They’re great for practicing the full range of motion and building confidence—just make sure to use them safely and progressively. Over time, move to lighter bands or decrease assistance.

Lower Yourself with Control: Eccentric Training

Even if you can’t pull yourself up yet, chances are you can lower yourself down. That’s because your muscles are stronger during the eccentric (lowering) phase of a movement.

Use a step or jump to get your chin over the bar, then lower yourself slowly and with control. This builds strength directly in the muscles you need for a full pull-up and teaches proper movement patterns.

If Pull-Ups Bother Your Shoulders…

Some people feel discomfort or irritation in the shoulders during overhead movements. If that’s you, it doesn’t mean you’re broken—it just means your body might not be ready for that position yet.

Instead of pushing through pain, build strength with other pulling variations:

• Horizontal rows (with bands, TRX, rings, or a bar)

• Lat pulldowns (if you have access to a gym)

• Dumbbell or kettlebell rows

• Supported incline pull-ups (with feet on the floor)

These options allow you to get stronger and more confident without flaring up your shoulders.

Practice Often — Frequency is Key

You don’t have to max out every time you train. In fact, frequent, low-to-moderate effort practice is often the most effective approach. Try including a few minutes of pulling work 2–4 times per week using the methods above. Over time, your body adapts, and your first full pull-up becomes just the beginning.

If you sit for long periods - whether for work, commuting, or leisure - chances are your hip flexors are tight. But before you jump into stretching them, it’s important to understand why they get tight in the first place and how that can contribute to other issues like low back discomfort.

What Sitting Does to Your Body (and Why It Matters)

When we sit for prolonged periods, our hips are locked in a flexed position. Over time, this shortened position trains the hip flexor muscles - especially a deep one called the psoas major - to become tight and overactive.

The psoas originates from the lumbar spine (lower back) and inserts into the top of your femur (thigh bone). This means tight hip flexors can directly pull on the lower spine, potentially contributing to lower back tension, anterior pelvic tilt, or even chronic discomfort in the lumbar region.

Why Hip Flexor Stretching Isn’t Always Enough

Many people try to fix this by doing a basic hip flexor stretch, but without proper awareness of pelvic positioning, the stretch may not be effective and could even reinforce poor posture. Learning how to posteriorly tilt your pelvis (think gently tucking your tailbone under) during the stretch helps lengthen the hip flexors and makes the movement more effective.

The Fix: Stretch Smarter, Not Deeper

Instead of cranking into a deep lunge, take a few moments to:

• Understand where your pelvis is in space

• Activate your glutes to support the stretch

• Move intentionally to lengthen the muscles without putting extra strain on your lower back

You’ll get a much deeper and more effective stretch, and potentially reduce one of the sneakiest contributors to back pain.

Sitting isn’t inherently bad, but staying in one position for too long could be problematic. Learn how to move the pelvis with intention, and you’ll do your spine a huge favor.

Unlock the Power of Unilateral Training

If you’re looking to build real-world strength, improve balance, and boost athletic performance, unilateral training should be a non-negotiable part of your workouts. One of the most effective movements you can add today is the single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL).

Why Unilateral Training Matters

Most of life - and sport - happens one leg or one side at a time. Walking, running, climbing stairs, picking things up - your body is constantly shifting weight from side to side. That’s where unilateral exercises shine. They help:

• Fix strength imbalances

• Improve coordination and stability

• Reduce injury risk

• Build functional strength that actually carries over into daily life

The Single-Leg RDL: A Posterior Chain Powerhouse

The single-leg RDL specifically targets your glutes, hamstrings, and core while also challenging your balance and hip control. It’s one of the best ways to train your posterior chain and build that strong, stable base most people are missing.

However, it’s not easy at first. One of the most common mistakes is rotating the pelvis outward, which usually shows up as the back foot and toes turning out. When that happens, you lose the tension in your glutes and hamstrings, which limits your results.

Quick Fix: Use a Foam Roller for Feedback

A simple and effective way to correct this? Use a foam roller as a guide. Hold it lightly behind you (between your arm and your lifted leg). As you move through the RDL, the foam roller helps cue your hip to stay in line and your leg to move straight back, keeping your form tight and your muscles firing properly.

How to Mix Unilateral Work Into Your Training

Start small. You don’t need to overhaul your entire program. Try replacing one or two bilateral exercises (like regular RDLs or squats) with unilateral versions once or twice a week. Here are a few ideas:

• Swap barbell RDLs for dumbbell single-leg RDLs

• Add split squats or step-ups into your lower body day

• Finish your workout with a single-arm or single-leg core exercise

Over time, you’ll notice better balance, stronger lifts, and fewer nagging aches.

If you spend most of your day sitting - working at a desk, driving, or lounging - your spine is likely hanging out in a lumbar flexed position for hours on end. This means your lower back is slightly rounded forward, and your spinal tissues are under low-level, constant tension.

That position isn’t "bad" in itself. Your body is built to bend, flex, and round. The problem? It’s always in that position.

Over time, the lack of variety in movement leads to:

• Stiffness and achiness in the lower back

• Reduced spinal mobility

• Decreased tolerance to other positions (like extension or rotation)

• A general feeling of tightness, even when you're “doing nothing”

The Solution Isn’t Just Stretching - It’s Moving Differently

Instead of focusing solely on loosening up your back or stretching the "tight" spots, perform movements aim to reverse the repeated flexion by reintroducing extension, rotation, and gentle spinal control. Think of it like giving your spine a new direction to explore - the opposite of what it’s been doing all day.

These movements aren’t meant to be aggressive. In fact, if they feel too intense, scale them back. Go slower, reduce the range of motion, or do fewer reps. The goal is to introduce movement in a tolerable, consistent way so your back learns to feel safe again in other positions.

Move More, Sit Smarter

It’s not about avoiding sitting - it’s about breaking up the sameness. Give your back some variety. A few intentional minutes of mobility work each day can go a long way in building a more resilient, pain-free spine.