Back Workout: Our Pull

All you need is a pull-up bar and resistance band for a serious lat pump

Low-rep, weighted pull-ups are great for building strength. Bodyweight pull-ups are great for building muscle. High-rep, assisted pull-ups are great for building strength endurance. So what do you get if you combine all three? A seriously challenging bodyweight back workout that builds strength through your entire upper body, pumps up your lats, biceps and forearms and tests your grip.

This pull-up ‘drop set’ will see you battling against fatigue to build muscle and explosive strength. And the best part? All you need is a resistance band and somewhere to hang from.

You’ll begin with a band resisted pull-up – fighting against the tension of the rubber and using a band that allows you to just about crank out three-to-six high-quality reps. After your final rep, you’ll ditch the band and, without taking any rest, perform as many pull-ups as you can with just your bodyweight. An ideal goal is double what you achieved on your resisted set, but aim for as many reps as possible before your form breaks down. Next, you’ll wrap your band around your bar and use it to assist you in cranking out a final salvo of reps. Keep going until your grip gives out, or you can no longer get your chest all of the way to the bar.

Rest for three-to-four minutes, then start again from the top. Perform five-to-six total rounds. Make a note of the total reps you complete on each set and aim to beat your score on each subsequent attempt.

Secure a resistance band around a heavy weight beneath a pull-up bar. Step into the loop and hang from the bar (A). Pull yourself up against the tension of the band. Think of driving your elbows down into your pockets. When your chin passes the bar, pause (B), before lowering slowly to the starting position. Perform as many reps as you can until you can no longer get your chin to the bar.

Once you've completed your resisted reps, lose the band and hang from the bar without it (A). Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows and pulling your shoulder blades down and back. Again, think of driving your elbows down into your pockets. When your chin passes the bar, pause (B), before lowering slowly to the starting position.

Finally, finish by looping your band around the bar, stepping into the other end and hanging from the bar (A). Allow the band to assist you in pulling your chest to the bar (B). Lower under control. Repeat. The band will help you to crank out a final few reps, ensuring you're pushing each round to the max.

With almost 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer, nutritionist, breath coach and writer, Andrew has spent nearly half of his life exploring how to help people improve their bodies and minds.

As our fitness editor he prides himself on keeping Men's Health at the forefront of reliable, relatable and credible fitness information, whether that's through writing and testing thousands of workouts each year, taking deep dives into the science behind muscle building and fat loss or exploring the psychology of performance and recovery.

Whilst constantly updating his knowledge base with seminars and courses, Andrew is a lover of the practical as much as the theory and regularly puts his training to the test tackling everything from Crossfit and strongman competitions, to ultra marathons, to multiple 24 hour workout stints and (extremely unofficial) world record attempts.

You can find Andrew on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or simply hold up a sign for ‘free pizza’ and wait for him to appear.

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