The Most Controversial Pull Ups!

The Most Controversial Pull Ups!

In case you are wondering, I am talking about the “Behind the Neck Pull ups”.

I have had many people ask me if they were safe to do.

The answer is yes! But it’s only good If you are strong enough to back it up.

It's actually recommended to work towards it. Indeed, this will imply you work towards getting bullet proof shoulders.

So how to perform the Behind the neck properly?

Make sure to keep your shoulders externally rotated at the top of the pull up. That's a key point. Don’t let your elbows go too high or far behind you. Keep them as close to you as possible.

Otherwise you will most likely feel a pinch in your shoulder and could end up impinging it.

You also need to keep a tight core and hollow body position as you perform the move. 

Go for 5 reps x 5 sets. Add isometric holds and adapt rep count depending on your level.

What if you can’t do it yet?

I could not do those either when I started, so I worked on it.

Here are some things to work on to make your shoulders strong:

1. Do the floor assisted variation of the behind the neck pull up. Use a lower bar and keep your feet on the ground. Use your legs to press up and assist yourself as you pull up behind your neck. An alternative is to use a light band and substitute with all face pulls variations and holds. Do 3-5 reps x 3-5 sets.
2. Do lat flies or assisted lat flies. You can also substitute with band flies. Do 3-5 reps x 3-5 sets.
3. Pair the strength training part with consistent shoulder mobility drills such as dislocates with a stick. Do 3-5 minutes of stick mobility training per day.
4. When you feel that your shoulder blades and back muscles are strong enough to do the full unassisted movement, start with isometric holds and negative repetitions. Go for 1-5 reps x 3-5 sets. Here is an example of isometric and negative repetition.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the "most controversial" pull-up variation discussed? The most controversial pull-up variation is the "Behind the Neck Pull up."

2. Are Behind the Neck Pull-ups safe to perform? Yes, they are safe, but only if you are strong enough to back it up. Working towards this movement is recommended as it forces you to develop "bullet proof" shoulders.

3. What is the key to performing the Behind the Neck Pull-up properly and safely? The $\mathbf{key}\mathbf{point}$ is to ensure your $\mathbf{shoulders}\mathbf{are}\mathbf{externally}\mathbf{rotated}\mathbf{at}\mathbf{the}\mathbf{top}$. You must not let your elbows go too high or too far behind you; keep them as close to you as possible to avoid a shoulder pinch or impingement.

4. What body positions should be maintained during the movement? You need to maintain a $\mathbf{tight}\mathbf{core}$ and a $\mathbf{hollow}\mathbf{body}\mathbf{position}$ as you perform the move.

5. What is the recommended progression for someone who cannot do the full unassisted movement yet? For foundational strength, the following should be worked on:

• $\mathbf{Floor}\mathbf{Assisted}\mathbf{Pull}-\mathbf{ups}$ (feet on the ground for assistance) or $\mathbf{Face}\mathbf{Pulls}\mathbf{with}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{band}$.

• $\mathbf{Lat}\mathbf{Flies}$ or $\mathbf{Assisted}\mathbf{Lat}\mathbf{Flies}$ (or band flies).

• $\mathbf{Consistent}\mathbf{shoulder}\mathbf{mobility}\mathbf{drills}$ like $\mathbf{dislocates}\mathbf{with}\mathbf{a}\mathbf{stick}$ (3-5 minutes daily).

6. Once foundational strength is built, how should a person transition to the full unassisted movement? When the back and shoulder blades feel strong enough, you should start with $\mathbf{isometric}\mathbf{holds}$ and $\mathbf{negative}\mathbf{repetitions}$ (1-5 reps $\times$ 3-5 sets).