Strength Training · Bodybuilding · Calisthenics
Weighted Pull-Up
The weighted pull-up is a strict pull-up with extra weight suspended from a belt. It trains your back and arm strength by making you lift more than your body weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Fasten the dip belt around your hips with the plate secured through its closed chain.
- Stand on a stable platform beneath the bar.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with your palms facing away from you.
- Lift your feet off the platform into a straight-arm hang with your shoulders lightly engaged.
- Pull yourself upward until your chin clears the bar.
- Lower yourself under control to the starting hang.
- Step back onto the platform after your final repetition.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
- Drive your elbows toward your sides.
- Exhale as you pull.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the plateKeep your legs quiet instead of kicking to start the pull.
- Craning your neckKeep your neck neutral rather than reaching your chin toward the bar.
- Shortening the rangeReduce the added weight if you cannot complete the full upward and downward movement.
Safety
Excessive load or a sudden drop into the bottom position can strain your shoulders and elbows. A slipping grip or unsecured plate can cause a fall or foot injury.
- Check that the bar, belt, chain, and closure can support your total load.
- Position the plate clear of your feet, the platform, and the frame.
- End the set before your grip starts to fail.
- Support the plate on the platform before opening the chain or removing the belt.
If hanging or pulling causes shoulder or elbow pain, avoid added weight and seek advice from a physiotherapist before progressing.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Dip Belt
- Pull-Up Bar
- Weight Plate
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 4–8 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Add a small load only after you can perform controlled bodyweight pull-ups, leaving 1–2 reps in reserve.