How to do an Eccentric Pull Up

Strengthen your upper body ready for a complete pull up with this movement

If you’ve got your sights set on a pull up, then learning how to do an eccentric pull up is a must. It works the exact same muscles you need to perform a chin over bar, building strength so you’ll be ready to handle the a pull up in no time.

This really is a great way to start building strength for your pull up, so we recommend including it in your normal workout routine two times a week and try to perform three sets of six reps to start with. If it starts to feel easy, try adding another set in, or even go for gold and try a pull up.

How to do an eccentric pull up

1. Place a box or bench under and slightly behind your pull up bar so you have easy access

2. Standing carefully on the box, grip the bar at just outside shoulder width apart

3. Jump up so you’re holding yourself with your chin above the bar. This is also the top of a pull up

4. From here, lower yourself down as slowly as you can, without letting yourself drop. Try to count to ten if you can

5. When your arms are completely straight, get back on the box and do another rep

Tip: This will get tire you out very quickly, so you might not be able to count to ten each time. But that’s all good, that’s your body working hard. As long as you’re going as slowly as you can, you’ll be strengthening all the right muscles.