Written by Tyler DiGiovanni | BSBM
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-Founder
FACT CHECKED
Vertical pull exercises are essential components of any well-rounded strength training program. Ever wanted a wider back?
These are the exercises that are going to help you have to turn sideways to fit through a doorway. Targeting the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms, vertical pulls are a great way to improve upper body strength.
In this article, we'll explore the muscles worked, the most effective vertical pull exercises, their benefits, and how to perform them correctly to maximize your results.
What Are Vertical Pull Exercises?
Vertical pull exercises involve movements where you pull a weight or resistance downward in a vertical plane, typically from above your head toward your body.
These exercises mainly target the latissimus dorsi (lats), trapezius, rhomboids, and biceps, contributing to the sought after V-shape and overall upper body strength.
Muscles Worked in Vertical Pulling Exercises
Vertical pull exercises primarily target the muscles of the upper back, shoulders, and arms. Here's a closer look at the key muscles involved.
Latissimus Dorsi (Lats)
- Location: The largest muscle in the back, stretching from the mid-back to the sides and wrapping around to the front of the ribs.
- Function: Responsible for shoulder extension, adduction, and internal rotation. The lats are the primary muscles engaged during vertical pulling exercises, contributing to the V-shaped appearance of the upper body.
Biceps Brachii
- Location: Front of the upper arm, between the shoulder and elbow.
- Function: Assists in elbow flexion and forearm supination (turning the palm up). Biceps are heavily involved in exercises like pull-ups and chin-ups, where arm flexion is required.
Trapezius (Traps)
- Location: A large, kite-shaped muscle covering the upper back and neck.
- Function: Helps with scapular elevation, retraction, and rotation. Vertical pulling exercises engage the upper and middle fibers of the trapezius, aiding in shoulder blade movement and stability.
Rhomboids
- Location: Between the shoulder blades, connecting the spine to the scapula.
- Function: Retract the scapula (pull the shoulder blades together), contributing to good posture. Vertical pull exercises like pull-ups help strengthen these muscles, improving scapular stability.
Rear Deltoids (Posterior Deltoids)
- Location: Back of the shoulder, part of the deltoid muscle group.
- Function: Assists in shoulder extension and external rotation. The rear deltoids are activated during exercises that require pulling the arms back, such as face pulls and wide-grip pull-ups.
Teres Major and Minor
- Location: Small muscles located underneath the shoulder blade, connecting the scapula to the upper arm.
- Function: Assist the lats in shoulder adduction and extension. These muscles are crucial in pull-up variations and lat pulldowns.
Infraspinatus
- Location: Part of the rotator cuff, located on the back of the shoulder blade.
- Function: Aids in external rotation of the shoulder and stabilizes the shoulder joint. Although not the primary target, infraspinatus contributes to overall shoulder stability during vertical pulling motions.
Brachialis
- Location: Underneath the biceps, along the upper arm.
- Function: Primarily responsible for elbow flexion. It works alongside the biceps in exercises like chin-ups, enhancing pulling strength.
5 Key Vertical Pull Exercises
Below are five of our favorite vertical pulls. Yes there are more, but these are the ones we try to include in all of our programming. There was discussion about upright rows being included, but due to the split in opinion by our staff, we kept it off.
1. Pull-Ups
Muscles Worked: Lats, biceps, rhomboids, traps.
How to Do It: Grab a pull-up bar with palms facing away, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hang with arms fully extended. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar, then lower back down with control.
Variations: Chin-ups (palms facing you), wide grip pull-ups, and assisted pull-ups.
2. Lat Pulldown
Muscles Worked: Lats, biceps, rear deltoids, traps.
How to Do It: Sit at a lat pulldown machine and grasp the bar with a wide grip. Pull the bar down toward your chest while keeping your torso upright, then slowly return to the starting position.
Variations: Close grip, reverse grip, single-arm pulldowns.
Related: 10 Best Lat Exercises
3. Chin-Ups
Muscles Worked: Biceps, lats, forearms.
How to Do It: Similar to pull-ups but with palms facing you. This variation puts more emphasis on the biceps.
Variations: Weighted chin-ups, neutral grip chin-ups.
4. Straight Arm Pulldown
Muscles Worked: Lats, triceps, rear deltoids.
How to Do It: Stand in front of a high pulley with a straight bar. With arms extended, pull the bar down to your thighs while keeping your arms straight. Slowly return to the start.
Benefits: Focuses on the lats without involving the biceps.
5. Shrugs
Muscles Worked: Traps, levator scapulae.
How to Do It: Stand upright holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with palms facing in. Shrug your shoulders up toward your ears as high as possible, then lower them back down with control.
Variations: Barbell shrugs, behind-the-back shrugs, Smith machine shrugs.
Benefits: Strengthens the upper traps, helps improve shoulder stability, and enhances posture.
Related: 11 Best Trapezius Exercises
Benefits of Vertical Pull Exercises
So, we’ve already covered that they will help build a barn-door back, so here are a few more reasons why you should be making sure to get your vertical pulls in.
- Improves Upper Body Strength: Vertical pull exercises are great for building strength in the upper back, shoulders, and arms, which are essential for functional movements and daily activities.
- Enhances Posture: Strengthening the muscles of the upper back helps counteract the effects of poor posture, especially for those who sit for long periods. This especially applies to all of you that subconsciously straightened up when you read this.
- Supports Spinal Health: By engaging the back muscles, vertical pull exercises help stabilize the spine, reducing the risk of injury.
- Increases Pulling Power: These exercises improve your ability to pull, which is crucial not only in fitness but also in various sports, physical activities, and everyday life.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Momentum: Avoid swinging or using momentum to complete the rep, which reduces the exercise’s effectiveness. If you head to your local gym, I can almost guarantee you’ll see someone on the lat pulldown machine rocking back and forth to get the weight moving. You’re going to get more out of strict reps that really put tension on the muscles.
- Improper Range of Motion (ROM): Ensure full extension and contraction in each rep to engage the muscles fully. ROM is extremely important when it comes to fully exhausting your muscles and encouraging growth.
- Incorrect Grip: Grip width and type can alter which muscles are targeted, so ensure your grip matches your exercise goals. Remember, underhand grips are going to fire up your biceps more than overhand.
Incorporating Vertical Pulls into Your Workout Routine
To integrate vertical pull exercises into your routine:
- Include at least one or two vertical pull exercises in your upper body or back workouts.
- Adjust the rep range based on your goals: higher reps (10-15) for endurance and hypertrophy, and lower reps (4-8) with heavier weight for strength.
- Balance vertical pulls with horizontal pulls (like rows) to ensure a complete back workout.
Wrap-Up
Vertical pull exercises are irreplaceable for developing a strong and aesthetically pleasing upper body. By incorporating these movements into your workout routine, you’ll enhance your pulling strength, improve your posture, and support overall functional fitness. Whether you're a beginner or advanced lifter, mastering vertical pull exercises can take your training, and body, to the next level.
More movement patterns to master:
Tyler DiGiovanni
Author