Towel pull-up
A pull-up where the grip fails first, which is exactly the point and exactly what a bar never does.
StrengthBarControlled both waysAll bodyweight exercisesAll back exercisesAll grip exercisesAll forearms exercises
What it works
Grip, Back, Forearms
How to do it
- 1Hang a towel over the bar and take one end in each hand, then pull up until the hands reach bar height.
- 2Lower under control to a full hang.
- 3The towel removes the bar's help entirely, so the hands do the work a hook grip normally does for them — expect a fraction of your usual reps, and treat the number as the honest one.
Cues that matter
- ›One towel over the bar, one end per hand
- ›Pull until the hands reach the bar
- ›Expect far fewer reps than normal
Train the same thing
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