Back · Leverage Machine
Assisted Pull-up
How to do the assisted pull-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Leverage Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Vertical Pull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the assist weight and place a knee or foot on the support pad of the assisted pull-up machine. Start from a full hang on the overhead bar, pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back, then lower with control back to the hang. The pad offsets part of your bodyweight so you can own every rep.
- 1Lats and upper back initiating the pull, biceps assisting
- 2Your core staying tight so you move as one unit
- 3A controlled lower back to a full hang
Common mistakes
- Kipping or swinging to get your chin up
- Shrugging up into your ears at the top
- Letting the pad fling you down instead of lowering under control
Muscles worked
The assisted pull-up mainly works the lats and biceps, with the forearms, lower traps, mid traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kovo programs the assisted pull-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.