Back · Bodyweight
Close Grip Pull-up
How to do the close grip pull-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hang from a pull-up bar with your hands close together, palms facing away from you. Pull your body up until your chin clears the bar, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides, then lower under control.
- 1Feel your lats and biceps drive the pull with elbows tucked in
- 2Initiate by pulling your shoulder blades down and back
- 3Lower yourself slowly for a full stretch at the bottom
Common mistakes
- Do not swing or kick your legs to cheat the rep
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
- Do not stop short of getting your chin over the bar
Muscles worked
The close grip 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 close grip 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.