Back · Bodyweight
Corn Cob (Side to Side) Pull-up
How to do the corn cob (side to side) pull-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hang from the bar with an overhand grip. Pull yourself up and toward one hand so your chin clears the bar over that side, then shift across the bar to the other hand at the top before lowering. The side-to-side travel turns each rep into a loaded, dynamic pull-up that hammers grip and lat control.
- 1Feel your lats and biceps fire as you pull up and across
- 2Keep your core braced to control the side-to-side shift
- 3Stay tight through the shoulders as you move along the bar
Common mistakes
- Avoid swinging your legs to generate the sideways momentum
- Do not let the shoulders shrug or go slack at the top
- Avoid dropping fast; lower with control to protect the elbows
Muscles worked
The corn cob (side to side) pull-up mainly works the lats, biceps, and forearms, with the mid traps, lower traps, upper abs, obliques, lower abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsPrimary
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
Kovo programs the corn cob (side to side) 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.