Back · Bodyweight
Seated Pull-up
How to do the seated pull-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit under a low bar set around head height with your legs extended in front and heels on the floor. Grab the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back, then lower under control.
- 1Lats and upper back leading the pull, biceps assisting
- 2Your heels anchoring you so the upper body works
- 3A tight core keeping you moving as one unit
Common mistakes
- Driving hard through the legs to cheat the rep
- Shrugging up into the ears instead of pulling with the back
- Letting your hips drop or your body sway
Muscles worked
The seated pull-up mainly works the lats and biceps, with the forearms, mid traps, lower traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
Kovo programs the seated 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.