Back · Bodyweight
Shoulder Grip Pull-up
How to do the shoulder 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
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hang from a pull-up bar with a wide overhand grip, hands set wider than shoulder-width. Pull your body up by driving your elbows down and out until your chin clears the bar, then lower with control.
- 1Feel your lats and upper back drive the pull as your chin clears the bar
- 2Initiate by pulling your shoulder blades down and back
- 3Lower slowly to feel a full stretch through the lats
Common mistakes
- Don't swing or kick your legs to get above the bar
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders or straining your neck
- Don't cut the range short; lower to full extension
Muscles worked
The shoulder grip pull-up mainly works the lats, with the biceps, forearms, lower traps, rear delts, mid traps, and upper abs assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
Kovo programs the shoulder 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.