Back · Bodyweight
Wide Grip Rear Pull-up
How to do the wide grip rear 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
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hang from a pull-up bar with a wide overhand grip, hands well outside shoulder-width. Pull your body up by driving your elbows down and back until the bar passes behind your neck, then lower back down with control. Keep your chest up and avoid straining your neck.
- 1Feel your lats and upper back drive your elbows down and back
- 2Initiate by pulling your shoulder blades down before your arms bend
- 3Control the descent to a full hang and keep tension on your back
Common mistakes
- Do not swing or kick your legs to get above the bar
- Avoid forcing your neck forward; keep the range comfortable
- Do not use momentum; focus on controlled reps
Muscles worked
The wide grip rear pull-up mainly works the lats, with the biceps, forearms, mid traps, lower traps, rear delts, and upper abs assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
Kovo programs the wide grip rear 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.