Working out particular muscle groups on different days is an excellent strategy to avoid excess fatigue and keep your muscles fresh.
Some people divide their workouts by body parts, like arms, legs, back, and core, while others separate their workouts by the muscle group’s function, like the push and pull muscles.
Opting to target functional muscle groups can be better than opting to target other groupings because it encourages more natural movement and is a more efficient way to train.
If you’ve thought about switching to a more functional training style that includes working out your pulling muscles, read on to learn more about how your pulling muscles work and focus your exercise on these muscles!
What Muscles Make Up Your Pulling Muscles?
Your pulling muscles are all the muscles that contract when you make a pulling motion — here’s an easy way to learn which muscles belong to this group in your upper body:
Step 1: Hold a box or long stick in front of you with both hands (or pretend you have one).
Step 2: Pull your hands toward your chest while holding the object.
All of your upper body muscles that work to pull an object toward your body (or when you pull your body upward) fall into the broad category of your pulling muscles. These include your:
- Back muscles like the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and erector spinae
- Posterior deltoids or the muscles in the back part of your shoulder
- Biceps and supporting muscles that cause your elbow to flex
Many people focus on pulling vs. pushing muscle groups in the upper body. However, your leg muscles also have a pulling group that includes hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and adductors.
Whether you want to work your upper and lower body separately or take a whole-body approach, exercising functional groups can level up your workouts!
3 Compound Movements to Work Out Your Pulling Muscles
For those wondering how to work out your pulling muscles, here’s a breakdown of three exercises that use compound movements (exercises that work multiple muscles) to work all of them.
1. Deadlifts
Incorporating deadlifts into your pull routine is a great way to add a compound movement that works your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It’s also an easy exercise to modify for different fitness levels.
To perform a deadlift with a barbell:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart with the barbell in front of you
- Hinge at the hips and grab the barbell just outside of your knees
- Drive through your heels and straighten your legs to stand tall
- Lower the barbell back down with control
If using a barbell is intimidating, or you want to include deadlifts into a lighter routine, you can modify the exercise kettlebells instead. This modification narrows your grip but keeps the focus on your lower body.
2. Pull-ups
Pull-ups are one of the best ways to engage the pull muscles in your upper body with only your body weight. Here’s how to perform a proper pull-up:
- Grip the pull-up bar with your hands a bit wider than your shoulders
- Engage your back muscles and squeeze your shoulder blades together
- Pull your chest toward the bar to lift yourself up
You might not be able to do a pull-up right away, and that’s more than fine!
Modifying pull-ups with resistance bands or using an assisted pull-up machine is an easy way to practice pull-ups until you build your upper body strength.
3. Bent-Over Rows
Row exercises engage your back muscles, rear deltoids, and biceps in one compound movement. Here’s how you can add bent-over rows into your workout routine:
- Stand in a bent-over, flat-backed position with a barbell below your stomach
- Grip the barbell and pull it into your abdomen, moving your elbows in line with your body
- Lower the barbell back down with control
You can easily modify bent-over rows using lighter free weights or kettlebells instead of a barbell. Find the weight that works best for you to make the most out of your exercise!
How Many Exercises Should I Do on a Pull Day?
The number of exercises you incorporate into your routine depends on your exercise level, the amount of time you can dedicate to working out, and the goals you want to achieve.
For some, a pull day could involve a few compound exercises that quickly target all of your pulling muscles, while others may want to target specific muscles with isolated movements.
If you are still trying to figure out where to start, connecting with a fitness coach is an excellent way to begin your fitness journey!
Choose Fit Body Bootcamp For Your Fitness Routine Needs
At Fit Body, we want everyone to meet their exercise goals in a welcoming environment!
Our 30-minute Afterburn workout sessions, dedicated personal trainers, and nutritional guidance will give you everything you need to move the needle forward on your fitness journey.
If you’re curious about what life is like at FBBC, stop by a location near you to join the family today!
