Are you looking to build an impressive back, biceps, and forearms at home? But maybe you’re unsure what exercises to do or how many sets to aim for.
If so, read on because we’ll review the best exercises and how to put together an effective at home pull workout with just some basic equipment.
Table of Contents
Main Takeaways
Muscles Worked
Primary Muscles Worked 💪
- Lats
- Trapezius
- Biceps
Secondary Muscles Worked 💪
- Rear delts
- Teres Major and Teres Minor
- Rhomboids
- Core/Abs
Pull Exercises
Here is a list of the best movements you can do based on your available equipment:
Dumbbells
- Bent-over row – perform these by holding a pair of dumbbells, leaning forward, and pulling them toward the sides of your stomach.
- One-arm dumbbell row – you can place one knee on a chair or keep both feet on the floor. Either way, use your free hands for balance.
- Dumbbell pullover – do these with your upper back on a sturdy chair or stool. You can dip your buttocks slightly as the weight moves behind your back to stretch your lats.
- Shrugs – keep the movement controlled and elevate your shoulders as high as possible.
- Renegade row – do these only if you have dumbbells with hexagonal or square weight plates.
- Bicep curls – extend your arms fully and squeeze your biceps hard at the top.
- Hammer curls – this is identical to a bicep curl, with the primary difference being that you keep your wrists neutral (palms facing one another).
- Concentration curls – keep your elbow against your inner thigh and maintain a vertical arm position.
Pull-Up Bar
- Pull-ups – lower yourself to the bottom and pull up as high as you can in one fluid motion. (1)
- Chin-ups – same as pull-ups, only here your palms face backward, leading to slightly better bicep recruitment.
- Dead hangs – a fantastic exercise for grip development and muscle gain.
- Scapular pull-ups – excellent for strengthening the upper back and helping you achieve a rigid position for all sorts of pulling exercises.
- Negative pull-ups or chin-ups – ideal for beginners looking to build strength for regular pull-ups.
Resistance Bands
- Lat pulldowns – you can use multiple bands to get enough resistance. Open bands with handle attachments and a door anchor are ideal.
- Horizontal rows – you can anchor the band (or bands) using a door anchor. Position it at stomach level.
- Face pulls – an excellent but overlooked exercise for the rear deltoids and shoulder health.
- Bicep curls – you can do regular bicep curls or hammer curls, where your hands remain neutral (facing one another)
Equipment-Free
- Bodyweight towel curls – you can use an old sheet. Make a couple of knots on one end and secure them against the top of a door. Grab the opposite side, lean back, and use your body weight as resistance for curls.
- Towel inverted rows – the same as the previous movement, only the goal is to do rows instead of curls.
Home Workouts
Beginner Workout
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row – 3 sets, 10-12 reps, 2 mins rest
Band Lat Pulldown – 3 sets, 12-15 reps, 2 mins rest
Dumbbell Shrugs – 3 sets, 12-15 reps, 1.5 mins rest
Hammer Curls – 3 sets, 15-20 reps, 1.5 mins rest
Intermediate Workout
Pull-Ups – 5 sets, close to failure, 2.5 mins rest
Bent-Over Dumbbell Row – 4 sets, 10-12 reps, 2 mins rest
Dumbbell Pullover – 4 sets, 12-15 reps, 2 mins rest
Dumbbell Shrug – 4 sets, 12-15 reps, 2 mins rest
Bicep Curl – 4 sets, 15-20 reps, 1.5 mins rest
Bodyweight Towel Curl – 4 sets, close to failure, 1.5 mins rest
Philip Stefanov
Philip is a fitness writer, blogger, certified personal trainer, and the founder of ThinkingLifter.com. He trained at BioFit College, and has spent the last nine years writing fitness content and training men and women in the gym, as well as online. His passion is fitness and exercise, and helping others improve their fitness and wellness.
References
Chertoff, J. (2019, December 9). The benefits of pullups. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/benefit-of-pull-up