Exercise · Back
Wide-angle pull-up on the cable crossover
This pull-up uses the fixed bar of the cable crossover, with a wide, angled grip. It mainly works the lats, with help from the biceps. It is a demanding bodyweight move, so clean technique matters more than the number of reps.
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Grab the outer angled handles.
- Pull up with elbows flared out.
- Keep your chest up and don't pull only with your arms.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps
How to do it
- Grab the bar wide on the angled parts, arms straight.
- Pull your shoulders down before you pull.
- Pull your chest toward the bar, driving your elbows to your ribs.
- Rise until your chin clears the bar if you can.
- Lower over 2 to 3 seconds to straight arms.
Common mistakes
Swinging
Instead : Keep your legs still and brace. Start each rep from a dead stop.
Half reps
Instead : Lower to nearly straight arms every time.
Reaching with your neck
Instead : Keep your head neutral and think chest up, not chin up.
Coach tips
- If you cannot do a full pull-up yet, train slow lowerings.
- Too wide a grip shortens the move: stay where you are in control.
- Log your clean reps to see your progress.
Variations
- Feet on a bench for help.
- 5-second lowering to build toward a full pull-up.
Sets and reps
People often do 3 sets close to technical failure, usually 3 to 10 reps.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
Log your Wide-angle pull-up on cable crossover sets with GoSet
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Common questions
I cannot do one pull-up yet. Where do I start?
Start with slow lowerings or an assisted version, then reduce the help over time.
Wide or narrow grip?
A wide grip biases the lats a bit more, a narrow grip works the biceps more. Both are useful.
How many reps should I aim for?
As many as you do cleanly. Quality matters more than the total.