Pull-ups target the upper body muscles such as lats, rhomboids, deltoids, and many others. As such, you can do pull up alternative exercise to target those muscles that are worked by pull-ups. For example, you can do barbell bent-over row, dumbbell rows, dumbbell lat pulldown to exercise your upper body.
Therefore, if you cannot do the pull ups for various reasons, don’t worry. This article will give different types of exercises to pull up an alternative.
Pull-Up Alternative With Dumbbells.
There are various exercises that you can do using dumbbells as a pull up alternative. Pull ups exercise the shoulders, triceps, back, and chest muscles. To exercise these muscles, there are other workouts that you can do besides the pull-up. In addition, you can use the dumbbells, to make the workout more intense. Below are some of the exercises that you can do as pull up alternative.
Dumbbell Rows.
When you don’t have the pull up bar but with a dumbbell, you can use the latter to strengthen your upper body. Pull-ups work the lats, therefore, dumbbell rows are a good alternative to work those muscles. So, you can add more weight to dumbbells and make your exercise more intense. Besides targeting lats muscles, the dumbbell row exercises the biceps, delts, forearm, rhomboids, and more.
Therefore, the dumbbell is a good pull-up considering the pull-ups muscles worked.
Renegade Row.
This is another workout that you can use as a pull up alternative. However, this exercise may not replace the pull up exercise. But it works the muscles that used when doing the pull ups. For instance, when you are doing the renegade row, you use the dumbbells. And with the use of the dumbbells, you strengthen the shoulders, chest muscles and the triceps. In addition to that, your abs and core also get toned.
Therefore, with the use of dumbbells, you exercise the muscles that are used when doing the pull-ups. For instance, doing the renegade row can strengthen your core.
Dumbbell Lat Pull-Down.
This is another exercise that can help you exercise the same muscles that you exercise when doing the pull-ups. The Dumbbell Lat Pull-down workout targets your upper back and arms.
However, the intensity of the Dumbbell Lat Pull down might not be the same as of the pull-ups. But the exercise is good at exercising the upper body muscles. Hence, the Dumbbell Lat Pulld-own can be pull up alternative.
Pull Up Alternative Reddit.
Reddit has informative communities when it comes to health and fitness. You can get advice, notes, tips, and more information on fitness. Interestingly, the members share creative notes on various exercises. When it comes to the pull-up alternative, members share various exercises. According to the Reddit community, below are some amazing pull-up alternatives;
Rows.
The Reddit communities offer various ways of doing rows at home without gym equipment. Rows targets lat, rhomboids, trapezii, and other muscles. Likewise, the pull up exercises the same workouts. To do rows at home without the gym equipment you can use the kitchen or dining table to exercise.
In addition, you can use the sheet and the door to do the rows at the comfort of your home.
Floor Pull Up.
This is another exercise that you can do as a pull up alternative. The floor pull up exercise can be done on a shiny floor.
Like the pull ups, it also targets the biceps and the back muscles. Therefore, floor pull ups can be used as a pull up alternative.
One Arm Towel Row.
This exercise is good for exercising the arm muscles. It can be easily done at home as a pull up alternative if you don’t have the weights at home.
Murph pull up alternative.
If you don’t have the pull up bar, you can do the Murph pull up alternatives. What matters is making sure that you are meeting the intensity level of Murph’s exercises. Murph’s Crossfit workout is for endurance and to build muscles. Therefore, Murph’s pull up alternative must make sure that they meet those targets. Below are some of the exercises;
Door pull-Up.
You can do the door pull up like the traditional pull ups. As such, they have similar effects of building the upper body muscles. The door pull up is good for strengthening your back, shoulders, and arm muscles. However, you must be careful when using the door to do the pull ups. Make sure that the door is secure. You have to be extra careful; you might hurt your fingers if the door moves while you are clinging on it.
Door Knob Row.
This is another exercise that can do at home. Interestingly, you don’t need gym equipment. So you don’t have to make an excuse if you don’t have any rowing machine, You just need a towel and a strong door handle to do the exercise. This exercise is good for working the biceps, rhomboids, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi muscles. Therefore, you can do the door knob row as a pull up alternative.
Chin-Up Alternative.
The chin up exercise works the muscles that are similar to those worked by pull ups. As such, chin-ups and pull ups are more like cousins. For instance, the chin-up exercise works the back muscles such as teres major. In addition to that, it also targets the posterior deltoids and biceps. Therefore, if you want to do chin-up alternatives, you have to do exercises that target the back, shoulders, and arm muscles. Such exercises include;
Assisted Chin-Ups.
If you are not comfortable to do the standard chin ups, you can do the assisted chin ups. Assisted chin ups workout is similar to the chin-up. The difference is that the chin up is a high-intensity exercise compared to assisted chin-ups. But the two exercises work the same muscles. As such, if you have the bar you can do the assisted chin ups as an alternative to chin ups workout.
Bent-Over Row.
To do bent-over row, you may use a barbell or dumbbells. The exercise is good for working the back muscles. Therefore, you can do the bent-over row as a chin up alternative.
Lat Pulldowns.
This is another exercise that you can do as a substitute for chin ups. This workout targets the back muscle known as latissimus dorsi. Likewise, the chin up workout exercises the same muscle. Therefore, the lat pulldown is a good alternative for chin-ups. In addition, it keeps the spine stable, thereby promoting good posture.
Australian Pull-Up Alternative.
The standard Australian pull ups target the abs and arm muscles. You can do this exercise as pull-up alternative. If you cannot do the Australian pull ups, you can do the following exercises.
Double Kettlebell Bent-Over Row.
This exercise is good for biceps, shoulders, and back muscles. Therefore, you can do the double kettlebell bent over row instead of Australian pull-up.
Seated Cable Row.
This is another exercise that you can do instead of Australian pull ups. This exercise targets the back muscles. In addition, the biceps, pecs, and other upper body muscles can also benefit. Hence, you can use the seated cable row as an Australian alternative.
Barbell Upright Row.
This exercise is ideal for promoting good posture. It targets the rhomboids, trapezius, deltoids, and other upper body muscles. This exercise does not need a lot of equipment. With a barbell, you can improve the shoulder and upper back muscles. As such, barbell upright row can be a good alternative to Australian pull ups.
Pull Up Alternative Kettlebell.
If you don’t have the pull up bar, you can use the kettlebell to do various exercises to shape up the upper body muscles. Some of the exercises that you can do are as follows;
Kettlebell Bottom Up Press.
This exercise targets the lats and abs. It cannot entirely be a pull up alternative but you can use the exercise to train other muscles that can be similarly trained using the pull ups workout.
Bottom Up Squats.
This exercise is good for improving core muscles. As much as it might not work all the pull up muscles, you can use the bottom up squats to exercise some of the upper body muscles.
Pull-Up Alternative With Resistance Bands.
There are various exercises that you can do using the resistance band as a pull up alternative. Below are some of the exercises;
Resistance Band Pulldown.
Interestingly, you can use the band as a pull bar substitute. The difference is that when you are doing the resistance band pull down, the weight gets pulled down. However, the resistance band pull-down, exercises the same muscles that get exercised by the pull up workout.
Squat To Overhead Press.
Using a resistance band, you can do the squats to overhead press exercise. This exercise can exercise your entire body. As a pull-up alternative, the squat to overhead press works the chest, arms, and shoulders.
Wide Grip Pull Up Alternative.
The wide grip pull up is another exercise that you can use as pull up alternative. It targets the chest, arms, shoulders, and back muscles. However, there are also other workouts that you can use as a wide grip pull up an alternative. For instance, you can do the dumbbell row exercise, band assisted pull-up, lat pulldown, and many other exercises.
Take Away
Pull-ups are an exercise that is good for strengthening the upper body muscles. This exercise comes with many variations that you can use as a pull up alternative. Of course, some of the variations cannot replace the pull-up entirely, but they can exercise some of the upper body exercises.
Some of the pull up types include chin up, Australian pull-up, wide grip pull up, and others. However, if you don’t have the pull up bar, you can use other available gym equipment such as the kettlebell, dumbbell to do pull up alternative exercises.
There are also other exercises that you can do without the use of gym equipment as pull up alternatives. For example, you can do rows, door pull-up and many other workouts discussed above.
What have you used as a pull up alternative? Share your experiences.