How to Train for Pull-ups without a Pull-Up Bar?

Pull ups is one of the most challenging exercises, which engages multiple muscle groups by using your own body weight against you. Best way to start pull-ups is to develop arm strength first, which can be achieved by handing on a pull up bar for few minutes using different angles to help build muscles that are required for pull ups. However, if you don’t have a pull-up bar, don’t worry, there are certain exercises that can help you develop the strength needed to master pull-ups. These can be achieved through dumbbells. In this post I will tell you about these exercised.

Bent Over Rows

This is one of the best exercise that simulates pull-ups and all you need is couple of dumbbells. Correct way to perform this exercise is to stand tall with feel wide open, now hold dumbbells in each hand and bend your knees about 45 degrees. As you inhale bring dumbbells towards your chest then lower them back to their original state while exhaling. This exercise works best on you biceps, posterior deltoid, rhomboid major, teres major and minor, latissimus dorsi, and trapezius.

Dumbbell Pullovers

For this exercise you need an exercise ball or a bench. Lie on the bench or medicine ball and hold one dumbbell with both hands as if you are holding a bat. As you inhale lower the dumbbell behind your head and then bring it back over your head while exhaling. This exercise work on your pecs, seratus anterior, lats, and triceps.

Bicep Curls

The best way to do bicep curls is to stand tall with feet wide apart, now as you exhale carry a dumbbell in each hand and curl them above your shoulders, then inhale as you bring them down to their original position. It up to you whether you want to bring dumbbells down together or one by one. This workout helps you strengthen your bicep muscles, which are needed to achieve chin-ups with an underhand grip.

Reverse Curls

This exercise is good for strengthening your biceps and forearms, while is essentially required for performing pull-ups using a pull-up bar. These type of curls are exactly opposite to bicep curls, the only difference is that you hold down the dumbbells in your palm facing behind you instead of facing out.

If you perform these exercises regularly, it will be much easier for you to perform pull-ups using a pull-up bar.