15 Pull Day Exercises To Add To Your Workout Routine

If you are looking for the best pull day workout, deadlift is here to aid you achieve good health and build strength. It is a fantastic compound exercise that's primarily conducted through barbell use.

This workout is known to target various pulling muscles, including the lower back, traps, and forearm muscles.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand tall with a barbell in front of you. The barbell should be laid out on the floor.
• With the feet hip width apart, lean forward and grab the metal bar.
• The hips should be driven backward without arching the back.
• Now, take a deep breath, engage the core, and slowly lift the barbell.
• Pull the barbell upwards till your back becomes straight again.
• Hold the raised barbell in the standing pose for a few seconds.
• Gently bring the barbell down to the floor and repeat the process for 7-10 reps.

The name of this exercise says it all about its value in your pull-day routine. It’s primarily an upper body workout that effectively targets the forearms, lats, rhomboids, and traps.

Because of its pulling motion against your full body weight, beginners might struggle to even complete 2 reps. But with consistent practice, we can gradually build up our rep count.

Steps To Do It:

• Begin by standing under a pull up bar with your arms stretched overhead.
• Grab the bar firmly with both hands and inhale deeply.
• Engage your shoulders and core to lift your entire body weight using your arms.
• Make sure your legs are completely off the ground for the pull-ups to be effective.
• Next, pull your body upwards, bending your elbows until your chest reaches the metal bar.
• Lower the body down with controlled momentum, feeling a good stretch.
• Repeat the movement for desired number of reps. Experts should aim for 10 reps.

Just like a deadlift, a barbell row is another excellent pulling workout that strengthens our back, forearms, and biceps. Be careful while lifting the barbell, as improper form could lead to overstretching injuries.

Steps To Do It:

• Grip the barbell tight and stand upright with shoulders relaxed.
• Now, lean forward while keeping a straight back. The feet should stay stationary, at hip width distance from each other.
• Keep the barbell extended down with straightened arms.
• Inhale and start pulling the barbell with slow, controlled motions.
• Bring the barbell towards your chest and then, lower the weight to the initial position.
• Continue doing this pulling exercise for 7-10 reps.

The seal row is a unique chest-supported exercise performed by lying face down on a bench and pulling weights upward.

It requires equipment like a flat bench and weights, such as a barbell or trap bar, to do it properly. That’s why it’s typically done at the gym rather than at home.

Steps To Do It:

• Lie down on your stomach on a flat bench. Keep the legs straight.
• Squeeze the glutes and straighten the back.
• Now, grab the barbell from the bottom with an overhand grip.
• When grabbing the weight, ensure that there is no bend on the elbows. Raise the height if your elbows are bending.
• Start pulling the weight towards you in slow motion. Bring them upwards, stopping when the weight touches the bench.
• Steadily lower the weight to the original pose and repeat the process for 10 reps.

This pull day exercise is similar to barbell row and targets the latissimus dorsi, biceps, rear delts, and traps. Using a dumbbell allows for unilateral training, ensuring each side works independently.

Avoid using excessive momentum or flaring your elbows too much, as these mistakes can make the exercise ineffective and may even lead to wasted effort or potential injuries.

Steps To Do It:

• Keep the left knee on a bench and right foot firmly planted on ground.
• Place a dumbbell on ground, directly in front of the right leg.
• Bend your upper body forward while maintaining the back erect.
• Grab the dumbbell with the right hand, and in this bent stance, pull the weight upwards.
• Continue rowing the weight until it reaches your chest area.
• Then, gently bring the dumbbell down until it nearly touches the floor.
• Lift the dumbbell back up again, repeating this process for 10 reps.
• Alternate the sides once you complete the required reps.

Want to work out those biceps in hopes of strengthening and toning them? Preacher Curl is exactly what you need. This isolation exercise makes it harder for other muscles to take over during pulling movements, keeping the focus on your biceps.

When starting out, be sure to use lighter weights. Also, avoid locking your wrists, as this can put unnecessary strain on them and lead to serious pain.

Steps To Do It:

• Grab hold of a barbell and sit down comfortably on a preacher curl bench.
• Rest your upper arm and elbows on the pad. Also, keep the pad at a comfortable height.
• Extend your arms forward, maintaining a firm grip on barbell.
• Next, pull the barbell towards you.
• Do not shift the upper arms while performing the pulling action.
• Bring the weight close to your head, then lower it back to the starting pose.
• Repeat this exercise for desired number of reps.

While doing this cable exercise, remember to pull the handle towards the torso with a small pause at the top to really feel a deep stretch in the back muscles. Due to its single arm movement, it is also great for unilateral training.

Moreover, this workout is also helpful for improving core stability, which in turn aids to promote better balance and athletic performance.

Steps To Do It:

• Get seated near the cable pulley machine, or if a bench isn’t available, you can sit on the ground instead.
• Set the pulley to height at your abdominal level.
• Grab the handle with your left arm, extended straight ahead.
• Now, begin rowing the handle towards your torso, getting a good stretch in the biceps and back.
• Once you pull to the maximum limit, release the cable handle with controlled momentum.
• Keep practicing this workout for 7-10 reps, then switch to the other hand.

Another cable workout on this list, Face Pulls are great for engaging our rear delts, traps, and rotator cuff. It is primarily suited for people who are seeking to improve their upper back strength.

Concentrate on squeezing the shoulder blades at the top of the pull for greater activation of targeted muscles. Consistent practice of this workout can help improve our posture too.

Steps To Do It:

• Stand tall near a cable machine, with your legs at hip width distance.
• The cable height should be placed at your eye level.
• Grip the rope handle on the machine and step back until your arms are fully extended. This is your starting pose.
• Start pulling the handle with slow and steady motions, bringing it towards your face.
• Hold the handle at end of the pull for a few seconds, then return it to the starting position.
• This exercise must be done for 10-12 reps.

Regarded as one of the best exercises for lats, the lat pulldown also engages our biceps, rear delts, and forearm flexors. It is performed using a cable machine specifically designed for this exercise.

Do not arch your back while conducting this exercise to prevent lower back injuries. Also, make sure your forearm muscles are not doing the most work during the pulling motion.

Steps To Do It:

• Get comfortably seated on the pulldown machine. Do not raise the seat too high or get too cramped up.
• Grab the cable bar handle that is located above your head.
• Make sure that your arms are fully extended before getting into the pulling motion.
• Inhale deeply, and then pull down the handle by engaging the arms, shoulder, and back muscles.
• Once the handle reaches the upper chest, release the handle back to the original position.
• Continue practicing this exercise for 10 reps.

This is a biceps focused workout similar to the preacher curl. Biceps Curls could be practiced anywhere - you only need two dumbbells to begin with. It is easy to do and regarded as a basic exercise that newcomers learn when they enter the fitness world.

Steps To Do It:

• Begin by standing in an upright position and carrying dumbbells in each hand. 
• The arms should rest at your sides. The palms must face away from the body.
• Meanwhile, keep the elbows close to your body and shoulders back and down.
• Take a deep breath and curl the left dumbbell in upward direction.
• Curl the weights to the shoulder level, feeling a good biceps stretch.
• Remember to keep the upper arms still during the entirety of the lifting process.
• Conduct the biceps curl for desired number of reps. Then switch to the right arm.

This workout is also considered as a horizontal pull up. It is simple to perform compared to the classic pull up, making it a perfect alternative for us if we find pull ups too difficult.

Just like traditional pull ups, inverted rows are great for targeting our back, biceps, and core muscles.

Steps To Do It:

• Place a barbell few feet off the ground in a power rack.
• Get under the barbell and grab the metal bar firmly.
• Grip the metal bar with a wide grip.
• Make sure to start in a position where your arms are hanging straight.
• Slowly pull your entire upper body towards the barbell.
• When your chest touches the barbell, it’s time to lower down again.
• Perform the same process for 10-12 reps.

If you’re present in the gym, you can try out the biceps curl with a cable machine. Cable exercises offer constant tension throughout the range of motion, making them a valuable asset for stretching and strengthening your biceps brachii.

Steps To Do It:

• Grab the rope handle from a cable machine with an underhand grip.
• Place the handle at your waist area. The pulley must be set at the lowest height.
• Bending the elbows, pull the handle towards your chest.
• Do not move the upper arm too much during the lift-up.
• Bring the handle down and continue pulling for 7-10 reps.

This exercise works the traps, lats, and rear delts with every rep. It’s an excellent alternative to the commonly practiced dumbbell version.

Steps To Do It:

• Establish two cable pulleys at your head level. Stand between these pulleys.
• Grip the right handle with left hand, while the left handle will be held by right hand.
• The arms must be straight without any bend in the elbows.
• Now, pull them steadily in a fly pattern.
• Continue this physical activity for 10-12 reps.

This isolation exercise is fantastic for targeting the biceps, truly living up to its name of “concentration”. To get the most out of it, squeeze at the top of the pull and hold for 2 seconds to feel the strength flowing through your biceps.

Steps To Do It:

• Sit down on a bench with the right elbow resting on your thigh.
• Hold a dumbbell in right hand and then extend it down.
• Then, lift the dumbbell upward by bending the elbows. However, you need to place the elbow at your thigh.
• Repeat this exercise for 10 reps. Then switch to the left hand.

T Bar row is a beast for pull days because it enables us to place extra loads on weights without straining our back, unlike the barbell rows. While lifting the bar, it’s important to avoid jerking the weight to reduce injury risk.

Steps To Do It:

• Utilize a landmine attachment and load some weights into one part of the bar.
• Place the bar between your legs. The bar should be initially placed on the floor.
• Lean the upper body forward without bending the back.
• Use a rope, towel, or raw hands to grip the bar firmly.
• Slowly lift the bar and bring it to your abdominal region. 
• Don’t arch the back during the lift, as it could reduce the effectiveness.
• The exercise should be practiced for 7-10 reps.

Pull day workouts can target several muscle groups with every rep. Some exercises work all the 'pulling' muscles simultaneously, while others feature isolation movements that focus on just one muscle group.

Here are the major muscles targeted by a pull day exercise:

• Biceps Brachii
• Forearms
• Trapezius
• Latisimuus Dorsi
• Rear Deltoids
• Rhomboids

Disclaimer: The content presented in this article is only intended to be used for information purposes. It should not be taken as a form of medical / clinical advice.