V-Bar Pullup

Muscle Targeted: Laterals
Secondary Muscles Targeted: Biceps, Brachioradialis, Middle Back, Shoulders (Deltoids)

Starting position:

Prepare a V-grip holder and attach it to the bar. Grab the holders and slightly bend your knees to be in a suspended position.

Exercise:

From the starting position pull your body towards the bar while contracting your back and bicep muscles. Lift yourself into the upper position while moving in a diagonal direction to the side of the V-grip. In the upper position your head is to the side of the bar. When you have reached the top of the contraction pulling your body to one side of the bar, return to the starting position and then lift yourself to the other side of the bar. Alternate sides. Inhale in the starting position and exhale during the contraction and pull-up to the upper position. Do the required number of repetitions.

Note:

Make sure your torso is firm while exercising. Return to the starting position using a slow, controlled motion and avoid sudden relaxation of your muscle tension.

Recommendation:

It is better to begin doing this exercise with assistance from a trainer (partner). The number of repetitions depends on your type of training. Do not overestimate your ability when doing this exercise or when adding weight.

***

Using V-bar in pull-up (or any other form of neutral grip pull-up) is not very common alternative to either pull-ups or underhand chin-ups. However, it should be.

When using a V-bar the arms are in their most natural position. Your palms are naturally facing each other and you need to twist them to a weaker position to grab a bar from up (overhand grip) or down (underhand grip). Not only are several muscles of your arm in “stronger” position but – more importantly – so are the joints (wrist, elbow and shoulder joint).

The movement is somewhat similar to the hammer curls (when we only consider the elbow flexing part). Therefore the brachioradialis muscle is involved more than in other form of pull-ups.

The torso should lean somewhat backwards in an angle of about 30 degrees. At the end of the contraction you should squeeze the shoulder blades together (scapular retraction).

As in other form of pull-ups you can increase the resistance by adding weighted plates to a dip belt.