6 alternatives to pull-up exercises for a stronger back

Ah, pull-ups. For many outdoor athletes, this classic bodyweight exercise may feel like the “gold standard.” jess greshColorado-based strength and performance coach for mountain athletes. “They always want to get their first pull-up, and think it’s some kind of benchmark that puts them at a different level.”

This belief is sustained by exercise’s long-standing place in grade-school fitness tests. Recent popularity on social mediais not entirely baseless: many people can’t even do a single pull-up, so are managing One A representative run of good form is an achievement worth celebrating.

Pull-ups are exaggerated. here’s why.

while doing pull-ups to do While they offer many legitimate benefits, including improved grip and arm strength, core stability and overall upper body force production, they are not the holy grail exercises that social media makes them out to be. “They have a lot of limitations,” Greshow says.

For example, they are not accessible to people who struggle with grip strength or shoulder problems.

Plus, there aren’t many ways to make them more beginner-friendly. Of course, you can start with dead hang variations or assisted pull-ups with bands. But actually doing the full pull-up motion is a “pass-fail test,” says mark hofmeisterColorado-based certified strength and conditioning specialist and endurance coach. Either you’re strong enough for this…or you’re not. He compares it to other exercises, such as the chest press, deadlift, or bent-over row, which beginners can do perfectly by using light dumbbells before moving on to heavier weights.

Additionally, pull-ups only require you to work in one direction. “There is absolutely zero rotation[in the movement]so you’re training in a very linear pattern,” Hofmeister says. “In almost every sport you name, whether it’s hiking, climbing, or running, you have all kinds of rotational forces that pull-ups don’t even touch.” This means that for many outdoor sports, pull-ups aren’t your best option for building functional back strength.

With this in mind, we asked Hofmeister for six alternative back exercises that better prepare outdoor athletes for the demands of outdoor activities.

6 exercises every outdoor athlete needs for better back strength

When doing these exercises, Hofmeister recommends doing enough reps in each set so that you feel like you can only do one to two more reps. “If you think you can do five or six more, you haven’t created enough stimulation in the muscles to really benefit,” he says. Complete three sets.

How many repetitions and sets should you do of each back exercise?

• Representative: Do as many repetitions as you can just before feeling tired. For example, if you start to feel like you’re getting faster at 8 repetitions, try two more until you reach 10 repetitions.
• set: Do three sets of each exercise.

Even though we indicate which move is best for what type of outdoor athlete, you can follow the routine perfectly regardless of your sport.

Required Equipment:

To perform these exercises, you will need the following equipment:

• resistance band or rope
• a set of dumbbells
• a kettlebell
• a barbell (optional)
• Access to a fixed bar at a gym or home gym (for reverse rows)
• Access to the cable machine (for face pulls and single-arm cable rows)

1. Carrying a suitcase

Best for: Runners and trail runners

Hofmeister says this exercise is great for runners, especially trail runners, who have to stay balanced while running on uneven terrain. This involves holding a weight in one hand, which will naturally cause your body to rotate and lean toward the loaded side. You’ll need to engage several core and back muscles, such as the quadratus lumborum, obliques, spinal erectors and upper traps, to stay upright and prevent this from happening, he says. This exercise mimics the basic instability that trail runners face.

how to do it:

• Stand straight and hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in one hand. Engage your core to maintain good posture. (Don’t let your torso rotate toward the weight or lean sideways.)
• Keeping your core tight, walk about 50 to 100 feet in one direction.
• Put the weight down, rest a few moments, then pick it up with the other hand and walk another 50 to 100 feet.
• Make sure you use a weight heavy enough that, by the end of the 50-foot walk, you feel you can’t walk more than 4 or 5 additional steps before fatigue begins.

As if you were walking a tightrope, make it more challenging by closing your eyes, walking backwards, and/or lifting your knee up with each step and holding it for a moment.

2. Renegade Row

Best for: Mountain bikers

Hofmeister says this challenging plank variation is a great exercise for mountain bikers. This is because it trains your shoulders and lats to pull the load while maintaining core stability. It meets the demands of constantly steering, braking, pulling and squeezing your handlebars, while maintaining a strong yet comfortable core that actively reacts to changing terrain and obstacles.

how to do it:

• Place a set of dumbbells on the floor. Come into high plank position with feet hip-width apart, shoulders over wrists, and holding each dumbbell with one hand. Engage your core so that your body forms a long, straight line from your head to your heels. This is the initial position.
• Keeping your body stable and hips level, slowly draw your left elbow up and back to form a line, keeping your elbow close to your body the entire time (don’t let it stray out to the side). Stop when the weight reaches your ribs, then slowly extend your arm to return to the starting position.
• Now make a row to the right to complete one rep.
• Continue alternating sides.

to make it easier: Lie down with your knees bent, or lower the weight and do plank shoulder taps.

to make it difficult: Add a push-up between pulls, or place your supporting hand on a BOSU ball.

3. Romanian Deadlift

Best for: Backpackers

In the Romanian deadlift, you are engaging your entire posterior chain (the back part of your body) as you hinge at the hips and maintain a flat back. This translates well to backpacking, as the deadlift motion trains the ability to safely carry a heavy load on your back while walking up and down uneven terrain, which involves constantly moving in and out of the hip hinge, Hofmeister says.

how to do it:

• Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart, knees and core in a gentle bend. Hold a barbell, dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand, holding the weight in front of your thighs. This is the initial position.
• Engage your core and hinge at your hips as you push your glutes back. Keeping your back flat, slowly lower your torso while resting the weight on your shins. You’ll feel a stretch in your hamstrings as you bend down; Stop before the stretch becomes painful or restrictive.
• Keeping your core engaged, push through your heels to stand straight and return to the starting position.
• While pulling up, keep the weight near your feet and keep your legs straight as in the starting position.
• Stop at the top and squeeze your glutes to complete one rep.

4. Drawing a face

Best for: Road and gravel cyclists

Hofmeister recommends this move for road or gravel cyclists who spend a lot of time in a forward rounded position that pulls the shoulder blades apart and lengthens the mid and upper back muscles. The facial stretch directly counteracts this condition by contracting these muscles, helping to restore balance and symmetry in your back.

how to do it:

• Attach the rope handle to the cable machine so it is at eye level. (Alternatively, you can use a resistance band; simply wrap it around a stable anchor point.) Stand in front of a cable machine with feet hip-distance apart and your knees softly bent. Hold the rope with both hands and go far enough to create tension in the cable. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back. This is the initial position.
• Pull the rope (or resistance band) straight toward your face as you squeeze your shoulder blades together and extend your elbows behind you.
• Stop when the rope (or resistance band) is close to your face, then straighten your arms to return the rope (or resistance band) to the starting position. Make sure the rope (or resistance band) remains at eye level the entire time. This is a representative.

5. Single-arm cable row with rotation

Best for: Watersports involving rowing and paddling

This exercise trains your shoulders and lats to properly activate and stabilize as you rotate your torso, which has a lot of carryover into paddling. “When you’re paddling tirelessly your back has to go through thousands of rotations, so it’s important to have stability, and getting that rotation is also important,” Hofmeister explains.

how to do it:

• Add a rope or resistance band to the cable machine so that it is at chest level. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet about hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. (Alternatively, you can stand with one foot facing forward and one facing backward. The part of the back foot is similar to that of the pulling arm. This will allow increased range of motion.)
• Grab the rope with your left hand, rotate your torso slightly to the right so you can lead with your left hand, and step back far enough to create tension in the rope or resistance band.
• Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back. You are now in the starting position.
• Pull the rope back toward your ribs while rotating your torso to the left and taking your left elbow behind you.
• Rotate as far back as you comfortably can, then pause for a moment.
• Now straighten your arm and rotate your torso to the right to return the rope to the starting position. This is a representative.

6. Inverted Row

This move is an accessible, beginner-friendly way to build strength in the same muscles that pull-ups target. Hofmeister recommends it for climbers who want to increase upper body and core strength but aren’t able to do pull-ups.

how to do it:

• Get under a fixed bar with your back toward the ground (you can also use parallel bars or TRX suspension straps) and grab the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing away from your body). The wrists are at chest level, and the arms are straight. Extend your legs straight and place your heels on the ground, toes pointing upward. This is the initial position.
• Pull your shoulder blades together, engage your core, and, keeping your body straight, bend your elbows to pull yourself up.
• Lift your chest toward the bar; pause. Slowly reverse the movement to return to the starting position. This is a representative.

Make it easier by bending your knees and keeping your feet flat on the ground, or adjusting the angle of your body to be more upright.

want more Outside Health stories? Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter.