Strength Training for Better Posture: Assisted Pull-Up

Use your time in the gym to improve your structural alignment, not ingrain poor posture and compensated movement patterns.

Starting Position

• Hand position on the bar is wide enough to create a 90 degree angle from the wrist to the elbow to the shoulder at the top of the exercise.

• Linear line from the hands to the knees with the spine in neutral alignment.

• Arms extended, elbows straight and a slight stretch in the lat muscles.

Movement

• Depress the shoulder blades down before beginning the upward movement. Depressing the scapula first stabilizes the scapula and secures the rotator cuff and shoulder joint, protecting it from injury. Additionally, depressing the shoulder blades puts the latissimus dorsi muscle (lats) in the proper alignment to be trained effectively.

• Evenly pull your body up engaging your back muscles to do the work until your chin is near level with your hands.

• Lower slowly, allow the lats to stretch at the bottom then depress the scapula to start the next repetition.