How to do the Australian pull-ups?

Pull-ups are one of the most popular callisthenics exercises. Very popular with bodybuildersAs a fitness, crossfit and street workout exercise, pull-ups have many variations. This is notably the case of Australian pull-upsThis is an ideal bodyweight exercise for building back muscles. Let's discover this little-known movement.

What exactly are Australian pull-ups?

Australian traction is a variant of classical traction. Also known as horizontal traction or inverted rowing, this polyarticular exercise is designed to be accessible to everyone, from beginners to the most experienced athletes.

Like traditional pull-ups, the objective is to perform a pulling motion of your body weight. However, your body is placed in a horizontal position, under the pull-up bar, and not in a vertical position.

This exercise can therefore be integrated into your workouts aimed at strengthening the back muscles of your weight training program. It can also be used for the warm-up in order to effectively prepare your body for the effort. As it involves several muscles, this movement is ideal to follow up with exercises such as the bench press, deadlift, vertical pull or horizontal pull.

How to do the Australian pull-ups?

For pass the exercise Australian pull-ups, you must position yourself under a horizontal drawbarThe bar should be placed in such a way that your back does not touch the floor when your arms are extended. The bar should be placed in such a way that your back does not touch the ground when your arms are extended. As if you were doing classic pull-upsYour goal is to lift your own weight.

In the starting position, hold the bar with both hands. The distance between your hands should be the same as the width of your shoulders. The "classic" inverted rowing is done in pronation grip (palms outwards). But you can also do it with a supination grip (palms towards you). In this case, the biceps will be more solicited.

Your legs are straight and your heels should touch the floor. The movement consists of pulling on your arms to bring your torso towards the bar, while keeping your feet on the ground. Be sure to contract your abdominal muscles and your buttocks. Also, keep the straight back and elbows parallel to avoid injury.

Once in the top position, the exercise is not over. Maintain the effort on the way down, controlling your body until you return to the starting position. Remember to breathe throughout the exercise.

For effective work, you can perform 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. Take sufficient rest time between each set. For the beginners in bodybuildingYou can make this exercise more affordable by moving your feet closer to the bar and bending your knees. The weight to be lifted will then be less important, which will facilitate the task.

The muscles involved in this exercise

As we have seen, the horizontal pull-up is part of the polyarticular strength training exercises. This simply means that several muscle groups are solicited, mainly in the upper body. This movement can therefore be added perfectly to a muscle gainas a complement to basic exercises.

The main purpose of this exercise is to develop the back musclesWithout putting pressure on the lumbar vertebrae. The large dorsal, the large round, the trapezoids and the rhomboids are those which are the most solicited. The deltoid (posterior fascicle) is also used, but to a lesser extent.

In addition to the back muscles, Australian pull-ups also work the biceps and forearms, especially if you opt for a supinated grip. The oblique abdominals and the rectus abdominis are also engaged thanks to the sheathing imposed by the movement.

The equipment required to perform Australian pull-ups

To perform this exercise, you will need a horizontal pull-up bar. But all the gyms do not have such equipment. You can therefore use alternatives such as a smith machine or a squat rack on which you will place a weight bar.

If you prefer to practice at home, you can do this movement under a table. Just make sure that the table you choose is sturdy and stable enough not to tip over during the exercise.

To spice up the exercise, it can also be interesting to use a weighted vest. If this bodybuilding accessory remains optional and reserved for trained athletes, it will allow you to add an additional load to your body weight (between 5 and 30 kilograms in general), which will reinforce the work of your muscles.

If you are just starting out, it is best to focus on the quality of the movement before trying to make the exercise more difficult with weight. You can then add a little weight as the weeks go by and as you progress.

Conclusion

You now know how to do australian pull-ups to work the back at the gym. This exercise is both effective and accessible as it can be adjusted according to the level of the practitioner. To perform it, you will simply need a horizontal pull-up bar and possibly a weighted vest to make it more difficult.