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This is the first part of what will be a continuing series on the best strength-training exercises. Today: the pull-up.

-âExpert: James Villepigue, author of "The Obstacle Race Training Bible."

-âPrimary body part: Latissimus dorsi (upper, outer back).

-âSecondary body parts: Biceps brachii, radialis, serratus, abdominals.

-âWhy you should do this exercise: Let's face it, pulling up your body weight is not only cool, it's also amazing for building upper-body strength. It will absolutely help you perform your everyday activities better. If you've mastered doing machine or cable pull-downs and are looking for a new challenge, pull-downs pale in comparison to the pull-up exercise.

-âWhat you need: Some sort of a pull-up bar, but it doesn't necessarily need to be designed just for pull-ups. As long as you have a sturdy and adequate gripping surface, this really is a very versatile exercise.

-âHow to do it: Begin by taking an overhand and shoulder-width grip on the bar. Wrap your thumbs on top of, rather than underneath, your fingers; this will help to keep your back muscles stimulated while preventing the biceps and forearms from getting too involved in the exercise.


Stick your chest out while pressing your shoulders downward, which will help isolate the intended back muscles.



Slowly lower your body while mentally focusing on activating your back muscles. (Your feet shouldn't touch the floor after you lower yourself. You're supposed to do reps before allowing your feet to touch the floor.)

-âHow often should you do it: If pull-ups are your primary upper-back exercise, you should do them two or three times per week. Training them more often will not give your muscles adequate recovery time.

How many repetitions should you do? Doing five to 10 reps would be an admirable feat for anyone, be it a mainstream consumer or a bodybuilder.

