Pull-up form: what to check on every rep

How to film it

One set, filmed so the whole movement stays in frame. A steady phone matters more than a perfect angle.

Common mistakes

1. Swinging or kicking

   The legs swing forward to start the pull, adding momentum the back didn't make.

   CueSqueeze your glutes and keep your legs still and slightly forward.

2. Half reps

   The arms never straighten at the bottom, or the chin never clears the bar.

   CueFull hang at the bottom, chin over the bar at the top.

3. Shrugging at the bottom

   The shoulders ride up to the ears in the hang.

   CuePull the shoulders down before the elbows bend.

4. Reaching with the chin

   The neck cranes forward to get the chin over the bar.

   CuePull your chest to the bar, keep your neck long.

5. Dropping down

   The way down is a fall, not a lower.

   CueTake two seconds to lower every rep.

What Formax shows you

Each rep gets its own band on the timeline, marked good, watch or fix, with a short note. In this set the swing only appeared on rep 6, which is the point of checking every rep.

Rep 6 · Slight leg swing

Legs swung slightly forward to assist initiation due to mounting fatigue.

From a real pull-up set in Formax: reps 1 to 5 were good, rep 6 got a watch.

General coaching information, not medical advice. If something hurts, stop and see a professional.