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Direction-of-travel diagram for the vertical pull pattern. Photography for the Band-Assisted Pull-Up is not shot yet.
CalisthenicsIn review

Band-Assisted Pull-Up

A vertical bodyweight pull on a fixed bar with a loop band under the knee or feet for assistance.

This page is a working draft. A coach has not reviewed it, so read it as a starting point, not as checked instruction.

Pattern
Vertical pull
Modality
Calisthenics
Difficulty
Beginner
Mechanic
Unknown
Force
Unknown
Laterality
Bilateral
Impact
Low
Trains where
Gym, Home
At home
Yes

How to do it

Set up

  1. Loop a band around the bar and pull it tight.
  2. Place one knee or both feet in the band and hang with straight arms and an overhand grip.

Do the rep

  1. Pull the elbows down and bring the chin above the bar.
  2. Lower to straight arms under control without bouncing on the band.

What counts as a rep

A rep counts when the chin clears the bar and the arms return to a straight hang.

One rep starts in a straight-arm hang with the band under the knee or feet, reaches the top when the chin clears the bar, and ends in a controlled straight-arm hang.

Breathing

Exhale as you pull above the bar; inhale during the descent.

Cues

  • Drive the elbows down.
  • Control the descent.
  • Use a lighter band when the reps get easy.

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing on the band

    What you seeThe body drops fast and the band throws it back up.

    FixSlow the descent and start each rep from a still hang.

    A controlled band keeps the assistance even and safe.

  • Chin stays below the bar

    What you seeThe pull reverses before the chin clears the bar.

    FixUse a stronger band so every rep clears the bar.

    Chin clearance and a straight-arm return define the full range.

Stop the set if

  • Stop if you feel sharp pain.
  • Stop if the band slips off the knee or foot, or shows a tear.
  • End the set when you cannot meet the stated range under control.

General educational content, not individual coaching or medical advice.

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