How to get your first pull-up in 8 weeks
The exact progression our coaches use, from dead hangs to your first full rep.
Forge Coaching Team
The pull-up is the most requested goal at Forge, and the one people most often give up on. It’s not about willpower. It’s about a plan.
Weeks 1–2: hang and squeeze
- Dead hangs: 4 × 20–30 seconds
- Scapular pulls: 3 × 8
- Ring rows: 3 × 10
Weeks 3–5: own the top
- Flexed-arm hangs: 4 × 10–20 seconds
- Slow negatives: 4 × 3 (five seconds down)
- Banded pull-ups: 3 × 5
Weeks 6–8: put it together
Reduce the band thickness every week and test a single rep at the end of week eight. Most members get there, and the rest are one week away.