Assisted pull up with resistance band
Banded pull up
An assisted pull-up with a resistance band is an overhead pulling movement that works your upper back and arms. It helps you build strength and confidence for unassisted pull-ups while letting you practise the same general movement with extra support.
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Supported by the band, you pull your body upward in the same general pattern as a pull-up, with some of your body weight taken out of the movement. You should feel the effort mainly through the sides of your upper back and the front of your arms, with your shoulders, forearms and chest helping.
The added resistance loop band supports part of your body weight, so the pull asks less of your upper back and arms than an unassisted pull-up while preserving the familiar path. Choose this version when a full pull-up is not yet available to you, or when you want to practise the movement with enough help to stay controlled.
This option gives you a practical bridge towards pulling your full body weight, while still building useful strength for climbing, hanging and other everyday pulling tasks. It suits you if you are learning pull-ups or returning to them after time away, provided your hands, wrists and shoulders are comfortable supporting you in an overhead hanging position.
How to do it
Secure a resistance loop band around a stable overhead support.
Place one foot or knee securely into the hanging band.
Grip the overhead support with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Hang beneath your hands with your arms straight and your body steady.
Pull your body upward until your chin rises above the overhead support.
Lower your body until your arms are straight and you return to the starting hang.
Remove your foot or knee from the band after returning to stable footing.