Do pull-ups work biceps?

Author: Caitlyn Fritsch  |  Last update: Monday, June 23, 2025

Pull ups and chin ups are a multi-joint movement, meaning that they engage multiple muscle groups (lats, biceps, shoulders, and upper back). They promote overall upper body muscle development and can lead to some serious strength gains.

Can you build biceps from pull-ups?

Yes, pull-ups can contribute to bigger arms, particularly the biceps and forearms. They primarily target the latissimus dorsi (the large muscles in your back), but they also engage the biceps brachii, brachialis, and other muscles in the arms and shoulders.

Are pull-ups for biceps or triceps?

Pull-ups primarily target the muscles in your back, shoulders, and biceps, specifically the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and biceps brachii. While the triceps are not the main muscles worked during pull-ups, they do play a supporting role in stabilizing your arms during the movement.

Are pull-ups better than bicep curls?

For Strength and Functionality: Pull-ups are superior as they engage multiple muscle groups and promote overall upper body strength. For Arm Size and Isolation: Curls are more effective if your goal is to specifically increase bicep size or strength.

Is 20 pullups good?

For most fitness enthusiasts, being able to perform 10-15 pull-ups is often regarded as a strong benchmark. Athletes and advanced trainers might aim for 20 or more. Keep in mind that form and technique are also important; quality matters as much as quantity.

Why do Men's Gymnasts have such Big Biceps?

How many pull-ups should a 250 pound man do?

​Strength to bodyweight ratio

The lighter guy will have a higher strength to body weight ratio, BUT the standard would be lower (ratio wise) for the bigger guy. So if 30 pullups is considered excellent for a guy who weights 150lbs, 22 pullups would be considered excellent for a 250lb guy.

Will pull-ups make you bigger?

If your goal is to build muscle, push-ups and pull-ups will definitely add to your muscle mass if you do enough of them. But it's worth keeping in mind that resistance training with heavier weights that bring you to temporary muscle failure after six to eight reps are likely to build muscle faster.

Do pushups work the biceps?

Do Push Ups Work Biceps? Whilst the biceps help to stabilize the shoulder and elbow joints during the lowering phase of a push up, they don't directly work the biceps. If your goal is to build your biceps, you'd be better off focusing on bicep isolation exercises such as bicep curls, hammer curls, or chin ups.

Can I get abs from pull-ups?

#3 – GIVES YOU SIX PACK ABS

Many don't realize it, but during the performance of a strict pull-up, your lats, abs and midline have to work together to stabilize the shoulders AND lift the lower body. In terms of building your six-pack abs, strict pull-ups give you a lot of bang for your buck!

Do you hit biceps on pull day?

In the “push” workout you train all the upper body pushing muscles, i.e. the chest, shoulders and triceps. In the “pull” workout you train all the upper body pulling muscles, i.e. the back and biceps. And in the “legs” workout you train the entire lower body, i.e. the quads, hamstrings, calves and abdominals.

Do pull-ups give you a wide back?

Pull-ups. Arguably the most effective exercise to build bigger lats is the pull-up. A compound lift that directly targets your lat muscles. The beauty of this exercise lies in its simplicity - all you need is a pull-up bar to get started making it a great exercise for both beginners and advanced lifters.

Is 10 pull-ups good?

There are no definitive guidelines, but the number of pull-ups that are generally considered strong is 12+ for men and 8+ for women. If you can do this many, you're considered an advanced athlete. However, you are still considered an above-average athlete if you can do more than 8 (for men) or more than 3 (for women).

Is 2 sets of bicep exercises enough?

Is 2 bicep exercises enough? Two basic bicep exercises is really not enough for training biceps and achieving serious arm growth. You should incorporate 3-4 different variations of the curl into your dumbbell biceps workout.

Do pull ups give you toned arms?

Pull-ups strengthen upper body and core muscles

But it also engages muscles such as the rhomboids and trapezius. Arms: Your arms, especially the biceps, get a good workout as you lift and lower your body during each pull-up repetition.

Are pullups enough for biceps?

These exercises are effective at training your biceps because they allow you to flex your elbow against external resistance. However, compound pulling exercises, including pull-ups, pulldowns, and rows, also train elbow flexion, which is why some people think these exercises are all you need to develop your biceps.

Are short or long biceps better?

The only advantage of short biceps is that they have a better peak (the summit of your biceps when con-tracted). Long biceps have a less pronounced peak. Unfortunately, you cannot lengthen your biceps.

What is the rarest type of curls?

Type 1A is the rarest hair type and is stick-straight without even a hint of a wave. This type of hair tends to be healthy and glossy, but it's extremely difficult to get it to hold curl or style. Type 1B is a bit coarser than 1A, which means that it has more body and can generally hold a wave or a curl.

What was Arnold Schwarzenegger's best bench press?

Arnold Schwarzenegger Just Shared His Heaviest Lift PRs

"My best bench press was 525, my best deadlift was 710, and my best squat was 610," he said.

Is 100 pull-ups a day too much?

While pull-ups can be a great exercise for building upper body strength, it is generally not recommended to do pull-ups every day. This is because your muscles need time to rest and recover after a workout in order to repair and grow stronger.

How many pull-ups for marines?

The minimum expectations are as follows: Male: 2 Pull Ups. 35 Sit Ups (2 Minutes)

Can the average man do a pullup?

Men are built with more muscle mass in their upper body compared to women. So it's not surprising that men are able to do more pull-ups than women. According to various sources, on average: A man can do at least 8 pull-ups.

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