The Best Pull Day Workout Routine for Strength & Hypertrophy

Written by Vanja Vukas

Published on November 14, 2023
Last updated on April 21, 2024

Did you know that, on average, people have stronger pushing muscles than pulling muscles?

Table of Contents

According to the study conducted by Negrete RJ, Hanney WJ, Pabian P, and Kolber MJ found on the website of the National Library of Medicine, the results indicate that the males had a push-up to modified pull-up ratio of 1.57:1, and females had a ratio of 2.72:1 [1].

The study clearly suggests that the upper body pushing muscles are between 1.5 and 2.7 times stronger than those used for pulling activities.

The reason I mentioned this is that there is a very simple way to correct those muscle imbalances and recover your functionality.

The secret lies in performing a well-programmed pull day workout, and that’s the topic of today’s article.

As a Faculty of Sport and Physical Education student, I have conducted a 54-hour research to compile the best pull workouts and exercises to correct muscle imbalances and improve your overall performance.

Keep reading below to learn about all the details regarding this effective pull workout.

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Quick Summary

The pull-day workout routine should include exercises such as traditional barbell deadlifts, barbell bent-over rows, bodyweight pull-ups, bilateral dumbbell rows, face pulls, barbell curls, and preacher curls.
A pull-day workout routine is the type of workout consisting of pulling exercises primarily targeting your back and bicep muscles by following the vertical, diagonal, or horizontal movement pattern.
To make progress in terms of strength and hypertrophy, you must always incorporate the principle of progressive overload in every subsequent workout routine.

The Pull Day Workout Routine

Below, I made sure to include all the best pull exercises that should be incorporated into the pull-day workout routine.

I will explain each exercise briefly, give clear instructions on how to perform them with the correct form, and then we will jump into programming the perfect pull workout.

Let’s start with the traditional barbell deadlift first.

Traditional Barbell Deadlifts

A traditional barbell deadlift is a pulling exercise that primarily involves hip hinging. For that reason, some functional training experts also put it below the hip hinge or bending movement pattern. I consider barbell deadlifts to be a little bit of both.

Barbell deadlifts will effectively strengthen your posterior chain muscles, such as biceps brachii, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, glutes, and erector spinae. Also, some additional muscles, such as lats, traps, and core muscles, will either serve as synergists or stabilizer muscles during the barbell deadlift movement.

Coach Radomir performs traditional barbell deadlifts.

How to Perform a Traditional Barbell Deadlift

Place the barbell on the floor and load it with weight plates according to your current fitness level. I usually suggest picking the weight that you can perform at least 6 reps with after you conduct the proper warm-up, of course.
Assume a standing position hip-width apart in front of the barbell and let your shins almost touch the bar.
Take a pronated or combined grip shoulder-width apart.
Bend in your hips, knees, and ankles to enter the starting position of the exercise. Make sure your hips and back are flat, meaning they are placed in the neutral position.
Your head should be in line with your spine, and your eyes should look straight ahead of you.
Pull the bar towards the ceiling. Simultaneously extend your ankles, knees, and hips while pulling the barbell upwards and close to your body.
When your knees are almost fully locked, hips neutral, back flat, and barbell in the highest pulling position, hold it for one second.
Reverse the motion by putting the barbell back on the floor and repeating the whole process again.

Pro Tip: Engage your core and maintain a flat back throughout the lift to protect your spine; drive the movement from your hips and heels, not your back, to maximize leg and glute engagement.

Barbell Bent-Over Rows

Barbell bent over rows is one of my personal favorite pulling exercises for two reasons. First, they are excellent for improving your overall back muscle strength. Second, they can be used as a corrective exercise for people with a bad pushing-to-pulling ratio.

One of the studies titled “Comparison of different rowing exercises” found on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website suggests that the standing bent-over row elicits large muscle activation symmetrically from the upper to lower back [2]. This makes it an ideal exercise for developing foundational strength for the entire back musculature.

Coach Radomir performs barbell bent-over rows.

How to Perform Barbell Bent-Over Rows

Place the barbell on the rack about the height of your hips and load it with weight plates so you can perform at least 8 reps with it.
Take the pronated grip between hip and shoulder-width apart, unrack the barbell, and take a step back.
Bend forward in your hips, slightly flex your knees, and keep them in that position during the entire exercise.
Try to position your body so it is almost parallel to the floor.
Your feet should be hip-width apart, and your toes should look straight ahead.
Start the exercise by pulling the barbell towards your stomach and hip area.
You do this by extending your shoulders and bending your elbows.
When the barbell almost touches your stomach, hold that position for one second.
Reverse the motion to return to the starting position and repeat.

Pro Tip: Initiate the row by retracting your shoulder blades first, creating a ‘pinching’ sensation between them; this ensures scapular movement and engagement, which is crucial for shoulder health and proper activation of the upper back muscles.

Bodyweight Pull-Ups

Pull-ups belong to the vertical pulling pattern and are one of the best pulling exercises for strengthening your back muscles. They are excellent at targeting your lats. Most people don’t know this, but pull-ups actually also activate your pectoral muscles, which sounds contradictory because chest muscles are mainly activated during pushing exercises.

How to Perform Pull-Ups

Grip the pull-up bar a little wider than the shoulder width apart. Take the pronated grip.
Hang from the bar.
Start the exercise by pulling yourself towards the bar, aiming to place your chin above it.
When your chin reaches the position above the bar, hold it for one second.
Slowly lower your body towards the starting position by extending your elbows and abducting your shoulders.
Repeat the whole process again for the next rep.

Pro Tip: Before initiating the pull-up, draw your shoulder blades down and back to set your shoulders in a stable position; this not only engages the correct muscles but also protects your shoulder joints. Focus on “pulling with your elbows” rather than your hands to activate your lats better and achieve a more powerful and efficient movement.

Bilateral Dumbbell Rows

Bilateral dumbbell rows will effectively target your lats, traps, rhomboids, and back deltoid muscles. They are essential for developing holistic back strength.

How to Perform Bilateral Dumbbell Rows

Pick two dumbbells and assume a standing position with your feet hip-width apart.
Hold the dumbbell in each hand.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the entire movement.
Bend in your hips so your trunk becomes parallel to the floor.
Keep your back straight during the entire movement to avoid injuries.
Start the exercise by rowing the dumbbells towards your stomach. This is done by flexing your elbows and extending your shoulders.
When the dumbbells reach the level of your stomach or hips, depending on your rowing trajectory, hold that position for one second.
Reverse the movement to return to the starting position and repeat.

Pro Tip: Squeeze your dumbbells at the end range of motion to add that little extra bonus of muscle contraction to your workout.

Face Pulls

Face pulls are usually used in rehabilitation or corrective exercise program scenarios. They are excellent at improving your overall posture and strengthening those weak pulling muscles located on your back.

How to Perform Face Pulls

Attach the rope attachment to the cable machine. Make sure it is above the level of your shoulders.
Grasp both ends of the rope and take a step back.
Assume feet shoulder width apart stance.
Pull the rope towards your face by bending your elbows and horizontally abducting your shoulders.
When you reach maximal horizontal abduction in your shoulders, hold that position for one second.
Reverse the motion to return to the starting position and repeat the whole process again.

Pro Tip: When performing face pulls, concentrate on the movement of your shoulder blades; retract and squeeze them together as you pull the rope toward your face. This not only engages the targeted upper back muscles, including your rear deltoids and rhomboids but also enhances postural benefits and shoulder health.

Barbell Curls

Barbell curls are excellent for developing your arm muscles, such as biceps brachii, coracobrachialis, brachioradialis, and brachialis. Barbell curls represent a staple pulling exercise used for decades to develop your biceps, or as some people might call it, the guns.

How to Perform Barbell Curls

Place the barbell on the rack about the height of your hips and load it with adequate weight plates so you can perform around 10 reps without pausing.
Take a supinated grip around shoulder width apart, unrack the barbell, let it hang from your hands free, and step back to have enough space to perform the exercise.
Start the exercise by curling the barbell towards your shoulders by bending your elbows and keeping shoulder shoulders joints fixed.
When the barbell reaches maximal flexion, or the so-called top position/end range of motion, reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Pro Tip: To maximize the effectiveness of barbell biceps curls, keep your elbows stationary and close to your torso throughout the entire movement. This isolates the biceps muscles and prevents momentum from taking over, ensuring that your biceps are doing the work, not your shoulders or back.

Preacher Curls

Preachers curl is the last pulling exercise on our list that is also used for upper arm development, specifically for the biceps.

How to Perform Preacher Curls

Place the Z-bar on the preacher curl machine and load it with sufficient weight.
Assume a sitting position on the machine and take the supinated grip, but don’t yet unrack the bar.
After you assume a stable position and a firm grip, adjust your grip width to suit your personal preferences.
Start the exercise by curling the bar towards your shoulders by flexing your elbows and keeping your shoulders fixed.
When you reach the top position, maximal elbow flexion, hold it for one second.
Reverse the motion by extending your elbows to return the bar to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Pro Tip: To maximize the effectiveness of preacher curls, ensure your elbows are snugly positioned against the pad without any gap, as this stabilizes your arms and isolates the biceps. Additionally, focus on a controlled movement, especially on the eccentric phase (lowering the weight), to increase muscle tension and promote growth.