The Front-and-Back Bar Climb Combo

Trail Log · Movement Breakdown

The Rocky pull-up — named after a certain movie boxer who did pull-ups on some very dramatic playground equipment — is a two-part exercise that hits your lats from different angles in the same set. You do a pull-up to the front, touching the bar to your upper chest, and then you do a pull-up to the back, touching the bar to the back of your neck. It's like a one-two punch for your back muscles, and by the end of the set, your lats will feel like they've gone twelve rounds.

You grab the pull-up bar with a wide overhand grip, lean your torso back about thirty degrees, and stick your chest out. For the first rep, you pull yourself up until the bar touches your upper chest, squeezing your back muscles at the top. Lower yourself back down with control. Then, for the second rep, you pull yourself up while keeping your torso straight, leaning your head forward slightly so the bar touches the back of your neck instead of your chest.

Alternating between front and back positions challenges your lats through a greater range of angles than either version alone, building a more complete and versatile back. The front variation emphasizes the lower lats and biceps, while the behind-the-neck version targets the upper lats and demands more shoulder flexibility. Together, they're a comprehensive lat workout that'll give you the kind of wide, thick back that makes doorframes nervous. Just make sure you have the shoulder mobility for the behind-the-neck position — if it causes any pinching or discomfort, stick with the front version until you've earned the range of motion.