Commando Pull-Up
The commando pull-up is a pull-up done side-on to the bar, with the hands close together one in front of the other, pulling the head up to alternate sides of the bar each rep. It works the lats and elbow flexors (biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis), and the side-to-side line adds work for the obliques to keep the body from twisting.
Also called: Side-to-Side Pull-Up, Commando Chin-Up, Cross-Grip Pull-Up · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Stand under the bar so it runs from front to back above your head, in line with your nose.
- Grip the bar with both hands close together, one directly in front of the other, palms facing each other and thumbs wrapped round the bar.
- Hang with straight arms, legs together and trunk braced so your body does not swing or twist.
- Pull your shoulder blades down, then pull yourself up while moving your head to one side of the bar.
- Finish when your chin rises above the bar with your head beside it and the bar close to your shoulder. Keep your neck long rather than craning.
- Return under control to a full straight-arm hang, taking about two seconds.
- Pull to the other side of the bar on the next rep, and keep alternating. Swap which hand is in front on the next set.
- Alternate sides, head beside the bar
- Brace your trunk, no twist and no swing
- Shoulders down before the elbows bend
- Neck long, chest to the bar
- Straight arms at the bottom of every rep
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Latissimus dorsi | Prime mover | C |
| Biceps brachii | Prime mover | C |
| Brachialis | Prime mover | C |
| Brachioradialis | Secondary | C |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: lower | Secondary | C |
| Teres major | Secondary | C |
| Rhomboids | Secondary | C |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | C |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | C |
| Obliques (internal/external) | Dynamic stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Craning the neck to clear the bar
Fix: Keep your neck long and pull your chest, not your chin, towards the bar.
Twisting or swinging between reps
Fix: Brace your trunk, keep your legs still and pause briefly in the hang between sides.
Always pulling to the same side
Fix: Alternate sides every rep and swap which hand is in front each set.
Half reps at the bottom
Fix: Return to straight elbows at the bottom of every rep before pulling again.
Shrugging into the pull
Fix: Pull the shoulder blades down first, then bend the elbows.
What the research says
StrengthMuscle growthGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Load by goal — Research comparing loads finds maximal strength favours heavier loads (about 8 reps or fewer per set), while muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets finish close to failure. Commando pull-ups are usually trained at bodyweight, because the side-to-side pattern makes added load awkward to balance.
- Effort — Studies show sets that finish a few reps short of failure capture most of the size benefit, and strength gains appear largely insensitive to how close to failure you train. True failure adds only a small extra return for growth.
- Volume and frequency — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Around 10 or more hard sets a week has been associated with more growth than fewer than 5, and training a muscle about twice a week is a common way to spread that volume.
- Rest — In trained lifters, rests of about 3 minutes between sets have produced greater strength and size gains than 1-minute rests, largely because each set can carry more work.
- Commando-specific research — There is no direct research on the commando pull-up itself. Its extra oblique demand and its place as a variety or trunk-control option come from coaching practice, not from studies.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the commando pull-up in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.