Building a strong, defined back is about more than just looking good, it’s the foundation for total-body strength, better posture, and overall athletic performance.
And although
traditional pull-ups dominate the conversation for bodyweight back development, there’s an underrated exercise that deserves a spot in your weekly exercise rotation.
Benefits include:
• Improved back strength
• Increased core activation & stabilization
• Grip strength development
• Insane bicep pump
• Increased lat range of motion
• Better shoulder range of motion
• Pulling strength from the weakest position
• Joint friendly
• And more
What is it?
The supine rope pull-up.
What is the supine rope pull-up?
Ok, so imagine this…
You’re lying flat on your back
(the supine position), and you’re gripping a rope that’s anchored above you.
From this position, you pull yourself up using your back, bicep, shoulder, and core strength until your chest meets the rope and you are in a standing position, and then you lower yourself back down the way you came up.
It’s simple in concept but highly demanding in execution, because it challenges your body in ways traditional pull-ups or rows don’t.
By starting your pull using a rope that is unstable by nature from a supine position and alternating your pulls from one hand over the other, you’re not only isolating
your pulling muscles one each side of your body, but also engaging your core, glutes, and stabilizers in a way that forces your entire body to work as a cohesive unit.
All of the muscles involved perform the explosive concentric (lifting/pulling) contractions needed for muscle growth, but also the essential eccentric (lowering) contraction needed for increasing strength and time under tension.
Here’s a breakdown of the muscle groups involved:
•
Upper back: The primary movers in this exercise are the lats and rhomboids. These muscles providing the pulling power needed for the movement, and also the resistance needed for the lowering phase of the exercise
•
Rear deltoids: The supine angle forces your rear delts to engage on each pull, helping to balance out your shoulder development and support overall shoulder health.
•
Biceps: Each pull targets your biceps, building strength and giving them a solid pump. Each time you lower yourself, your bicep gets stretched under contraction.
•
Core strength: The prone position demands isometric contraction from your core, helping you build stability and balance while protecting your lower back. This happened throughout the pulling and lowering phase of the exercise so your core only gets to rest at the standing position.
•
Glutes, hip flexors, and quads: All of these muscles are critical for maintaining proper alignment during the movement. They perform isometrically meaning they have very little movement while under tension, thus increasing stability and strength.
Why do they work so well?
Traditional pull-ups are the most challenging pulling exercise you can do. If a person doesn’t have the strength to start the pull, they will often cheat by using momentum to get started. This not only avoids building strength in the weakest position where they need it most, it can sometimes strain the shoulders or elbows, especially for beginners.
Unlike machine-based pulling exercises, the supine position rope pull-up integrates your core, making it a more functional movement for real-world strength like carrying or lifting heavy objects. The unstable rope adds an element of grip training and stabilizer muscle training, which is often neglected but essential for overall strength and athleticism.
If you struggle with traditional pull-ups or want to break though a plateau, the supine rope pull-up offers a safer alternative that strengthens the muscles involved in the pull-up in a unique way, increasing explosive power, strength, endurance, and time under tension using only your bodyweight from the weakest possible position: lying flat on your back.
You can do them multiple times throughout the week without adding a ton of CNS stress to your training.
It’s extremely versatile in that it can be tailored to your specific goals, being used as a warm-up, a main working set to build strength, or a finishing exercise you take to failure after a challenging back day.
Eventually you will build up the strength to do more challenging one-handed pull-up variations like this:
Here’s How To Do The Supine Rope Pull-up Step By Step:
Step 1: Secure a rope to a sturdy anchor point above you.
(Many gyms already have them set up, you’ll just need to find where it is.)
Step 2: Lie flat on your back with your feet planted and knees bent.
Step 3:
Grab the rope with one hand, keeping your arm gripping the rope extended straight above you and your body flat on the floor. (You may be tempted to use your core to reach up higher, but don’t do this. Just grab the rope where you can with your arm straight above you while lying flat on your back.)
Step 4: Tighten your core, glutes, quads, and hips to maintain a neutral spine. Your core, glutes, quads, and hips should feel engaged like you’re doing a plank.
Step 5: Initiate the pull using your back and biceps to pull yourself up one hand over the other until you are standing. On each pull you want to grab as high as you can on the rope. If it takes you three pulls to stand up, start with the opposite hand after lowering yourself back down to even out the reps on each side.
Step 6: Lower yourself slowly to control the descent, returning to the starting position without letting your body sag (as much as possible) or losing alignment. Your body may break at the hips on the lowering phase, and that’s ok. The goal is to resist this as much as possible. Eventually you will be able to hold that plank stiffness on the lowering phase.
Pro Tips for Maximum Results
•
Use a full range of motion. Pull until you are fully standing and your chest touches the rope and lower until your arms are fully extended. Don’t cheat yourself by stopping short.
•
Press your tongue against the top of your mouth. This will engage your neck muscles in the exercise and provide a sensory reminder that will help keep your head and neck in a neural position as much as possible.
•
Control the tempo. An explosive pull increases concentric power and a slow controlled descent increases time under tension, maximizing muscle engagement.
•
Add resistance. Once you’ve mastered the bodyweight version, add a weight vest to keep progressing.
So, how do you incorporate it into your training routine?
•
Warm-up: Perform 2-3 sets at the start of your back workout to activate your pulling muscles. Reps are determined by how many pulls it takes you to reach a standing position.
•
Main exercise: Use it as a primary exercise for 5 sets. You can add a weight vest for resistance if you need to.
•
Finisher: Burn out your back with 2-3 sets at the end of your workout.
Our final thoughts on the supine rope pull-up
Don’t let its simplicity fool you. The supine rope pull-up is a fantastic exercise to build back, bicep, shoulder and core stability, and pull-up strength. It’s not just about building a stronger back—it’s about creating a more balanced, resilient body that performs better in the gym and beyond.
When executed correctly, this movement challenges your entire body, delivering strength, stability, and muscle growth in one efficient package. Add it to your next workout and feel the difference firsthand.
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