Male model ex_DPI4BR

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Back · Body Weight

Archer Pull Up

advancedstrength

Archer Pull Up is an advanced compound strength exercise that works the lats (back), with the shoulders and upper back assisting. It needs only a pull-up bar. A typical prescription is 4-5 sets of 4-8 reps, and it burns about 7.3 calories per minute.

Target: Lats
Body part: Back
Equipment: Body Weight
Category: Strength
Mechanic: Compound
Force: Pull
Sets × reps: 4-5 × 4-8
Calories / min: ≈ 7.3 kcal

Primary muscles

Lats · latissimus dorsi
Biceps · biceps brachii

Secondary muscles

Shoulders · deltoids
Upper Back · rhomboids, trapezius

How to do Archer Pull Up

Hang from a pull-up bar with your hands positioned wider than shoulder-width apart.
Pull yourself up towards the bar while simultaneously shifting your body to the right, bringing your chest closer to your right hand.
Lower yourself back to the starting position.
Pull yourself up again, this time shifting your body to the left, bringing your chest closer to your left hand. Continue alternating sides.

Form tips

Focus on using your back muscles rather than relying solely on your arms for the pull-up.
Keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement to reduce strain on your joints.
Ensure a full range of motion by fully extending your arms at the bottom of each rep and bringing your chest close to the bar at the top.

Archer Pull Up alternatives

Band Pull Up

Lats · beginner

Suspension Trainer With Grips Pull-Up

Lats · intermediate

Assisted Pull Up

Lats · beginner

Assisted Pull Up Close Grip

Lats · beginner

More lats exercises

Kipping Pull Up

Lats · intermediate

Commando Pull-Up

Lats · intermediate

Pull Up Normal Grip

Lats · intermediate

Assisted Pull Up Wide Grip

Lats · beginner

Assisted Pull Up Normal Grip

Lats · beginner

Pull Up Wide Grip Front View

Lats · intermediate

Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull Up

Lats · beginner

Straight Bar Cable Pull Down

Lats · beginner

Archer Pull Up FAQ

What muscles does Archer Pull Up work?

Archer Pull Up mainly works the lats in the back (latissimus dorsi and biceps brachii). The shoulders and upper back work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Archer Pull Up?

You need only a pull-up bar.

How many sets and reps of Archer Pull Up should I do?

Start with 4-5 sets of 4-8 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Archer Pull Up good for beginners?

It's rated advanced, so it's best left until you have a solid base of strength and technique.

How many calories does Archer Pull Up burn?

About 7.3 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 6. Ten minutes of work is roughly 73 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Archer Pull Up?

Other exercises for the lats include Band Pull Up, Suspension Trainer With Grips Pull-Up, Assisted Pull Up and Assisted Pull Up Close Grip.

For developers

Use Archer Pull Up in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

Get a free API key Read the docs

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_DPI4BR" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_DPI4BR",
  "name": "Archer Pull Up",
  "model": "male",
  "target": "Lats",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_DPI4BR/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_DPI4BR/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}