The Best Pull Day Workout for Building Muscle

Pull day workouts are absolutely essential for anyone looking to build a balanced workout routine. Push and pull workouts serve different purposes and should be included in a routine to work different muscle groups in a variety of ways.

On a push day, you'll work your chest, shoulders, and triceps with push-ups and other similar exercises to fatigue your opposing muscles. For the upper body, a typical workout on "pull day" will involve pulling-based movements. Most of the work is done by the biceps, forearms, and back muscles.

It is possible to work one set of muscles while the other set rests by alternating between pushing and pulling exercises. That's why you can skip the rest day in between your push and pull day routine. In the end, you can get more strength training done in less time with this approach.

Pull Day Workout Routine for Building Muscle

Check out some of the best pulling workout routines below:

Pulling exercises are done in conjunction with pushing exercises, on alternate days, to build muscle evenly (Image via Pexels @Rodnae Productions)

1) Pull Ups

How can there be a pull day workout that doesn't include this basic exercise? The pull-up is an excellent back exercise, as it targets all of your back muscles (especially your lats and traps) in a single motion. It also helps you become more coordinated as a whole and trains your biceps, abs, and chest muscles.

Instructions:

In order to perform a pull-up, your hands should be slightly farther apart than shoulder-width from the bar.
Raise your feet until your arms are straight while you hang. If you'd rather not do it with your legs together, feel free to cross your feet.
To do a chin up, pull your body up until your chin is above the bar without using your feet or knees.
As soon as your chin clears the bar, slowly and deliberately return to the starting position. Keep bending forward until you feel a strong pull in your lats and then straighten your arms.

Pull ups are a great exercise for building your shoulders and back (Image via Pexels @Cottonbro Studio)

2) Barbell Row

The barbell row is an essential part of any pull day workout designed to build mass because it works every muscle in your back as well as your biceps, forearms, and hamstrings. Furthermore, in terms of the amount of weight that can be lifted, the barbell row is superior to other back exercises, making it an excellent choice for bulking up and getting stronger.

Instructions:

Put your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed outward under a loaded barbell.
Get down on all fours and grab the bar with a grip that's a little wider than shoulder-width and palms facing in.
Raise your hips and straighten your back until your body is nearly perpendicular to the ground.
Starting with a strong leg drive, you'll use the momentum from your lower body to pull the barbell to your upper body, bringing it to a touch somewhere between your lower chest and belly button.
Once the bar has touched your body, you should immediately reverse direction to bring it back to its initial position.

Barbell rows are a great pull day workout (Image via Pexels @Victor Freitas)

3) Lat Pull Down

One of the best pull day workout machines, the lat pulldown is a fantastic way to strengthen your lats, biceps, and traps. It's great for novices who are just starting out and are having trouble pulling exercises to build muscle and strength.

Instructions:

Place your lower body in a fixed position by adjusting the thigh pad.
Raise yourself by grabbing the bar. Maintaining a firm grip and an upright arm position, sit down and let your body weight bring the bar down with you. Put your feet on the floor and slide your thighs under the seat cushions.
Bring the bar in close to your body.
Invert the movement once you have the bar under your chin (or touching your chest, if you want to increase the difficulty of the exercise).

Lat pull down is also a great pull day workouts (Image via Pexels @Tima Miroshnichenko)

4) One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Because it allows you to work each side of your body independently, the one-arm dumbbell row is a fantastic addition to a pull day workout.

Instructions:

Put a weighted dumbbell in your right hand.
Your starting position should be with your left knee and arm planted firmly on a bench, your right foot planted on the floor a foot or two away from the bench, and your right arm (the one holding the dumbbell) hanging straight down toward the floor.
Lift the dumbbell until it touches your torso while keeping your back straight, and then lower it back to the starting position.
After a set number of reps with your right arm, switch to your left.

One arm dumbbell rows are one of the best pull day workouts (Image via Pexels @Cottonbro Studio)

5) Cable Row

The cable row, in contrast to traditional free weights, maintains a constant load on the back and biceps throughout the entire exercise. It's a great addition to your pull day workout.

Instructions:

Keep your knees slightly bent as you sit down, and rest your feet on the footrest.
To use, lean forward and grab the handle, then lean back with your arms outstretched.
Maintaining a straight posture while pulling the cable in toward your midsection will produce the desired results.
Once your palms have touched your midsection, you should immediately retrace your steps to the initial position.

Because of their importance in pulling, your entire back and biceps will be targeted during your pull day workout routine. The deadlift is another one of pull day exercises that can be incorporated. To avoid uneven muscle development, it's important to combine your pull day session with a push day workout.

Edited by Babylona Bora