Barbell Hang High Pull

Also known as: Barbell High Pull, Hang High Pull

StrengthExplosivePull

Track this exercise in SmartWorkout

Log sets, weights and progress for free, with no workout limits.

Body Part: Shoulders

Description

The barbell hang high pull combines an explosive leg and hip extension with a high elbow pull. Start with the bar at thigh height, hinge slightly and drive through your feet to accelerate it. Keep the bar close as your elbows rise out to the sides, then lower it to the hang without catching it on your shoulders.

How to Perform

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip just outside your thighs, arms straight.
Lift the bar to a hang position around mid-thigh. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat, chest up and shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
Keep the bar close to your body. Brace your core and keep your weight balanced through the middle of your feet.
Drive forcefully through your feet, extending your hips, knees and ankles. Shrug your shoulders upward as the bar accelerates.
After the leg and hip drive, lift your elbows high and out as the bar rises toward chest height.
Do not curl the bar or catch it on your shoulders. Your elbows should finish high, with the bar below them.
Lower the bar under control back to the hang position, then reset your posture before the next repetition.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Start with the bar at mid-thigh, feet about hip width apart, and your weight balanced through the whole foot.
Use a shoulder-width or slightly wider overhand grip.
Exhale as you lift and inhale as you return.
Use the bar markings to set both hands the same distance from the center.
Choose a load you can move through the full range.

Common Mistakes

Starting with the bar too far from the body, which makes the pull swing forward.
Bending the arms too early.
Failing to fully extend the hips, knees, and ankles before pulling the elbows up.
Rounding the lower back or losing a braced torso during the hinge.
Squatting the bar down.
Keeping the elbows low or pulling them backward.