How many commando pull-ups should you start with?

Have 8 to 10 strict pull-ups first. Start with three sets of 3 to 4 per side, alternating, and count the sides separately. Build to 6 per side before you add weight or slow the descent, and switch which hand leads between sets so the mixed grip does not quietly favor one arm.

What if my gym has no bar running the right way for commando pull-ups?

You need a bar you can stand under lengthwise; most power racks have one, and a straight bar set high in a rack works if you can hang clear of the floor. Gymnastic rings are the cleanest substitute, since they rotate and let you pull to alternating sides. Otherwise a close mixed-grip chin-up plus a hanging side-to-side oblique drill gets you most of the way.

What is the commando pull-up good for, and who should skip it?

It builds one-sided pulling strength and teaches the obliques to stop the body swaying under load, which is why it shows up in military and tactical training. It is a poor pick for straightforward back size, because the odd grip caps the load and the range differs side to side. Skip it if the mixed grip makes an elbow or shoulder ache, or if strict pull-ups are still out of reach.

Advanced

Commando Pull-Up

Standing side-on under the bar and gripping it with one hand in front of the other, you pull your head up past alternating sides of the bar. The offset, mixed grip loads one lat and arm more than the other on each rep and forces the obliques to fight the tendency to sway. It is a demanding bodyweight variation that builds unilateral pulling strength and trunk control at once, best saved for lifters who already own strict pull-ups.

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar
Body part: Back, Lats
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi
Browse by movement: Vertical Pull

How to do it

1
Stand under the bar so it runs front to back over your head, not side to side.
2
Grip it with both hands close together, one palm facing you and one facing away.
3
Hang with arms straight and brace the trunk to keep the body from twisting.
4
Pull up so your head rises past one side of the bar, bringing one shoulder toward it.
5
Lower under control, then pull to the opposite side on the next rep.
6
Alternate sides each rep and keep the swing to a minimum throughout.

Tips

Squeeze the abs and obliques to stop the legs from swinging as you rise to each side.
Alternate which hand leads set to set so both grips get equal work.
Keep the elbows close and pull with the back rather than muscling it with the arms.

Variations

Common mistakes

The bar gets straddled side to side out of habit, which makes it an ordinary close mixed-grip pull-up and removes the alternating sideways pull entirely.
Gripping with the hands too far apart takes the offset away, and the pull becomes symmetrical with a harder path to the bar and none of the point.
The head is thrown sideways to clear the bar while the shoulders stay level, so a rep gets counted without the torso ever travelling to that side.
One side reaches the bar and the other stops short, and because of the mixed grip the shortfall lands on the same hand every set.
The knees kip forward to launch each rep, building a swing that worsens as the set runs while the obliques stop resisting anything.

Frequently asked

How many commando pull-ups should you start with?: Have 8 to 10 strict pull-ups first. Start with three sets of 3 to 4 per side, alternating, and count the sides separately. Build to 6 per side before you add weight or slow the descent, and switch which hand leads between sets so the mixed grip does not quietly favor one arm.
What if my gym has no bar running the right way for commando pull-ups?: You need a bar you can stand under lengthwise; most power racks have one, and a straight bar set high in a rack works if you can hang clear of the floor. Gymnastic rings are the cleanest substitute, since they rotate and let you pull to alternating sides. Otherwise a close mixed-grip chin-up plus a hanging side-to-side oblique drill gets you most of the way.
What is the commando pull-up good for, and who should skip it?: It builds one-sided pulling strength and teaches the obliques to stop the body swaying under load, which is why it shows up in military and tactical training. It is a poor pick for straightforward back size, because the odd grip caps the load and the range differs side to side. Skip it if the mixed grip makes an elbow or shoulder ache, or if strict pull-ups are still out of reach.

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