Shoulders
High Pull
A powerful, explosive movement that builds shoulder size and strengthens the entire posterior chain.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Hinge at the hips and slightly bend your knees to lower the bar to just above your knees while keeping your back flat.
Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously to drive the bar upward using your lower body momentum.
Pull the barbell toward your upper chest by outward-flaring your elbows and keeping the bar close to your body.
Guide the bar to its peak height around mid-chest level before the momentum dissipates.
Control the bar as you lower it back to the starting position in a smooth, rhythmic motion.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Pulling primarily with the arms instead of using lower body power
- Allowing the barbell to drift too far away from the torso
- Rounding the lower back during the initial hinge
- Excessively shrugging the shoulders toward the ears at the top
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.