Scapular Pull-up (VERSION 2)

The scapular pull-up focuses on strengthening the muscles around your shoulder blades.

To perform the exercise:

  1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip.
  2. Engage your shoulder blades by pulling them down and together.
  3. Hold the position briefly before returning to the starting position.

How to perform the Scapular Pull-up (VERSION 2)

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Scapular Pull-up (VERSION 2) using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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