Pullups are a compound exercise, involving many muscles in your arms, shoulders and upper back, according to Bodybuilding.com. Pullups use pulling as the force and your body weight as the resistance. It works different sets of muscles as you pull your chin up to the bar and then lower your body again to the starting position. It is a difficult exercise and you may have to work up to it by building strength in the different muscles involved in the movement.
Correct Form
Grip the bar with your palms facing up, your arms fully extended and your scapulae or shoulder blades elevated. Keep your legs in line with your body as much as possible as you pull with your upper back and arm muscles. Pull your body up until your chin clears the bar and then lower back to the starting position. Inhale as you pull up, exhale as you lower your body.
Shoulder Girdle Muscles
Shoulder extensor muscles, the latissimus dorsi, teres major, triceps brachii and the posterior deltoid help to pull your extended upper arms in to your sides as you pull your body upward. The pectoralis major assists in the movement, although it is an adductor rather than extensor of the shoulder. The lower and middle trapezius, pectoralis minor and rhomboids pull the scapulae down. When lowering your body, the latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, pectoralis major and triceps brachii do the work, according to Eastern Illinois University.
Arm Muscles
The biceps brachii, brachialis and brachioradialis muscles provide part of the power to pull your body up to the chin bar and they also control the descent. They are powerful elbow flexors, bending the elbow.
Hands
Wrist and finger flexors, the flexor carpi radialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, palmaris longus, flexor digitorum profundus, flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor pollicis longus are the muscles you use to grip the chin bar throughout the pullup movement. These are smaller than the muscles of the upper arm, shoulder and upper back, so they will become fatigued first when you are doing pullups.
Considerations
Don't bend or twist your body or swing your legs while doing pullups. Control your movements so that you smoothly pull up and lower your body. If you install a pullup bar at home, follow the instructions carefully when installing it and make sure it can hold your body weight. Stop doing pullups if you experience sudden or burning pain in your shoulders, arms or hands or any pain beyond normal muscle soreness. If you are overweight, pullups may put too much stress on your shoulders and arms.
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