Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Inverted Row
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 45s rest
The easiest bar pull, done with feet on the floor. Walk the feet forward to make it harder.
Steps
Set a barbell in a rack at about hip height or use a sturdy fixed bar at the same level.
Lie on your back under the bar and grip it with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, palms facing forward.
Walk your feet out and lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head.
Pull your chest up to the bar by driving your elbows down and back, keeping your core braced.
Touch the bar with your chest and hold for a count, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
Lower yourself slowly back to a full-arm hang over 2 to 3 seconds, then start the next rep.
Cues
Body stays long.
Pull chest to the bar.
Squeeze the blades.
Common mistakes
Letting the hips sag, which removes the core from the lift and reduces the working range.
Pulling with the arms only and never squeezing the shoulder blades back, leaving the back out.
Cutting the range short by stopping before the chest touches the bar.
Dropping fast on the way down instead of controlling the descent, where most of the back work lives.
2. Chin Ups
3 sets 路 5 reps 路 60s rest
The underhand grip brings the biceps in, so this usually comes before pull-ups.
Steps
Reach up and grip the bar with palms facing you, hands about shoulder-width apart.
Hang at full arm extension with the shoulders pulled down away from the ears and the core braced.
Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down toward your ribs, leading with the chest.
Continue the pull until your chin clears the bar and your upper chest is close to the bar.
Pause for a beat at the top, squeezing the back and biceps without swinging.
Lower yourself slowly to a full hang over 2 to 3 seconds, then repeat for reps.
Cues
Palms face you.
Chest to the bar.
Lower all the way.
Common mistakes
Kipping or swinging the legs to generate momentum instead of pulling cleanly with the back and arms.
Cutting the range short by stopping before the chin clears the bar or skipping the full hang at the bottom.
Shrugging the shoulders up at the start so the traps take over and the lats never engage.
Dropping fast at the bottom and skipping the slow lowering phase, where most of the strength gains happen.
3. Pull Ups
3 sets 路 4 reps 路 60s rest
The overhand version is harder. Use a band under the feet rather than shortening the range.
Steps
Reach up and grip a fixed pull-up bar with palms facing forward, hands slightly wider than shoulders.
Hang from the bar with arms fully extended, then engage the lats by pulling the shoulder blades down.
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and cross the ankles to keep the body in a tight line.
Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down toward the ribs until your chin clears the bar.
Pause briefly at the top with the chin over the bar, squeezing the lats and upper back.
Lower yourself slowly over 2 to 3 seconds back to a full dead hang before the next rep.
Cues
Palms face away.
Lead with the chest.
No kicking.
Common mistakes
Kipping the legs to swing up instead of pulling cleanly with the back and arms.
Cutting the bottom range short and never reaching a full dead hang, which trains a fraction of the lift.
Leading with the chin instead of the chest, which puts strain on the neck.
Dropping fast at the top and skipping the slow descent, where most pull-up strength is built.
4. Parallel Bar Dips
3 sets 路 6 reps 路 50s rest
Dips between parallel bars. A dip station or sturdy chair both work; keep the range comfortable.
Steps
Grip the parallel bars with palms facing each other and press up to a strong, locked-out start position.
Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and cross the ankles to keep the body in a tight line.
Lean your torso slightly forward to bias the chest, or stay upright to bias the triceps.
Lower yourself slowly over 2 to 3 seconds until your shoulders drop just below your elbows.
Pause briefly at the bottom with the chest open and the body still controlled.
Press back up to full lockout by driving through the chest and triceps in one smooth motion.
Cues
Chest slightly forward.
Elbows track back.
Stop before the shoulders pinch.
Common mistakes
Letting the shoulders shrug up to the ears at the bottom, which strains the front shoulders.
Cutting the depth short and only doing the easy top half of the rep.
Swinging the legs to use momentum, which removes the controlled loading the dip is meant to deliver.
Flaring the elbows wide on the press, which puts unnecessary strain on the joint.
5. Hanging Knee Raises
3 sets 路 10 reps 路 40s rest
Finishes with the core while still on the bar. Control matters more than height.
Steps
Hang from a pull-up bar with hands shoulder-width apart and arms fully extended overhead.
Engage your shoulders by pulling them slightly down and back to keep your body stable.
Bend your knees and pull them up toward your chest by curling your hips under, not just lifting the legs.
Squeeze your abs hard at the top with your knees pulled high and your pelvis tilted up.
Lower your legs slowly back down over 2 to 3 seconds until you reach a dead hang again.
Repeat without swinging, letting the bar still completely between reps if needed.
Cues
Hang tall.
Curl the knees up.
Stop the swing.
Common mistakes
Swinging the body for momentum, which removes ab engagement and turns the rep into a leg swing.
Lifting the knees with the hip flexors only, never tilting the pelvis up to load the abs.
Dropping the legs fast at the bottom, which trains the descent poorly and adds shoulder strain.
Hanging completely loose at the shoulders, which stresses the joints and reduces core stability.