It’s easy to assume pull-ups are all about the arms—but the real engines behind a strong, controlled rep are the back and shoulders. In fact, if you’ve ever tried (and struggled) to get your chin over the bar, there’s a good chance your pulling muscles weren’t fully prepped yet. That’s exactly what the moves in this video are here to fix.
In this episode of Technique School, trainer Tina Tang, CPT, demos the building block strength moves that appear in Workout 2 of her Ultimate Pull-Up Plan that target your lats, traps, rhomboids, and delts—all major players responsible for initiating and controlling each pull-up rep. You’ll also strengthen your grip and reinforce posture so your shoulders feel supported and pain-free along the way.
WATCH NOW: Building Blocks, Workout 2
Back and shoulder exercises are the core of Tang’s six-week challenge—and you’ll see them show up in almost every workout. In Workout 2, expect rows and shoulder presses in supersets with hip thrusts and split squats (this is a full-body program after all!).
In Workout 2, you’ll also see plenty of core and lower-body moves, such as the dumbbell hip thrust—a powerhouse exercise that targets your glutes and hamstrings. “Your lower half can handle a lot more weight than your upper body,” she says, making this the perfect opportunity to build serious strength where it counts.
Meet your trainer: Tina Tang is a certified personal trainer and the owner of Iron Strong Fitness. She focuses on helping women 40 and over add strength training into their lives. Follow her on Instagram at @ironstrongfit.
To reinforce total-body tension and boost grip endurance, Tang also includes farmer’s Carries. The movement might look simple—just walking with heavy kettlebells in each hand—but it’s deceptively challenging. As you move, your core fires to keep you upright, your shoulders stabilize under load, and your hands learn to hold on even when fatigued. This should be the kind of weight where your body says, “I don’t want to keep going.” But that’s exactly where the gains are made.
Together, hip thrusts and carries teach your body to stay braced and strong from the ground up, giving you the control and resilience you need to power through every pull-up rep.
Back And Shoulder Strength Benefits
Training your back, shoulders, and beyond isn’t just about aesthetics or unlocking your first pull-up. It’s about creating a solid, functional foundation that carries over into everything else—your posture, your breathing, even your ability to sit at a desk without pain.
“Most women spend their day in a forward posture—driving, working at a computer, caring for kids,” Tang says. “Back and shoulder work helps undo that tension and makes your body feel stronger and more open.”
Plus, strengthening these areas reduces your risk of overuse injuries, especially once you start doing higher-rep pull-up sets or add weight. Think of this block as protective training for your future self.
Talene Appleton is the fitness editor at Women’s Health, where she nerds out over all things fitness, nutrition, and wellness. She was previously the fitness and commerce editor at Men’s Health, where she tested and reported on the newest, buzziest fitness and wellness products to hit the market. As a NASM-certified personal trainer and Precision Nutrition-certified nutrition coach, she is passionate about supporting women at the intersections of fitness, food, and community. Talene was on the George Washington University college dance team (shout out First Ladies) before moving on to become an NBA dancer for the Washington Wizards—you can still catch her at dance classes across New York and LA in her free time. Before entering journalism full-time, Talene was a private chef for four years and still enjoys cooking for and hosting friends and family regularly.
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