Too much assistance
Use the least help that still lets you reach your rep target with full range, and reduce it as soon as you exceed that target.
Vertical pull · Machine
Assisted Pull-up Machine
The assisted pull-up machine uses a counterweight to offset part of your bodyweight, so you can do full-range pull-ups before you can manage them unassisted. It is the most direct way for beginners to build toward real pull-ups.
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 5 kg / one stack step
Muscles worked
The lats pull your upper arms down to your sides and the biceps bend the elbows. A wider overhand grip leans more on the lats and upper back, while a narrow or underhand (chin-up) grip brings in more biceps.
How to set up
- Pick the assistance: on most machines, more weight on the stack means more help, so start heavier and reduce it.
- Step up and grip the handles slightly wider than shoulder-width, then place your knees or feet on the pad or platform.
- Lower yourself to a full hang with arms straight.
- Pull your shoulders down slightly away from your ears before the first rep.
How to do each rep
- Drive your elbows down toward your back pockets and pull until your chin clears the handles.
- Keep your chest up and your body still; no kicking or swinging.
- Lower over 2-3 seconds to a full hang with straight arms.
- Use the same full range on every rep.
Common assisted pull-up machine mistakes
Stopping short of a full hang
Straighten your arms fully at the bottom, because the bottom position is where unassisted pull-ups are hardest.
Shrugging into the pull
Start each rep by drawing the shoulders down, then pull with the elbows so the traps do not take over.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the assisted pull-up machine at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Once you hit 8-12 clean reps, reduce the assistance by one plate or pin. When you need only a small amount of help, start practicing unassisted reps or slow negatives at the start of the session.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Assisted Pull-up Machine alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Does the assisted pull-up machine help you do real pull-ups?
Yes. It trains the same movement through the same range, and gradually reducing the assistance builds the strength to lift your full bodyweight. Pair it with slow negatives once you are close.
Assisted pull-up vs lat pulldown: which is better?
Both build the lats well. The assisted pull-up is closer to a real pull-up because your body moves around a fixed bar, while the pulldown is easier to adjust in small steps. Many people use both.