3 Pull Dryland Exercises Better than Pull-Ups

When we're talking swimming, we know pulling is important. Being able to grip the water and pull yourself forward is critical for both performance-based goals and just pure enjoyment of the sport. 

To improve pulling strength many people look to the traditional pull-up as the gold standard, but many people can’t complete a traditional pull-up. 

The good news is, there are other exercises that can improve pull strength that don’t involve pull-ups, and the three below are a great place to start building pulling strength without resorting to conventional pull-ups. 

Prone Floor Angel

For the prone floor angel, start by lying on your belly on the ground with your toes anchored to the floor and your hands flat on the ground up by your shoulders. 

Set your head position to mimic the position it should be in when you’re swimming. Then, simply slide your arms forward above your head, a few inches off the ground, as through you were flying like Superman.

Pause for a moment with the arms fully extended overhead, then drive your elbows down to your sides. When your hands are about even with your armpits, pivot your arms so that your palms are facing skyward and push the hands back toward your hips, touching your thumbs together just above your lower back. 

Pause a moment then pivot your hands back and extend them up above your head again as you did in the initial movement. 

As you’re engaging in this exercise, focus on allowing your shoulder blades to move. During your day, your shoulder blades might get stuck and not have a whole lot of movement. This is a chance to really work on that movement and work on your overall shoulder range of motion as well. By starting in this extended position, you can practice a good pulling position with your arms driving back to work that range of motion. 

Complete 12 slow repetitions, focusing on getting your shoulder blades to move freely. 

Single Arm Row 

Now, if you want to take it up a notch, you can add a kettlebell or a dumbbell for this exercise. This is a single-arm row, but instead of having something to rest your hand on, you're going to rest your forearm on your leg muscle. 

Start this exercise with a long stance by dropping your right leg behind your about two feet and planting your toes into the mat. Let the heel peel off the mat and keep your back knee loose. 

The front leg should be bent so that thigh is near-parallel to the floor and the knee is stacked over the ankle and the foot. Hinge forward at the hip and rest your left forearm on your thigh muscle – be careful not to put pressure on the knee itself. Get settled firmly onto the quadriceps muscle. Pressing against the leg helps brace your core and creates more activation in the mid-section. 

Next, grasp the handle of a kettle bell that’s next to the inside of your left ankle. Focus on pulling the weight back towards your right hip by driving the right elbow back and up by the hip. By driving back toward the hip, that will active your back and lat more, rather than turning this movement into more of a biceps curl, which can happen when you pull the weight straight up toward the chest.

Complete 12 repetitions on each side. As you get stronger, increase the weight you’re using.  

Straight Arm Pulldown

For the last variation, loop a resistance band to a pull-up bar or another high attachment point. 

Stand facing the resistance band loop with your back straight, knees bent slightly and feet planted flat on the floor about hip-width apart – that’s a quarter-squat position. Place your hands in the resistance band loop about shoulder width apart. Your head and neck should be in alignment with your spine and your eyes should be looking forward. 

Engage the lats and pull the band down towards your legs while keeping your arms straight. When your hands reach your hips, release slowly in a controlled manner and bring the hands back up to the starting point. 

The further away you are from the anchor point, the more resistance you'll feel, so find what feels challenging. Focus on engaging the lats and think about your pulling strength as you move through his exercise. 

Complete 12 repetitions while keeping your torso still and allowing the arms to move with control. Avoid standing up straight and completing the repetitions with no intent. Establish that solid base and pull for 12 mindful repetitions. 

These three pulling variations allow you to start easy with just your body weight and progress to more challenging movements. Use them to add that variety to your training while building strength.