Pull Through
How to do the Pull Through
- 1
Begin standing a few feet in front of a low pulley with a rope or handle attached. Face away from the machine, straddling the cable, with your feet set wide apart.
- 2
Begin the movement by reaching through your legs as far as possible, bending at the hips. Keep your knees slightly bent. Keeping your arms straight, extend through the hip to stand straight up. Avoid pulling upward through the shoulders; all of the motion should originate through the hips.
How to program the Pull Through
Sets and reps
As a compound movement, the Pull Through responds well to heavier loading. For strength, work in the 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps range with 2–3 minutes of rest between sets. For muscle growth, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with 90 seconds of rest is the classic hypertrophy zone. Place it early in your session, when you're freshest, and leave 1–3 reps in reserve on most sets.
Progression
The Pull Through is beginner-friendly. Start with a load (or rep count) you can complete with clean form on every set, then add a small amount of weight or 1–2 reps each week. When you hit the top of your rep range on all sets, increase the load and drop back to the bottom of the range — simple double progression.
Secondary muscles worked
Put the Pull Through into a plan
Generate a free, personalized workout plan that programs this and hundreds of other exercises around your goals.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Pull Through work?
The Pull Through primarily targets the Glutes. It also recruits the Hamstrings, Lower Back as supporting muscles.
What equipment do I need for the Pull Through?
You need Cable. Difficulty level: Beginner.
How many sets and reps of the Pull Through should I do?
For strength, do 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps with 2–3 minutes rest. For muscle growth, do 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with about 90 seconds rest.
