Towel Pull-ups (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

The Towel Pull-Up is a challenging upper-body and grip-strength exercise that builds powerful lats, biceps, and forearms.

By looping towels over a pull-up bar and gripping them instead of the bar, you dramatically increase grip demand, making this a great variation for athletes, climbers, and lifters looking to improve pulling power and hand strength.

Primary Muscles Worked: Latissimus Dorsi, Biceps, Forearms
Secondary Muscles Worked: Rhomboids, Trapezius, Core (stabilization)
Equipment Needed: Pull-Up Bar and Two Sturdy Towels

How To Do Towel Pull-ups

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Loop two towels evenly over a pull-up bar so that both ends hang down.
- Grip one towel in each hand as high as possible, palms facing each other.
- Hang with arms fully extended and shoulders engaged (slightly pulled down).
Execution:
- Brace your core and pull your chest upward toward your hands by driving your elbows down and back.
- Keep your body straight, avoid swinging or kipping.
- Pause briefly at the top when your chin is above your hands.
- Lower yourself back down under control until your arms are fully extended.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Squeeze the towels tightly throughout the entire movement.
- Lead with your chest and keep your shoulders pulled down and back.
- Maintain steady tempo, avoid jerking or bouncing at the bottom.
- Keep your core tight to prevent excessive swinging.

Key Benefits

Develops serious grip and forearm strength.
Builds pulling power in the lats and biceps.
Enhances shoulder stability and upper-body control.
Great for wrestlers, climbers, and athletes who rely on grip endurance.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Perform Towel Rows using a bar at waist height.
- Use one towel for Single-Towel Pull-Ups to focus on grip endurance.
- Use assistance bands if full bodyweight is too challenging.
Harder Option:
- Use thicker towels for greater grip demand.
- Add weight with a dip belt or weighted vest.
- Perform Towel Archer Pull-Ups by alternating sides at the top.

Common Mistakes

Letting Shoulders Shrug Up: Keep shoulders down and engaged for stability.
Using Momentum: Move slowly and rely on muscle control.
Uneven Grip Height: Make sure towels are even to avoid imbalance.
Dropping Too Fast: Control the eccentric phase to build strength and protect joints.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Strength: 4–5 sets of 4–6 controlled reps.
For Hypertrophy/Grip Endurance: 3–4 sets of 8–10 reps.
For Conditioning: 2–3 sets of max reps or timed hangs (20–40 seconds).

Towel Pull-Up Variations

Like regular pull-ups, Fat Grip Pull-ups have some great variations that can be utilized based on athletic readiness, training needs, and sport specificity.

Fat Grip Pull-ups

Fat Grip Pull-ups is another pull-up variation that will seriously challenge your grip like Towel Pull-ups.

For Fat Grip Pull-ups, you’ll either need a fat grip pull-up bar or you’ll need a pair of Fat Gripz to thicken the diameter of a regular pull-up bar.

Weighted Pull-Ups

Grab your weight belt and overload your pull-ups. Weighted pull-ups are one of the best variations a lifter can make to their training programs.

Once regular fat grip pull-ups are perfected, progressive overload must be challenged. I would highly recommend this lift for any lifter who is ready to challenge their upper body strength.

Towel Pull-Up Alternatives

If a lifter is not ready for pull-ups, don’t worry. There are tons of movements that train the upper body for pulling.

Inverted Rows

Inverted Rows are another bodyweight back exercise that is not to be underestimated.

Set your barbell at bench press height. Take a pronated or supinated grip based on your needs. Extend your legs, engages the core, and pull yourself up the bar. Lock in the reps and slowly lower yourself back down. This is a fantastic movement for lifters to develop those posterior chain muscles.

Not only are they a great progression to get you on the path to being able to do pull-ups, but Inverted Rows would also be my recommended substitution if you have a rack but no pull-up bar.

Inverted Row From Rings

A simple progression for inverted rows is to use the ring implement. This allows for more movement at the shoulder. You can start with a pronated grip and as you pull, twist your hand. This is a great movement for rotational/overhead athletes like pitchers who need to build their external movers of the shoulder.

Also, if you don’t have a rack you can get creative with how to hang rings at home.

Lat Pulldown Machine

I do not often recommend machines but in this case, the lat pull-down machine is worth mentioning. If a lifter has a lower-body injury, the lat pull-down is a great option for continuing training while the lower half is being rehabilitated.

Lat Pulldowns are also a great option for novice and veteran lifters looking to add extra volume at the end of a session.