Butterfly Pull-Up Guide: How to Master Butterfly Pull-Ups

Butterfly pull-ups are an advanced variation on standard, strict pull-ups that require a high level of body awareness to perform the full movement. Butterfly pull-ups activate multiple muscle groups in a very short period of time using a kipping movement, and as such, they are popular among gymnasts.

When practiced with proper technique, butterfly pull-ups can increase your pull-up strength and help prepare you for weightlifting and powerlifting exercises like deadlifts. Butterfly pull-ups are performed using a technique that is similar to that of the kipping pull-up. However, unlike kipping pull-ups, butterfly pull-ups continuously repeat the kip swing to create a circular motion up and away from the pull-up bar.

For butterfly pull-ups, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 10–20 repetitions. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout.

1. 1. Grab the pull-up bar with a full overhand grip. Your grip should be about shoulder-width apart or slightly wider than your shoulders. If you’re unable to grab the pull-up bar, stand on a plyometric box or a secure flat bench.
2. 2. Step off of the box and allow your legs to hang. Your arms and legs should be long and pressed together. Your elbows should be slightly bent. Squeeze your glutes and quads. Engage your core. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be slightly tucked. Point your toes away from your body.
3. 3. Rotate your shoulders outward to engage your lats. Your shoulder blades should be upwardly rotated away from your spine. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. All repetitions should begin from this starting position.
4. 4. While maintaining a strong core and full-body tension, use your arms to swing your body backward to travel away from the pull-up bar, forming a hollow body position. Your arms should remain long and your legs should be long and slightly ahead of your hips.
5. 5. Use your shoulders to swing your body forward until your hips are hyperextended and your back is extended in an arched position. Your chest should finish ahead of your hips. Continue to swing back and forth, alternating from a hollow position to an arched position.
6. 6. From the arched position, drive your legs toward the pull-up bar in a scooping motion while using your arms to pull down on the pull-up bar. Keep your arms straight as you pull down on the pull-up bar.
7. 7. Once your chin reaches its highest point, pull your chest toward and underneath the pull-up bar. As you lower from the pull-up bar, allow your feet to travel behind you in order to reestablish the arch position.
8. 8. Repeat the butterfly pull-ups for the desired number of repetitions.

Once you're familiar with butterfly pull-ups, try one of these butterfly pull-up variations.

1. 1. Assisted butterfly pull-up: If this is your first time practicing a pull-up exercise, you may benefit from starting with an assisted pull-up. To practice an assisted butterfly pull-up, place a resistance band around the pull-up bar, and place a foot inside the other end of the resistance band before completing the exercise. The band will help assist you on the upward part of the exercise.
2. 2. Burpee butterfly pull-up: To add a dose of cardio to your pull-up workout, try burpee pull-ups. A burpee pull-up combines the movement patterns of a burpee and a pull-up. Perform burpee pull-ups by placing your hands on the ground and kicking your feet back into a push-up position. Jump your feet back up and lift yourself into a squat position. Perform a butterfly pull-up using an overhead bar. After lowering yourself back to the floor, repeat the exercise.
3. 3. Weighted butterfly pull-up: For a more advanced variation, try weighted butterfly pull-ups. Weighted pull-ups are a strength-training exercise in which you wear weights while performing a pull-up. A weight belt or weighted vest supplies the added weight during the exercise, and this additional weight helps you build even more muscle during your pull-up workout. If you do not have access to a weight belt or weighted vest, you can perform weighted butterfly pull-ups using resistance bands, dumbbells, or a dip belt outfitted with barbell plates.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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