Ever bought yourself a birthday present? There’s a lot to be said for it. After all, no one knows better than you when it comes to what you want. But before your mind turns to cashmere, or a lifetime supply of Guylian, pause to consider Ellen DeGeneres. The 68-year-old recently shared a video of herself on Instagram in which she does pull-ups with the help of an exercise band.

‘Yes, I know I have a little bit of help with a band, but it’s literally like a rubber band you’d put a ponytail in,’ she wrote in the video’s caption. ‘It’s super thin. But trust me it’s hard. My goal is to be able to do 1 with no band at all. Then 2 then 3 then – well you get the message. But not bad for almost 69.’

A super tough exercise regime may not be the birthday gift you want. But, says Good Housekeeping’s fitness expert Kim Hawley, it may be exactly what your body needs. Pull-ups are widely considered the gold standard of upper-body exercises because they test and build relative strength – how strong you are in relation to your own body weight. Here’s why.

The what

‘The pull-up is fundamentally an exercise where you hang from a bar with your palms facing away from you, then pull your body up until your chin reaches the bar. You lower yourself back down with control,’ says Kim. It sounds easy. But, she stresses, it really is not.

The why

A pull-up, Kim explains, is a real test of your upper-body strength: ‘You’re lifting your whole body using mainly your back muscles, with a helping hand from the biceps and supported by the forearms, the rear of yours shoulders and your core.’ For one ‘simple’ exercise, it’s working a lot of muscles.

Why can they feel especially hard for women?

Pull-ups are hard for most people, says Kim. You’re working against gravity which is a lot more taxing than anything you can do with your feet on the floor. That said, on average, women have less upper-body muscle mass and strength than men, which can mean a longer journey towards getting that first pull-up done, unaided.

What to read next

The how

Still keen? Here’s how to get started.

fit woman doing outdoor workout in fitness park. female athlete using pull up bar
Igor Barilo//Getty Images

Build your grip

Kim says: ‘If you can’t hold your bodyweight, you certainly won’t be able to pull it up… or anywhere! To improve your grip strength, simply hang from a sturdy bar. Begin with short holds and build up gradually. Stop if you feel any shoulder pain.’

Practise the movement

Kim says: ‘Try some shoulder-blade pulls before you move up to pull-ups. With your feet on the floor, raise your arms straight up into the air. Without bending your elbows or arching your lower back, pull your shoulder blades down and back (as if you are trying to slide them into your back pockets). Your shoulders will move away from your ears. Hold for a few seconds, then relax with control and repeat a few times.’

Strengthen the pull

Kim says: 'Use a resistance band for assisted pull-ups (just look up band-assisted pull-ups on the internet to see how to attach band) and/or practise slow negative pull-ups: jump up to the top, chin by the bar, position and then lower yourself over a few seconds. Repeat as many times as possible.'

Add rows

Kim says: ‘Rows are a family of horizontal pulling exercises where you pull a weight – or your own body – toward your torso. They strengthen many of the same muscles as pull-ups. Use a rowing machine if you have access to one. If not, pull a barbell up to your lower ribs or belly while hinged forward at the hips, while keeping your shoulders relaxed. You can also use a pulldown machine to practise pulling a weight towards your chest. It builds strength, although it doesn’t perfectly reproduce lifting your own body weight.

Try a full rep when ready

Ready to go for it? Kim says: ‘Start from a controlled hang. Plant your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and flex your quads to keep your body tight and prevent swinging as that only makes it harder. Draw your shoulder blades down and back, pull your elbows down toward your ribs until your chin clears the bar. Lower under control, till your arms are straight again. Avoid kicking or swinging.’