I know pull ups work the back, but do they also do a good job of developing the shoulders as well?

Question

I know pull ups work the back, but do they also do a good job of developing the shoulders as well?

Answer 1

They do develop the shoulders, but not very much.  If you want to increase the workload on the shoulders, do wider pull-ups.

Also, make sure you're doing wide pull-ups instead of chin-ups if you want to focus on your shoulders.  Chin-ups are with your palms facing you.  Pull-ups are with your palms facing away from you.

But really I would suggest doing other exercises to develop your shoulders.  Here are some great shoulder workouts:

http://www.exercisegoals.com/shoulder-ex...

Answer 2

If you hold the bar with the palms facing AWAY from you, then yes.

Also get some dumbbells and do some lateral flies (it looks like you are flapping your arms like you want to fly)

This video demonstrates:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6exRXQ9jA...

PS I'm not sure if that's a man or woman, but his advice is correct.

Answer 3

Pull ups are basically a back and biceps exercise.  If you want to develop your shoulders you have to do shoulder exercises.  Military Presses are really the king of shoulder exercises, also good to isolate shoulder directly with various raises(front,side,rear delt).  good luck!

Answer 4

If you're doing an overhand grip on your pullups, you'll be engaging the shoulders, the lattissimus dorsii, and really just a whole bunch of the muscles in the shoulder region.  I started doing overhand grip pull-ups about four years ago, and when I first started I could barely do one, and I had tiny, scrawny, pencil-necked shoulders.  Now, I start my day off by doing 3 sets of 12 overhand pullups, and my shoulders are a good three inches broader; I've had to have my suit re-tailored twice so that I still fit in it, and I know it's not anything else I'm doing, because I'm a network geek and set at a computer the other 12 hours of the day.  ^_^;

It takes a while to see the difference, but if you stick with it, you'll definitely beef up your shoulders.

Note that if you're doing an underhand grip pullup, most of the work will be done by the biceps and pecs, and you won't get much shoulder development from it at all.  I *also* do underhand grip pullups to help develop the biceps and chest, but I set my expectations accordingly; I don't expect the underhand grip pullups to do much for my shoulders and back.

Main thing is to just stick with it; like any good exercise program, it takes time, but the results are well worth it.