Pull Up vs Seated Row

Maximizing Your Back Workout Plan

Contents

Planfit users log Pull Up more often — 15,437 sessions vs 296. Compare Back form, muscles worked, and when to use each.

Customize Your Back Workout: Explore the Benefits of Pull Up and Seated Row for Better Comparison.

Planfit Users' Choice about Pull Up vs Seated Row : Which is Better?

Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Pull Up more often — 15,437 sessions compared to 296 for Seated Row.

Popularity is not the whole answer. Pull Up and Seated Row differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.

How Pull Up and Seated Row Differ

What differsPull UpSeated Row
Equipmenta pull-up barbodyweight only
Difficulty4 of 52 of 5
Sessions logged by Planfit users15,437 sessions296 sessions

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How to Pull Up

Pull Up gif

Pull Up muscles worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Please pull your arms back until your chest touches the bar.
  2. 2. While bringing your shoulder blades together, gently pull your arms back.
  3. 3. Slowly return to the starting position while keeping your chest relaxed.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please be careful not to lose your starting position when you come down.
  2. 2. Please rise using the strength of your shoulder blades, not your arms.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Pull Up, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Pull Up Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Pull Up methods?Exercise Guide

How to Seated Row

Seated Row gif

Seated Row muscles worked: Back

Form

  1. 1. Please pull your elbow to brush past your side.
  2. 2. Please return to the starting position while maintaining strength in your back.

Coach's Comment

  1. 1. Please keep your chest open so that your shoulders do not hunch forward.
  2. 2. Engage your core to prevent your back from rounding.

If you want to know a detailed guide to Seated Row, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Seated Row Guide page of our blog!

Do you want to know more about Seated Row methods?Exercise Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Back, Pull Up or Seated Row?

Planfit users log Pull Up more often — 15,437 sessions against 296 for Seated Row. Both train Back, so pick the one that matches the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.

What equipment do Pull Up and Seated Row need?

Pull Up needs a pull-up bar, and Seated Row needs bodyweight only.

Which is easier to start with?

Seated Row is the easier place to start. Move to Pull Up once your form holds up.

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