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Exercise guide

Side Wrist Pull

How to do the Side Wrist Pull with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationBeginnerStatic
Primary muscles

Shoulders

Secondary

Forearms, Lats

Equipment

Bodyweight

Step by step

How to do the Side Wrist Pull

  1. 1

    This stretch works best standing. Cross your left arm over the midline of your body and hold the left wrist in your right hand down at the level of your hips. Start the stretch with a bent left arm.

  2. 2

    Slowly straighten, pull, and lift it up to shoulder height, as pictured. Feel this stretch originate in your back, not your shoulders, and don't pull too hard on the shoulders joint. Switch sides.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Side Wrist Pull set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your shoulders volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Train with a goal

Where the Side Wrist Pull fits

The Side Wrist Pull shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:

Related

More shoulders exercises

FAQ

Side Wrist Pull: common questions

What muscles does the Side Wrist Pull work?

The Side Wrist Pull primarily works the Shoulders. It also recruits the Forearms and Lats as supporting muscles.

Is the Side Wrist Pull suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Side Wrist Pull is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.

What equipment do I need for the Side Wrist Pull?

None. The Side Wrist Pull is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it without any equipment.

Is the Side Wrist Pull a compound or isolation exercise?

The Side Wrist Pull is an isolation exercise, it targets the shoulders through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.

How do I do the Side Wrist Pull with correct form?

This stretch works best standing. Cross your left arm over the midline of your body and hold the left wrist in your right hand down at the level of your hips. Start the stretch with a bent left arm. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

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