“I tend to take a lower intensity, higher frequency approach,” he says. “This might look like doing three to five sets of pull-ups every other day, but never reaching muscular failure. This will allow you to get the most amount of practice whilst also managing your ability to recover.”

Veal agrees that frequent submaximal sets are a great way to improve, as is focusing on the negative, lowering phase in order to build strength. You might, for example, take five seconds to lower yourself. Or hang for as long as you can.

And adding in a band to take some of your weight is a great way of building up strength too.

“Being strict with your technique on pull-ups is paramount,” says Cox. “Shoulder injuries from repeatedly performing pull-ups incorrectly are not uncommon. Be patient with your progression and don’t try to force out an extra dodgy rep just to brag about it to your buddies.”

4 pull-up variations to try

The great thing about pull-ups is that you can pretty much do them anytime, anywhere. All you need is a stable, safe horizontal bar and you should be able to bash out at least a few. To keep it interesting, or work specific areas, Veal recommends mixing it up with the below:

Chin-Ups
“Chin-ups require more bicep involvement,” he says, “making them a great arm and back workout.”

Wide-Grip Pull-Ups
“The wider your hands on the bar, the more your lats will be forced to work,” he says.

Towel Pull-Ups
Wrapping a towel around a bar isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it’s dynamite for your grip endurance. One to build up to, perhaps.

Archer Pull-Ups
“Archer pull-ups, in which you fully extend one arm horizontally as you rise, using this arm for guidance and the other for the majority of your pulling, builds unilateral strength,” says Veal. Try it with a band to get used to the movement before progressing to unassisted.

Cox gets a kick out of pull-ups performed on gymnastic rings. “They’re my favourite variation,” he says. “You can attach a set of gymnastics rings to any pull-up bar and it opens up a whole host of other variations. Since the gymnastics rings are able to move independently to fit the angle of your wrist and elbow, they tend to be much more joint friendly.”

How to make a safe DIY pull-up bar

“The great thing about pull-ups is that all you need is a bar to hang from and many parks have structures set up for calisthenics exercises like pull-ups,” says Cox. “There are many cheap, easy-to-assemble options available to attach to your door frame too.”

Given that, there isn’t really any reason why you should be trying to make your own at home. Argos sell them for fifteen quid, which will save you time and injuries resulting from any dodgy DIY efforts.

When it comes to mounting a pull-up bar at home, Veal has some safety tips:

“Using a doorframe to mount your bar can be quick and convenient, but always test the weight capacity,” that is if you don’t want your wife or landlord to get the hump.

“Wall-mounted bars are a good idea, but you need to bolt them into solid brick or concrete for safety,” says Veal.

“And, if you are building a custom bar, use heavy-duty fixings and testload the capacity before hanging off it,” Veal says. “Nothing kills a session faster than the bar (or you) hitting the ground mid-rep.”

The best alternative to pull-up bars

For the love of god, please don’t be the dad busting them out on the climbing frame in the children’s playground. Instead, you might find that your local park has an outdoor fitness area or hand tree branch to practice on. Scaffolding is more of a no go than the kids play area.

If there’s no pull-up bar, you might consider replacing them with rows. The best thing about this is you can even do them on low bars, or dip bars. With your feet on the ground, body straight, extend your arms to grip a bar. Pull your chest up to the bar so your chin is almost touching it. This works the rotator cuff, opens the chest and engages the shoulders and triceps, just like pull-ups. You could even do it using the edge of a sturdy table at home.

Failing that, try tying a resistance band around a doorknob and ‘rowing’ the band towards you. Again, you’ll work the same muscles.

For more of a pull-up effect, fold a towel in half longways and loop it around the top of a door so that the middle becomes trapped when you close the door. Use the two hanging ends as ‘handles’ to pull yourself up on. This works almost the same muscles as pull-ups using a bar, with the added bonus of some serious wrist and grip action, too.