Even as he approaches 60, Hugh Jackman is still pushing himself in the gym with complex challenges. In a video recently posted on Instagram, Jackman showcases impressive strength on the pull-up bar. But rather than smashing out endless reps, he makes the movement far tougher by pausing throughout each rep, involving his legs and mimicking the motion of climbing stairs.
Jackman begins by creating a taut hollow-body hold, before raising one leg at a time to ‘step’ upwards. Each rep takes around 15 seconds to complete, with the Australian actor spending close to 10 seconds in the concentric phase as he emphasises control of the bodyweight movement. But how do you emulate Jackman – and what are the benefits of the exercise?
How to Do Staircase Pull-Ups
- Hang from the bar in a dead hang position.
- Create a taut hollow-body position while hanging, unshrugging your shoulders.
- Lift one leg to mimic stepping onto a staircase.
- Press your leg down while pulling with your upper body a few inches at the same time.
- Repeat this motion until your chin is above the bar.
- At the top, reverse the movement, ‘walking’ back down with your legs as you lower under control.
Benefits of the Staircase Pull-Up
While staircase pull-ups aren’t necessarily ‘better’ than regular controlled pull-ups, they offer a range of benefits. With reps taking around 15 seconds, you significantly increase time under tension, placing greater demands on your core control and grip strength.
They also provide a novel stimulus, which can help drive new growth – particularly useful if you’ve hit a plateau. Plus, they build the control needed for more advanced movements, such as muscle-ups, caterpillar pull-ups and ring pull-ups.
How to Get Your First Staircase Pull-Up
As a highly technical movement requiring strength and control, most people won’t be able to jump straight in. Start by mastering strict pull-ups.
That means using minimal momentum, performing reps under control and building the endurance to manage double-digit reps. From there, begin slowing the movement down. Add pauses of 5–10 seconds at different stages of each rep to get used to prolonged time under tension – these static holds are key to recreating the ‘staircase’ effect.
Eccentric staircase pull-ups can also help bridge the gap. Perform a regular pull-up to the top, pause briefly, then lower yourself slowly while completing the ‘walk-down’ motion Jackman demonstrates.
