Pullups Are Tough -- and Extremely Effective. You Train These Muscles When You Do the Back Exercise.

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PEOPLE OFTEN ASSOCIATE building strength with big weights. That's one way to go about it, but it's not the only way -- and there's one exercise that shines as an example of a move that breaks the iron standard: the pullup.

What makes the pullup such a powerful addition to any exercise arsenal is the type of strength it builds. Unlike the bench press, deadlift, squat, and other big compound lifts, the pullup doesn't challenge your ability to heft an external load (a skill known as "absolute strength"). Instead, it requires you to raise your own bodyweight, testing and building what's called "relative strength," or how strong you are for your height and weight.

If you've ever performed a pullup, you know how challenging it is, and if you have any doubt about how effective lifting your own bodyweight can be for building strength and lean mass, consider gymnasts. Pound for pound, they're among the strongest athletes in the world -- and all they do is based around bodyweight training.

That's not to say you should ditch dumbbells and plates to focus solely on bodyweight exercises, but weaving more moves like the pullup and pushup into your weekly routine can accelerate your gains -- especially if you're familiar with the muscles targeted, the benefits you'll reap, and how to execute the movement with perfect form.

Put simply, the pullup lights up nearly every muscle in your back, and it does so at least as effectively (and perhaps even more so) than any other exercise. What's more, since the only way to raise your chest to the bar is to flex your elbows, every rep of the pullup is essentially a whole-body curl, making it an excellent biceps builder (especially when you flip the grip for a chinup, which will result in more direct biceps engagement). On top of all of that, you'll feel the burn in your forearms, as your grip is the only thing keeping y