Try incorporating these six exercises into your routine—they’re like the building blocks of the pull-up, and they’ll help develop the back and arm strength necessary to get you up and over the bar. Hanging hollow holdDo it: Using an overhead grip, hop up to hang from a bar. Your trainer says: “The hanging hollow hold emphasizes pressure in the hands, which increases your grip strength,” says Snow. “Act as if you are trying to snap the bar in half, placing large amounts of pressure from the outside of your hands.”2. Your trainer says: “This is a slight variation of the hanging hold,” says Snow.