If you are too weak to do a pull-up, but instead hang from a bar and pull regardless, are you making any progress? Also why do most exercises need to be full reps to “count”?

Question

If you are too weak to do a pull-up, but instead hang from a bar and pull regardless, are you making any progress? Also why do most exercises need to be full reps to “count”?

In:

Answer 1

Different muscle contract at different points along the range of motion. Pulling up will only engage the muscle at the very beginning of the motion, the rest are not being exercised. If you can’t do a pull-up, you would be better off doing different exercises the work the same muscles a pull-up would.