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Chin Up

The Chin Up is a strength exercise with no equipment for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 24%, lats (lower) 18% and biceps (short head) 10%.

Also known as: chin-up, chinup, optrekken onderhands, supinated pull up, underhand pull up

Level: BeginnerEquipment: BodyweightMulti-joint (compound)
Chin Up demonstration

How to do it

  1. Grip a pull-up bar with palms facing you, hands about shoulder-width.
  2. Hang with the arms straight and the legs together.
  3. Pull the shoulders down, then pull the chest up toward the bar.
  4. Continue until the chin passes over the bar.
  5. Lower slowly until the arms are straight again.

Tips

  • Drive the elbows down toward the hips as you pull.
  • Keep the ribs down and the legs slightly in front to stop swinging.

Common mistakes

  • Craning the neck to get the chin over the bar.
  • Doing half reps without straightening the arms.

Muscles worked by the Chin Up

  • Lats (upper) Primary24%
  • Lats (lower) Primary18%
  • Biceps (short head) Secondary10%
  • Biceps (long head) Secondary9%
  • Rhomboids Secondary6%
  • Brachialis Secondary5%
  • Rear delts Minor5%
  • Lower traps Minor5%
  • Lower chest Minor4%
  • Forearm flexors Minor4%
  • Mid traps Minor4%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer3%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer3%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Chin ups used more biceps and pec, pull ups more lower trapezius (Youdas 2010). Pulling the body up to a bar is shoulder adduction and extension led by the lats, with the elbow flexors and lower traps doing a large share; the core holds the body still.

Chin Up alternatives

Different equipment

Make it harder

Make it easier

Similar exercises

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Chin Up work?

Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The biceps (short head), biceps (long head), rhomboids and brachialis assist.

Is the Chin Up good for beginners?

Yes. The Chin Up is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Chin Up?

For example the Assisted Chin Up Machine, Weighted Chin Up and Ring Chin Up. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Chin Up harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Weighted Chin Up and Close Grip Pull Up.

Sources

  • Youdas et al. 2010, JSCR 24(12):3404-3414 (pull up, chin up)

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