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Ring Chin Up

The Ring Chin Up is a strength exercise on rings for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 23%, lats (lower) 18% and biceps (short head) 10%.

Also known as: ring chin-up

Level: BeginnerEquipment: RingsMulti-joint (compound)
Ring Chin Up demonstration

How to do it

  1. Set gymnastic rings high enough to hang with straight arms and the feet off the floor.
  2. Grip the rings with palms facing you, about shoulder-width.
  3. Hang with the arms straight and brace the body.
  4. Pull the chest up until the rings reach the front of the shoulders.
  5. Lower slowly until the arms are straight.

Tips

  • Keep the rings close to the body so they do not drift apart.
  • Squeeze the rings hard to stop them from wobbling.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the rings spread wide at the top.
  • Kicking the legs to finish the rep.

Muscles worked by the Ring Chin Up

  • Lats (upper) Primary23%
  • 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%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer4%
  • Upper abs 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). Rings let the hands rotate; more stabilising. 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.

Ring Chin Up alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Ring Chin Up work?

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

Is the Ring Chin Up good for beginners?

Yes. The Ring 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 Ring Chin Up?

For example the Assisted Chin Up Machine, Weighted Chin Up and Machine Lat Pulldown (Underhand Grip). They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Ring 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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