Pull-Up
Same movement pattern
Chin-up
The chin-up is a bodyweight pull on a bar with your palms facing you and your hands about shoulder-width apart. The underhand grip puts more of the work on the biceps, so most people find it a little easier than the overhand pull-up.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Pull-up bar
- lats
- biceps
Left: start position. Right: end position. Orange: the muscles that work.
How to do the chin-up
- Take the bar with an underhand grip, palms toward your face, hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Hang with straight arms. Brace your abs and keep your legs together under you.Breathe
- Pull your shoulders down and back before your elbows start to bend.
- Bend your elbows and pull your chest toward the bar, with your elbows moving down and slightly forward.
- Stop when your chin is over the bar. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
- Lower yourself slowly until your arms are straight again.
Breathing. Fill your lungs while you hang at the bottom, then brace and pull. Let the air out as you pass the bar or on the way back down. Take a fresh breath in the hang before the next rep.
Tips
- If the elbows feel sore, try a neutral grip (palms facing each other) on parallel handles.
- Slow negatives, where you start at the top and lower yourself, are a good way to build your first chin-up.
Muscles worked
The chin-up works mainly the lats and biceps.
- Lats (main muscle)
- Biceps (main muscle)
- Upper back (also works)
- Chest (also works)
- Forearms (also works)
- Abs (core) (also works)
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Lats | Main mover. They pull your upper arms down from overhead toward your body, which lifts you up. |
| Biceps | Main mover with the lats. The palms-up grip lets the biceps bend the elbow from a strong position, so they do more than in a pull-up. |
| Upper back (also works) | Pulls the shoulder blades down and keeps them steady, mostly at the start of each rep. |
| Chest (also works) | The lower chest helps to pull the upper arm down and in, a little more than in the overhand pull-up. |
| Forearms (also works) | Keep your hands closed on the bar for the whole set. |
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first weeks) | 3 | 3-8 reps | 75 s |
| Build muscle | 3 | 3-8 reps | 2 min |
| Get stronger | 4 | 4-6 reps | 3 min |
| General fitness | 3 | 3-8 reps | 75 s |
| Fat loss (with more daily activity) | 3 | 3-8 reps | 60 s |
These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app, with this exercise as the first main lift of the day. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?
Common mistakes
-
Starting the pull with the arms
Why it matters: If the elbows bend before the shoulders set, the shoulders roll forward and the biceps take over early.
Fix: Draw your shoulders down first, as if you put them in your back pockets, then bend your arms.
-
Dropping fast on the way down
Why it matters: A fast drop skips the lowering phase, which is a large part of the work, and jerks the elbows at the bottom.
Fix: Take about as long to lower as to pull up, and stop softly at straight arms.
-
Hands too narrow
Why it matters: A very close grip can bend the wrists and load the elbows in an uncomfortable way.
Fix: Set your hands about shoulder-width apart, so your forearms point straight up at the bottom.
-
Leaning back and rowing the bar
Why it matters: A big lean turns the rep into a partial row, and the chin passes the bar without a full pull.
Fix: Keep your torso close to vertical and pull your chest toward the bar.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier Negative pull-up
- This exercise Chin-up
- Harder Pull-Up
If you cannot do clean reps yet, start with the negative pull-up. When you can do every set at the top of the rep range with good form, move to the pull-up.
Alternatives
Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.
Lat Pulldown (Wide Grip)
Same movement pattern
Close-grip lat pulldown
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Assisted pull-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Negative pull-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Band lat pulldown
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
What you need
-
Take care if
This exercise loads the shoulder and elbow. If your shoulder hurts, stop. Options that do not load the shoulder in the same way: Prone lat pulldown. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
If your elbows or wrists hurt in the underhand grip, stop. Try a neutral grip or an assisted version with a band.
Compared with
Questions
Are chin-ups easier than pull-ups?
For most people, yes. The underhand grip lets the biceps help more, so you can often do a few more reps. That is why the chin-up comes before the overhand pull-up in the progression on this page.
Do chin-ups work the biceps?
Yes. In an EMG study that compared the chin-up and the pull-up, biceps activity was higher in the chin-up. The lats were still the most active muscle. That makes the chin-up a back exercise that also gives your arms real work.
Chin-up or lat pulldown?
Both train the same vertical pull. The chin-up moves your whole body and also asks for grip and core control. The pulldown lets you choose a load lower than your body weight, which helps when you cannot yet do a chin-up.
How do I make chin-ups harder?
Slow down the lowering phase, pause with your chin over the bar, or move on to overhand pull-ups. When those are easy, add a little weight with a dip belt or a backpack.