Chin-Up
Works the lats.
- Primary muscles
- Lats
- Secondary muscles
- Biceps, Forearms, Middle back
- Equipment
- Body only
- Level
- Beginner
- Mechanic
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position. Tip: Keeping the torso as straight as possible maximizes biceps stimulation while minimizing back involvement.
- As you breathe out, pull your torso up until your head is around the level of the pull-up bar. Concentrate on using the biceps muscles in order to perform the movement. Keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
- After a second of squeezing the biceps in the contracted position, slowly lower your torso back to the starting position; when your arms are fully extended. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Track it
Log every set in Pensum. It keeps your best sets and estimates your one-rep max as you go. Estimate your 1RM now.
More Lats exercises
- One Arm Against Wall Body only
- Pullups Body only
- V-Bar Pullup Body only
- Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up Body only