Chin-up
LatsPull-up BarIntermediate
A pull-up's friendlier cousin. Same back, more bicep, easier to own your first rep.
Muscle worked
Lats, Biceps
Equipment
Pull-up Bar, Bodyweight
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time per set
20-40s
How to perform
Step by step, every rep
01
Grip the bar
Palms facing you (underhand), hands about shoulder width apart. Full grip, thumbs wrapped.
02
Hang with tension
Arms straight, shoulders packed down. Core tight so you're not swinging.
03
Pull up
Drive the elbows down toward your ribs. Squeeze the biceps and feel the lats working at the same time.
04
Clear the bar
Go until your chin is over the bar and chest lifts toward it.
05
Lower under control
Slow negative, full extension at the bottom without losing shoulder tension.
Common mistakes
Avoid these
✕
Using momentum to kick up
Takes the back and biceps out of the lift. Fix: Strict reps only. If you need help, use a band.
✕
Stopping before the chin clears
Missing the top kills the peak contraction. Fix: Full range every rep. If you can't hit range, add band assistance.
✕
Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears
Traps take over from the lats. Fix: Think chest up, shoulders down and back. Lead with the elbows.
✕
Elbow pain
Usually a grip issue. Narrow grip stresses the elbow joint. Fix: Shoulder width grip, palms fully supinated. Avoid going too narrow.
Progressions
Scale it up or down
Make it easier
- Band assisted chin up: great for building strength fast
- Inverted row with a barbell in a rack
- Negative only: jump to top, lower slowly
Make it harder
- Weighted chin up: add a dipping belt
- Archer chin up: shift weight to one arm
- Tempo chin: 3 second up, 3 second down
How to program it
Sets, reps, rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Strength | 4-6 | 3-6 | 2 min | Weighted once you can do 8+ strict. |
| Build Muscle | 3-5 | 6-10 | 90s | Bodyweight or added weight. |
| Build Endurance | 3-4 | Max reps | 60s | Bodyweight. Stop 1 shy of failure. |
Want this exercise programmed into a full plan?
Learning the form is step one. Fitting it into a plan built around your body, your equipment, your schedule and your food is what actually changes things. Fuel your sessions with enough protein using the Indian Food Database.
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