These are compound exercises that force you to lift your own bodyweight. They are second to none when it comes to putting on slabs of upper-body muscle mass. If you’re a guy and you’re looking for that classic ‘V’ shape, these are two of the best exercises you can do.
The Pull-up
The Differences Between Pulls-ups and Chin-ups?
Grip
Chin-ups: Palms face towards you.
Pull-ups: Palms face away from you.
Muscles
Chin-ups place more emphasis on the biceps, and less on the back. Your lats are also in a better position to contract than the Pull-up.
Pull-ups place more emphasis on your back, and less on your biceps.
Difficulty
Both exercises are very hard, and if you’re just starting out with them, you’ll be lucky if you can even do one. However, Chin-ups are definitely easier than Pull-ups.
These Exercises are Staples for CrossFitters
Benefits
If you incorporate these exercises into your weekly weight training routine, you will see wicked results, both in strength and in appearance.
- The ‘V’ Shape. The Pull-up in particular will help your back develop this look.
- The Crossover Effect. As you get stronger with your Chin-ups and Pull-ups, you’ll get stronger at the opposite movements. In this case, that’s your Shoulder Press and Bench Press.
- Grip. Any sports you play which require good grip will see improvement from these exercises. MMA (grappling), Tennis, Wrestling, Rock Climbing, and anything else that involves pushing & pulling will all directly benefit from these bodyweight movements.
- Shoulder Friendly. By doing push exercises as well, you can use these exercises to prevent muscle imbalances that lead to injury.
Your Arms Should Be Fully Extended in Between Each Repetition
Technique
- Have your chest up as you pull yourself to the bar. Don’t round your back or let your shoulders come forward.
- Look where you’re going. Don’t look towards the ground; this encourages bad form.
- Bend your legs at the knee. Letting your legs dangle can make it easier for you to ‘cheat’ and use momentum to help you up.
- Keep your elbows pointed downwards throughout the movement. This helps recruit more of your back muscles.
- Grasp the bar firmly with your fingers as opposed to your palms. This will help prevent calluses.
Can’t Even Do 1 Pull-up or Chin-up?
There are things you can do which will help you get better at Chin-ups and Pull-ups if you can’t yet do them. No matter what techniques you use to help lift yourself up; pretend that you’re lifting yourself up on your own. Don’t let yourself get lazy and rely on whatever is helping you out.
- Use Momentum with Kipping Pull-ups. Swing yourself back and forth to get up to the bar, and control yourself on the way down, going slower than normal. This will help you build muscle that will eventually allow you to get up to the bar without swinging.
- Grip Strength. Often times people don’t even have enough grip strength to get through a single Pull-up or Chin-up. That’s okay. In order for you to gain lots of grip strength, simply approach the bar, grab it, and hang from it for as long as you can. Once you can do this for 30 seconds, you should have the grip necessary.
- Partial Movements. Instead of doing a full Push-up or Pull-up, move up only 2 or 3 inches and hold for a few seconds before lowering your self back down. Continue this until you can no longer move those few inches. This exercise will help you gain the strength necessary to do the full exercise.
- Negative Reps. Grab a box, stool, or chair and place below the bar. Ideally, you should be able to just get yourself in the top position (chin above the bar). From there, hop off whatever you used to get up there and just hang. The idea is not just to lower yourself slowly; it’s to try to stay in the top position for as long as possible. Of course, you won’t be able to hang up there for a very long period of time and you’ll inevitably start lowering yourself as your strength fizzles out. Keep trying to hold yourself up and pull yourself up as this happens. You should be fighting gravity right until you get to the bottom and your arms are fully extended. Repeat this exercise until you can do it 6 times, then you’ll be ready to move on.
- Chin-ups Are Easier. Start with these if you can’t do either. Once you can crank out a few of these, give Pull-ups another try.
- Get a Spotter. Get someone to grab you on either side and ‘squat’ up with you to the bar. Control yourself on the way down.
- Jump. Jump up to grab the bar and use that momentum to pull yourself up to the bar. Control yourself on the way down.
- Use Resistance Bands. Attach a band between the bar and either under your knees or feet. Have a look at the picture below.
Using Resistance Bands as Aids
How to Progress
Weighted Pull-up
Once you can do 12-15 Pull-ups or Chin-ups in a row you’re ready to move onto the exciting stuff. There are a number of things you can do at this point to further increase your muscle size and strength with these exercises.
- Belt & Chain. Suspend plates from a chain which is attached to your belt. The weight should hang between your legs.
- Dumbbell Wedged Between the Legs. When you’re first starting to do weighted Pulls or Chins, this option works great. It becomes a little bit of a problem however when you’re trying to hold a dumbbell in excess of 20kg between your legs. At this point you should move onto the Belt & Chain.
- Backpack. An alternative to a Belt & Chain, you could place weights/plates in a backpack and where it. Make sure it’s a sturdy backpack.
Common Mistakes
Range of motion. Many people don’t use a full range of motion when doing these exercises. Remember, always go from your arms being fully extended to your chin being over the bar. Anything less is cheating.
- Shoulders. It’s easy to let your shoulders go forward, but try to avoid it.
- Using Machines. Assisted Pull-up and Chin-up machines take away the need for balancing and allow you to (sometimes subconsciously) use less strength.
- Swinging Your Hips. Unless you’re purposely using them to assist you in reaching the bar, you shoulder keep your legs in line with your torso.
The Usual Excuse
Many weightlifters say that they’re ‘too heavy’ to do these exercises. Whether they say they’re ‘too fat’ or ‘too muscular’; they claim they can’t do them. Sorry, but that’s an excuse. Actually, no, I’m not sorry. They’re just not strong enough. Use some of the techniques above, and you’ll get there.
Pull-up
Variations
You can do these exercises with your palms facing each other, with or without thumbs, or with mixed grip. You can also use different thickness bars or even towels over the bar. You can use any of these variations when you’re in a plateau and having difficulty increasing your Pull-up or Chin-up strength. Sometimes all you need is a little variation to stimulate the muscles in a new way.
If you’re really looking to challenger yourself, try a 1-armed pull-up or chin-up. However, developing the skills required to do one of these will take time, anywhere from 6 months to a matter of years. Make that a long-term goal.
That’s all there is to it! Good luck (not that you need it).
