Chin-Up

LatsBodyweightBeginnerCompound
Chin-Up — start position
Start
Chin-Up — finish position
Finish
Muscles worked
PrimaryLats
SecondaryBiceps, Forearms, Mid back

How to do it

  1. 01

    Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width.

  2. 02

    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.

  3. 03

    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.

  4. 04

    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.

  5. 05

    Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

In the app

Chin-Up needs no kit, so it appears whenever the day's window has room for it. Loads come from Rule 3 (Loads rise when earned, read from RPE, graded strong) and climb on the reps you actually did.

If a machine is taken the engine swaps a same-pattern movement and says why.

Same pattern, with kit

Same movement pattern, same primary muscles — swap by what you have.

With cable
With bodyweight
With bands

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