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Back · Bodyweight
Chin-Up
How to do the Chin-Up with good form: step-by-step technique, the muscles it works (upper back and biceps), coaching cues and the mistakes to avoid.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Upper back, Biceps
- Secondary
- Forearms, Abs
How to do it
- Grip the pull-up bar with a supinated (underhand) grip, keeping your hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended in a dead hang position.
- Engage your core to prevent excessive swinging and take a deep breath.
- Pull your body upward by driving your elbows down toward the floor, keeping them tucked close to your torso.
- Continue pulling until your chin is over the bar and you feel a peak contraction in your lats and biceps.
- Lower your body under control back down to the fully extended dead hang.
Coaching cues
- Elbows tucked tight to the body
- Pull the bar to your upper chest
- Control the lowering phase
Common mistakes
- Swinging the legs to generate momentum
- Dropping down too quickly without controlling the eccentric
- Stopping short of a full stretch at the bottom
Equipment and setup
Pull-up bar
Straight overhead pull-up bar.
Also known as: Underhand Pull-Up
Track your Chin-Up in ROAN
ROAN fills in last session’s weight and reps, estimates your 1RM and keeps your best sets.
