What difference does hand/arm position make in chin-ups?

Asked by: Douglas Johnson

Chin-Up hand position makes it easier for the biceps and pecs to take over the movement, which is why people often find them easier than Pull-Ups. “Pull-Ups put less mechanical emphasis on the biceps, more on the upper back and make it harder for the pecs to take over when done properly.

Does hand position matter in pull-ups?

“The ideal hand position for pull-ups is to have your hands grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. This position will ensure optimal engagement of the lats, whereas taking your hands too wide will put too much pressure on your shoulders and going too narrow will restrict your range of motion.

Which grip is best for chin-ups?

For chin-ups, you grip the bar with your palms facing you, but with pull-ups, you grip the bar with your palms facing away from you. As a result, chin-ups better work the muscles on the front of your body, like your biceps and chest, while pull-ups are more effective at targeting your back and shoulder muscles.

Are neutral grip chin-ups harder?

Neutral Grip – This is the strongest of all pull-up grips. Parallel wrists place more emphasis on the brachialis, eliciting substantial arm growth. Taking advantage of the biomechanically advantageous grip also allows for utilizing heavier loads, producing greater recruitment of the inferior fibers of the Lats.

Are overhand pull-ups better?

Pullups, done with both hands in an overhand (or prone) grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, prove to be the most difficult of the pair. The wide grip isolates your lats, taking away much of the emphasis from the biceps. The underhand alternative—chinups—receives high praise as both a bicep- and back-builder.

How many pull-ups can an average guy do?

Men should be able to perform at least 8 pull-ups, and 13-17 reps is considered fit and strong. And women should be able to perform between 1-3 pull-ups, and 5-9 reps is considered fit and strong.

Are wide grip chin-ups good?

A wider grip makes it harder for the pecs to get involved, but it also changes the leverage and makes it harder for you to bring your shoulder blades together and down, so it’s not a good idea for most people,” Weller says.

Do close grip chin-ups build biceps?

If you want to build your biceps, start your workout with the close-grip supinated chin-up. Load it up pretty heavy so that you reps will fall in the 6-10 range. Your goal should be to get stronger in that range while maintaining proper form.

Do chin-ups give you big biceps?

It’s possible to build bigger Biceps with both, Chin Ups and Curls. The highest bicep activation is found in Weighted Chin Ups. But if biceps size is very important to you, just do both.

Do chin-ups build muscle?

In general, the chinup will build muscle and strength in the upper back and biceps, as well as stabilizing strength in the core and shoulders. The chinup exercise involves pulling your body up to a hanging bar using a supinated grip.

Do chin-ups work lats better than pull-ups?

Pull ups and chin ups are both fantastic exercises that target the same muscles. Generally speaking, chin ups will work your biceps and chest more and they are also slightly more effective for the upper back, while pull ups are best for the biggest muscle in your back, the lats!

Do chin-ups build lats?

Research says the pull-up and chin-up are equally effective. When it comes to activating the lats and traps they both work. Grip width is more important. When it comes to recruitment of the lats, the distance between your hands is the most important factor.

Why are chin-ups so hard?

The Chin-up builds grip strength because your fingers, hands and forearms are all used. The amount of muscles on the job in this movement helps you to develop your biceps, triceps and shoulders, giving you powerful strength and superior muscularity.

Are wide grip pull ups better?

Wide grip pull-ups are an effective bodyweight exercise for building upper-body strength. Wide grip pull-ups are essentially a regular pull-up with a wider hand position. The main benefit of a wider grip is increased activation of the latissimus dorsi or lats for short.

Are neutral grip pull ups better?

Using a close neutral grip for pull-ups tends to feel much more natural as the hands are closer to the body’s centre of mass. It’s also easier on the shoulders, so it’s a great place to start or to work your upper body to its full potential.

What do neutral grip chin-ups work?

But the neutral grip pull up will really help you develop your forearm, as well as your bicep strength. And because you can angle your body with a neutral grip, you can target your chest and abs more as well as start to do front levers.

Are wide grip or close grip pull ups easier?

The latissimus dorsi will still be doing most of the work, but this time the biceps will be more involved. The close grip uses the mechanical benefit of two large and powerful muscles, front and back, which makes doing pull-ups a bit easier, and also for a greater number of repetitions.

Are close grip chin ups good?

A Close-grip pull-up is a great upper body exercise that develops the inner lats and strengthens the back, arms, and core muscles. Close-grip pull-ups put a greater emphasis on your biceps and chest muscles making for better upper-body development exercise.

What muscles do wide grip chin ups work?

Muscles worked doing a wide-grip pullup

• Latissimus dorsi. The “lats” are the largest muscle of the upper back, and they run from the mid back up to under the armpit and shoulder blade. …
• Trapezius. …
• Thoracic erector spinae. …
• Rhomboids. …
• Infraspinatus. …
• Teres minor. …
• External oblique.