Chin up, Fitness Goal, Technique, Upper Body - June 25, 2018

6 Steps to Better Chin-ups

Whether you can already or maybe you’re working towards your first chin-up, are you sure you’re learning how to do them the right way?

While it's not rocket science, it is also likely that you're not performing chin-ups with the proper technique which can lead to ligament, joint, or muscle injury. In this article we will go over some quick tips that will help ensure you're doing chin-ups the right way!

Also, see our article on Proper Form for Pull-ups

Hand Grips

In the standard chin-up exercise, your palms will be facing towards you with your fingers wrapped around the bar in a supinated grip. Another option is to grip the bar with a semi-supinated grip with your palms facing each other. This variation is called the 'neutral grip chin-up' and can provide more shoulder mobility during the exercise.

Chin up hand grips

Hand Position

The positioning of your hands for chin-ups is dependent on the dimensions of your body but a general rule of thumb is to not place your hands wider than your shoulder distance apart for both neutral grip and standard chin-ups. Placing your hands wider than your shoulders can put undue stress on your elbows and shoulders.

Elbow Position

Keeping your arms tucked in towards your torso and pulling your elbows down and back is important while performing a chin-up. Try your best not to flare yout your elbows as it will help prevent injuries to the tendons in your elbows.

Chin up elbow movement

Shoulder Retraction

When starting the motion of your chin-up, your shoulder blades should be retracted with your chest puffed out. If your shoulders are up near your ears, you most likely resting too much weight on your shoulders’ joint capsule. This can lead to injuries later on by placing too much weight and strain on your shoulders’ soft tissues. Be sure maintain this shoulder blade retraction throughout the exercise. If you’re unable to maintain the proper form, take a rest and come back to it.

Shoulder Retraction Pull Up

Core & Glute Activation

Be sure to activate your core with a gentle contraction while also contracting the glute muscles. The easiest way to do this is to contract your hips forward while exercising (think of a dog tucking its tail between its legs). Your contraction should be accompanied with a strong exhale. Be mindful not to arch your lower back when performing this exercise. If you're using a box or bands to assist your pull-up, try with your feet in front rather than behind your body.

Core activation pull up

Breathing Exercises

While pulling yourself up towards the bar, forcefully exhale the air out of your lungs while while keeping your core and glutes contracted. This should result in a very tight midsection making your body feel easier to lift (rather than trying to pick up dead weight). On the way down, begin to inhale a deep breath before repeating the process over again.