# Chin-ups or Pull-ups?



## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

*If only having one as part of your back day?*​
Chin up 1448.28%Pull up1551.72%


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## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

What do you feel is the most beneficial movement for the upper back? Of course I can alternate but I was looking to cut down my back day to: Deads, BOR and then one of the above - mainly because I don't have enough in me to give both a sufficient amount of sets, so the second one usually suffers.

My preference is chin ups, as I don't isolate biceps in my workouts so I feel they hit hard during this movement.

Common opinion seems to be that wide pull ups will be the best for the lats, but ive also heard that going further than shoulder width has no addtional benefits which is also making me sway on the side of the chin up.

For the record - my understanding is chin ups (underhand) and pull ups (overhand).


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I didn't know there was a difference?


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

well there isnt ,, chin ups and pull ups are the same, but if your referring to the hand position bieng wide and palms facing away then i would say thats better for lats and back width

close grip with palms facing will be more for biceps and back thickness...


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## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

flinty90 said:


> well there isnt ,, chin ups and pull ups are the same, but if your referring to the hand position bieng wide and palms facing away then i would say thats better for lats and back width
> 
> close grip with palms facing will be more for biceps and back thickness...


Thanks mate. Suppose ill alternate weekly then.


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

Falcone said:


> Thanks mate. Suppose ill alternate weekly then.


to be fair mate i would stick woth wide grip pulls for width, and do a seated row close grip for back thickness bro !!


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## andymc88 (Aug 18, 2011)

I only do 3 excises for back deads bor lat pull or chins works well got my deadlift up to 165kg for 4 reps last wed used to do about 5/6 exercises but noticed im doing better with less


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## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

flinty90 said:


> to be fair mate i would stick woth wide grip pulls for width, and do a seated row close grip for back thickness bro !!


Ah, really good idea cheers.


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## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

Flinty, would you mean like a hammer grip low row?


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## Falcone (Sep 14, 2008)

andymc88 said:


> I only do 3 excises for back deads bor lat pull or chins works well got my deadlift up to 165kg for 4 reps last wed used to do about 5/6 exercises but noticed im doing better with less


Me to, id prefer to go harder on a few exercises.


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## Sharp161 (Jan 31, 2010)

For back wide grip pull ups without a doubt, though i include 3-4 pull variations throughout the week think theyre are great for mass, use a dipping belt to add plates


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

andymc88 said:


> I only do 3 excises for back deads bor lat pull or chins works well got my deadlift up to 165kg for 4 reps last wed used to do about 5/6 exercises but noticed im doing better with less


3 exercises is enough to build a good back bro ...

if you did

*week 1*

1. wide grip chins

2. seated low pulley CG row

3 deadlifts

week 2

1.wide grip pull downs

2. bent over DB rows

3. Roman chair weighted hypers

you would build a brilliant back with just them 2 routines alternating


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

chin ups because i can do more of them as im a fat bastard


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

anab0lic said:


> *Wide grip doesnt work your lats.*... And volume isnt the key to size you dont need set after set after set of an lift.... if you train at full intensisty 1 set is all that's needed.... but not many people can/know how to train that hard....


Explain ???


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

flinty90 said:


> Explain ???


any more than normal grip i think he means


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## RFC52 (Jan 4, 2011)

anab0lic said:


> Wide grip doesnt work your lats.... And volume isnt the key to size you dont need set after set after set of an lift.... if you train at full intensisty 1 set is all that's needed.... but not many people can/know how to train that hard....


Dorian Yates HIT, single set? failure with certain post-failure techniques...RP etc. ?


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

Fatstuff said:


> any more than normal grip i think he means


oh , very vague post from him !!!


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## flinty90 (Jul 1, 2010)

anab0lic said:


> View attachment 73233
> 
> 
> ^^ those are the muscles worked with widegrip pulldowns/pullups.... you will still get wider working them, but you arnt hitting the lats a far bigger muscle with far more potential for growth.


so a lat pull down is called that but it doesnt hit the lat mate ??? a wide grip lat pulldown i would say is pretty similair thing as a wide grip pull up ???


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

Pullups hit lats, so do pulldowns.

If you dont believe me, do 10 sets to failure and the next day or so see where you are hurting.

I personally feel dead lifts would be priority.

Bent over rows would be my second for rear delt and back thickness, some lats will get hit from the stretching of the movement.

Pullups for back width, and also will hit some core and abs and some rear delt.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

My fav variations of the pull-up/chin-up are with close grip hammer pullups (palms facing each other, hands about twelve inches apart), and chin-ups (palms facing body) but to the sternum/nipple line with an exaggerated backward lean at the top (vince gironda had his clients do a lot of these). If you don't get both width and thickness from that combo (not just lats but also rhomboids and teres muscles) you simply aren't doing them properly!!!


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## JTgymstuff (Dec 30, 2011)

i always thought that chin ups were a shoulder width or wider grip with palm grip over, like a lateral pull down because i feel more likely to bang my chin on the bar doing this than a pull up (my defention). i thought that a pull up was hands closer together and palm grip under or wrist 90 degrees and palms under because when you pull something in a normal situation you wouldnt grip it with your palms over with a wide grip? either way i agree with flinty90 sounds good chin ups (my defenition) and seated row. hope you get the results you are looking for falcon.


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

I thought it was called a chin up because you pulled up to get your chin over the bar.

Growing up you didnt do a chin up if your chin did not go over the bar.


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## expletive (Sep 12, 2011)

JTgymstuff said:


> i always thought that chin ups were a shoulder width or wider grip with palm grip over, like a lateral pull down because i feel more likely to bang my chin on the bar doing this than a pull up (my defention). i thought that a pull up was hands closer together and palm grip under or wrist 90 degrees and palms under because when you pull something in a normal situation you wouldnt grip it with your palms over with a wide grip? either way i agree with flinty90 sounds good chin ups (my defenition) and seated row. hope you get the results you are looking for falcon.


Your right mate, Pull up palms facing or neutral grip, shoulder width or closer

Chins palms out, shoulder width our wider


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## Trevor McDonald (Mar 30, 2010)

I do both. Alternate every 4 weeks. Weighted. Nothing beats it.


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## Matt 1 (May 8, 2010)

chin up, pull up, doesnt matter what you call it, call it banana, carrot, as long as you know which each exercise is working.

And personally I do both red and yellows... why would you miss either out IMO

Its fun to make stuff up!


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## musio (Jan 25, 2008)

RE lat pulldowns

if your gym hasn't got the machine, you could always do it with a pulley standing or kneeling either with the rope or the long lat bar

Great exercise


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## Moonbeam (Jul 20, 2011)

weighted wide grip pull ups all the way.


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

chins for me cos pull ups make one of my forearms feel like its gonna explode. damn tendonitis!


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## 36-26 (Jun 30, 2009)

I find the narrower the grip overhand. Little less than shoulder width works my lats the best and is better for width IMO because of the greater stretch and range of motion and also the mind to muscle connection


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## RockyD (Oct 8, 2012)

I think wide grip pull ups probably work the lats more than chin ups , but I tend to get niggly inside elbow strains from pull ups so stick to palms facing each other(hammer grip)

But i think any variation of these done consistently will massively benefit back growth.


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## Proteen Paul (Apr 6, 2012)

I only train my biceps!


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## powerhousepeter (Dec 4, 2010)

I find closer grip hits my Lats more


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## Proteen Paul (Apr 6, 2012)

RockyD said:


> I think wide grip pull ups probably work the lats more than chin ups , *but I tend to get niggly inside elbow strains* from pull ups so stick to palms facing each other(hammer grip)
> 
> But i think any variation of these done consistently will massively benefit back growth.


 @rocky D.

I've had the same issue. Its tension on the tendon. Look up "Golfers elbow" (opposite tendon from tennis elbow) on you tube..... Basic stretching could help.


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## Blinkey (May 14, 2012)

To me chin ups are the squat of the upper body, I weigh 17.5 stone and each rep is a full on 17.5 stone.


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## Proteen Paul (Apr 6, 2012)

powerhousepeter said:


> I find closer grip hits my Lats more


Close grip will take a bit of the bi's but also bit the lower lat more. Wide grip palms facing away will get your top lat near the arm pit.


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## gringo (Jul 13, 2009)

What was it that Arnie said in the gun shop in Terminator?

Not which. All.


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## Xbigdave79 (Mar 30, 2012)

Dorian Yates said he never did wide grip pull up or pul downs ,it's about the contraction and range of motion or the muscle worked,since I have stopped doing wide pull ups I haven't noticed any less with on my back plus they used to hurt my shoulder anyway,if it is good enough for Dorian it's good enough for me


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## jaycue2u (Jul 23, 2011)

Proteen Paul said:


> @rocky D.
> 
> I've had the same issue. Its tension on the tendon. Look up "Golfers elbow" (opposite tendon from tennis elbow) on you tube..... Basic stretching could help.


I found using wraps relieved this pain & allows me to concentrate on my back more without my forearms hurting or my grip going


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

lol @ back day.

Here's a magic secret everyone has been hiding from you. You can probably get away with doing chin ups and or pull ups 3x a week and would probably be better off for it


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