Pull-Ups VS Chin-Ups: Which Should You Do?

• For the same grip width, the pull-up and chin up will train the arms and back slightly differently.

• Both variations will train some blend of:

  • Lats

  • Upper back (traps, rhomboids, rear delts, teres major)

  • Elbow flexors (biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis)

  • Erectors and abs (minimally)

• The differences?

  • The chin up will train the biceps to a larger degree than the pull-up, but the pull-up will likely train the brachialis and brachioradialis to a stronger degree than the chin-up (these are the other two elbow flexors that people don’t often talk about).

  • The chin-up will train the lats to a greater degree, while the pull-up will train the upper back to a greater degree.

    • Although this difference is likely small( especially if arm path is close to the same) - both variants will be great for the lats and the upper back, especially if you’re using the bottom portion of the range predominantly.

    • Whether the pull-up will train more of the lats or upper back comes down to how you perform the exercise.

      • The more that you pull your “chest to the bar” and arch your back, the more likely it is you’ll be targeting more of the upper back.

      • The more you stay vertical in a pull-up (neutral spine), the more that your lats will contribute in a relative sense.

  The Problem With Current Data:

• One study looked at the differences in muscle activation between the pull-up and chin-up and found the following:

  • The lats and most of the upper back are ~equally active in both variants.

  • The biceps and pec major are more active in the-chin up.

  • The lower traps are more active in the pull-up.

• These are the findings that many people will cite to recommend one variant over the other, but this data is riddled with issues and should not be used to justify either option. Without writing 10,000 words on all of the problems with the study, the main issues are:

  • EMG sensor placement was embarrassing (photo is below). Placement on the infraspinatus and lower traps were incorrect. Placement on the pecs only looked at the upper portions (which would be the least active). Only the long head of biceps was measured. The brachioradialis and brachialis were not measured at all. Only the upper lats were measured (the lower lats would be most active).

  • Muscle hypertrophy outcomes were not assessed or measured. This was likely not the goal of the research to begin with, but this would be the relevant data point to analyze.

  • Through no fault of the researchers, people have taken EMG activation to = muscle growth. There is not a clear relationship between these two, as counter-intuitive as it sounds.

Below is a detailed video guide on the differences between pull-ups and chin-ups.

In it, you’ll learn:

• Why pull-ups and chin-ups hit different muscles.

• Why you should choose one variation over the other.

• How to make each setup unique to your goals and needs.

• The anatomy of the back and elbow muscles and how that relates to both motions.

• The physics of pull-ups vs chin-ups.

• How to do your first pull-up or chin-up if you can’t do one now.

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