The chin-up is a pull-up with your palms facing toward you. Because most people find the chin-up easier than a standard pull-up, it’s a good place to start when working toward your first full pull-up.
The chin-up puts a greater emphasis on the biceps than the pull-up, which explains in part why some find the movement slightly easier. Nevertheless, it develops all the posterior pulling muscles and remains one of the most effective full-body strengthening exercises.
Here’s how to do it:
Grab hold of a bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms facing you.
When your grip is secure, assume a dead hang.
Start the chin-up by sucking your shoulders down (think opposite of a shrug), bracing your abs, squeezing your butt (try to flatten the arch out of your back), and driving your elbows down hard toward your sides.
Keep pulling until your throat reaches the bar — if you can get higher, great!
Don’t try to complete a rep by reaching up with your chin. You either got it, or you don’t; you won’t get any stronger trying to fake it.
Pause momentarily at the top.
Then control yourself back down to a full dead hang before starting the next rep.
