Chin-Up

How to perform the Chin-Up

1. Set the start position with the arms fully extended overhead and the shoulder blades pulled down and back — no passive shrug at the top.
2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with a full grip; the exact width is a personal-preference call within roughly an inch either way.
3. Pull by driving the elbows down and slightly back toward the ribs, leading with the elbows rather than the hands.
4. Bring the bar (or your collarbones, for Chin-Up) to roughly upper-chest level; do not crank past that point and force the shoulders into internal rotation.
5. Reverse under control to the fully extended start position; let the lats stretch but keep the shoulders depressed (not shrugged up around the ears).

Suggested working range: 5–10 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Cranking the bar (or your body) past the chest at the top and forcing the shoulders into internal rotation.
• •Pulling with the biceps first by curling the elbows in rather than driving them down and back.
• •Letting the shoulders shrug up to the ears at the top of each rep, which loses the lat stretch.
• •Swinging or kipping the legs forward to gain momentum on the way up.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.