Topic: Chin-up vs. Pull-up

[aggreenvln]

Hi all,

I have a quick question for Steve (or whoever can answer the question, really) regarding chin-ups and pull-ups. My apologies if it was already answered in another thread. I tried searching for a bit, and couldn't find anything.

The motions of chin-ups and pull-ups are very similar, but I notice that they work some different muscle groups. I can't specifically pinpoint all of the differences, so I was wondering if someone with a little more anatomical/technical knowledge could help me out. What muscle groups are worked while doing pull-ups, and what muscle groups are worked while doing chin-ups? Also do the muscle groups change through the course of the movement? (i.e. muscles working primarily during the first half of a chin-up [full extension to 90 degrees] vs. muscles working primarily during the second half [90 degrees to chinned])

Thanks!

[Andy Animus Tran]

A pull-up involves your wrist muscles, biceps, and a hell of a lot of muscles in your shoulders and laterals.  I don't know the names of all these muscles, but the muscles on top of your shoulders connecting to your neck, your deltoids, and your back shoulders are all used.

A chin-up is mostly wrist muscles and biceps, with a bit on the top of your shoulders, and a TINY bit of your chest.  If there's more to it, I'm unaware of it.

[Steven Low]

They're nearly the same so it's really pretty negligible. At different points they put a little more stress here and there like on the biceps or lats or chest. I would suggest working both (although I haven't taken my own advice, lol) as muscularly even though they are similar you can get vastly better at one than the other because of constant repetition ingrains it neurologically (similar to GTG).

As for muscles: forearms (there's tons), biceps, lats, chest, posterior delt, teres major, serratus (both). The major ones are really only biceps and lats and possibly teres major and chest. If you have a problem holding onto a bar/wall then probably forearms too.

The funny thing is rows are nearly similar to pullups as well and work pretty much the same muscles except rows add a bit more traps, posterior delts, teres major, and the external rotators while reducing the tension on the lats.

I wouldn't divide the movement up into sections either as you should be pulling with both. The elbow angle closes pretty much in sync with the shoulder angle so the pull decreases and increases about the same on both muscle groups at the same time. The general rule is that the longer a muscle is, the weaker it is though so when you're at a dead hang you're usually weaker than at 45 degrees which is weaker than 90 degrees etc.

[aggreenvln]

Thanks for the great responses; that's exactly the type of information I was looking for .

[BobT]

For your back and shoulders a chin-up and pull-up are the same provided that your body is in the same orientation to the bar.  The difference is that a pull-up engages the brachialus (runs underneath your bicep) more than a chin-up (and therefore a little less bicep), which is why they are generally harder.

The pull-up also places more stress on the medialus (runs on the thumb side of your forearm to your elbow) because the rotation of your hand is streching this muscle.  This is why it is better to keep your elbows tucked in during a pull-up to reduce the stretch on the medialus.

Like I said, the back is worked the same if you're in the same position, but in general, the more horizontal you are the more the effort is going to shift from your lats to your traps.

[Gordo]

chinups and pullups work your triceps?

[Steven Low]

chinups and pullups work your triceps?

Who said that?

They do as a stabilizer. But there's not enough stress there to actually say they worked it IMO.

[BugMeNot]

Hey, quick question to add to this - along the same lines ...

Both my chins and pull-ups are fairly dismal at the minute, and I've set myself a goal to be abke to do 20 of each.

Now, I'm using the density training idea for them and a bit of GTG ...
http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/workout-routine-3.html

From what I've read, it's pretty much the same muscle groups being worked in both (to an extent).

Is it alright to do both exercises the same day - or in the same workout ? Or will it just lead to fatigue earlier on ?

[Steven Low]

If you're going to use that density method do half your sets with pronated grip and half with supinated grip.

If you want to use GTG.. that's a whole different method which would have you do them 5-6 days a week instead of the 2 days a week that the density recommends.