Worth watching. Compelling rationale at around the 2-minute mark. Most recently, I used to do both, and then stopped doing chin-ups, limiting my vertical pulling movement to pull-ups. I recently came across this video, which validated my decision, especially since I have compromised shoulders, particularly my left one.
PULL-UP VS CHIN-UP - Why I Never Do Chin-Ups
- Thread starter Frederick Foresight
- Start date
Worth watching. Compelling rationale at around the 2-minute mark. Most recently, I used to do both, and then stopped doing chin-ups, limiting my vertical pulling movement to pull-ups. I recently came across this video, which validated my decision, especially since I have compromised shoulders, particularly my left one.
I find the chin-up to be easier on the shoulders since you’re essentially automatically externally rotating at the shoulder to get that underhand grip on the bar which is a more stable (stronger) position than internally rotating for the overhand grip. You can externally rotate with the overhand grip but to me it’s just more to focus on. I also get w better squeeze in the lats w chins.
Whatever works, eh? While I find the chin-up easier, and I can therefore do more of them under similar conditions, I always preferred the pull-up. And, for whatever reason, I find them easier on my shoulders. Here is an interesting article on the subject:
https://www.elitefts.com/education/...ps-does-it-make-a-difference-needs-formatted/
Of course, there are other articles online that entirely contradict the conclusions of this one. And so it goes.
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Biggest thing will always be pain free movement and that mind muscle connection. I also favor chins to pull-ups. I have had some shoulder issues and to place my shoulder, as the article also states, in a mechanical disadvantageous state, isn’t wise for me and I do feel it. It isn’t as bad using a pulldown machine however. Chins I tend to feel more throughout my whole lat and with pull-ups and overhand grip pulldowns I tend to feel more just under the armpit area and a bunch in the teres. I train to failure so I know even with a pull-up my whole lat is working for some reason I just see better development with chins.
I appreciate that different people have different preferences. But how, specifically, were you able to determine with any confidence that chin-ups gave you better lat development than pull-ups.
I stopped doing overhand vertical pulling for quite some time now and my back is wider now than it ever was doing pull-ups. I’m going to assume it’s because I “feel” the chins more than pull-ups. Had I just suck with pull-ups would my back be as wide as it is now, I suppose I can’t say w 100% certainty but based on prior training I don’t think it would. Chin-ups are easier (for me) so maybe it’s the couple of extra reps over time/time under tension? I also have better control with chins. I feel a deeper stretch and better squeeze. So I would say those are all contributing factors.
Fair enough.
Just curious, and in a somewhat unrelated question, do you do an equal number of chest (pushing) and back (pulling) exercises/sets, or do you favor one over the other with more total sets? I refer specifically to multi-joint, compound exercises/sets rather than single joint, isolation exercises/sets.
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I used to do a chin and a row to one chest exercises but a couple of months ago I dropped one of the back moves. So I alternate now. Went from 10 exercises in a session to 9.Fair enough.
Just curious, and in a somewhat unrelated question, do you do an equal number of chest (pushing) and back (pulling) exercises/sets, or do you favor one over the other with more total sets? I refer specifically to multi-joint, compound exercises/sets rather than single joint, isolation exercises/sets.
Chest
Back
Quads
Shoulders
Biceps
Hams
Triceps
Traps
Calves
I’ve always found better growth w direct arm work and trap work. I use an A and a B routine. I am toying with using a dip for triceps and a bit more chest work and a higher rowing movement for traps/back (hard to explain how I modify the row). Playing around for fun
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Interesting that you should mention elbows. When I used to do weighted chins years ago, they caused my left elbow some grief. Nothing quite as serious as what you described, but discomfort nonetheless. When I decided to bring them back after dropping the added weight but lengthening the rep cadence to up to 8 or so seconds per rep, the effect on my elbow was significantly reduced. Even so, I dropped chins from my routine recently as a preventative measure for my already compromised shoulders. And, like you, I never had any issues with pull-ups. They have always been, and continue to be, my principal pulling movement.
Truth be told, I would like to add chins back into my routine; I just think I might be playing chicken with the joint gods, at least given my own particular “biomechanics” or whatever.
P.S. Just curious, how did you manage to do so much damage with chins? Too much added weight or possibly kipping?
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