The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Building Strength for Chin-Ups

Achieving your first chin-up is probably the best feeling you will ever get especially when you have an established workout routine. It might be very frustrating at first trying to pull up all your weight in the bar, but you’re not alone. Certain exercises need a lot more than having a strong upper body like the chin-ups. It may look easy-breezy, but it takes consistency, persistence, and patience to train certain upper body muscles to execute this exercise.

We have spoken with Matt from Rec Xpress Gym in Clayton to give us a heads up on how chin-ups can be achieved and which muscle groups to strengthen more.

Focus on the Right Muscles to Strengthen

The shoulder, back or also medically known as latissimus dorsi or lats, and biceps are the major muscle groups in your upper body that work in full strength when pulling off a chin-up. Of course, needless to say, that your core must be ready for some cranking up. It plays a very important role as it helps pull your whole body weight up. Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry, because with proper exercises targeting the right muscle groups, you will get your first chin up.

Condition Your Shoulders and Upper Body 

According to personal trainers, you need to get your body accustomed to a whole lot of upper body training. It is recommended to focus on major muscle groups, build and strengthen it, before reaching to that bar.

Carry Weights

Grab those weights and dumbbells and start working on your shoulder blades. This helps to prepare and condition your shoulder when the pressure hits you during the chin-up. Personal trainers strongly suggest to gradually increase the weights as you go along with your routine.

Execute Push-Ups

Push-ups grind the muscle groups in the upper body and core. Since a chin-up exercise is all about carrying your whole body weight, the push-up is one of the best exercises to master before finally reaching the bar for a chin-up. The main body parts and muscles that push-ups strengthen the shoulder blades, biceps, and lats. The muscles that it activates are beneficial for building up strength throughout the body. It also corrects your posture so a regular push-up exercise improves your overall body stance.

Perform Planks

The plank is a core exercise where you hold your body similar to a push-up position for the longest possible time. As recommended by coaches and personal trainers, planks are important as it engages your core and strengthens your upper body muscles to perform a chin-up.

It’s Time to Reach for That Bar

Now that we’ve discussed one by one the upper body weight training that you need to gain strength, now is the time to move forward to get your body familiarized with your body weight. Our personal trainer, Matt, has listed several exercises that will help:

Do a Timed Hangs

Timed hangs are done with your hands facing away from your body and your feet off the ground the longest possible time you can maintain and handle it.  This is best done with your abs real tightened to ensure best body results. Timed hangs help get your hands used to do longer grips.

Perform Isometric Chin-ups

Consistency and repetitiveness are key components of isometric chin-ups. Personal trainers advice to use a bench, jump and hold onto the bar with your high up and elbows bent. This training targets your biceps and back muscles as you maintain the position as long as you can. 

Get Ready with Suspended Pull-Ups

With the supervision of a fitness coach or personal trainer, grab the handles and pull your chest towards it. Through a series of reps with ten-second rests, this training will work your shoulder blades making your body ready for a chin-up.

Once you’re done with all those bodyweight training, it’s now time to work your way to the proper chin-up with these workout tips:

Pull-off Assisted and Eccentric Chin-Ups

Execute your assisted chin-ups with the aid of a resistance training band. You need to loop the band in the bar and place your knees inside the loop. Try starting with both legs assisted, then proceed alternating it with one leg.

To perform eccentric chin-ups, jump to the bar to bring yourself to a chin-up position and gradually lower your body down with controlled strength. Lowering your body through a chin-up is way easier. Thanks to gravity that helps you pull your weight down!

Practice Makes Progress

It may look overwhelming and may feel frustrating at first, but practice makes progress. After strictly following and constantly executing all these tips from personal trainers and fitness coaches, you may find yourself better each day. You will eventually feel more accustomed to your body weight and you will exhibit personal discipline to keep yourself on track.

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