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Exercise Guide
How to do close grip chin up
Master the setup, range of motion, and tempo for safer, more effective reps.
The close grip chin up is a fundamental bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the latissimus dorsi and the biceps. By bringing your hands closer together and using an underhand grip, you place a significant emphasis on the arms and the lower lats. This movement is essential for developing functional upper body strength, enhancing pulling power, and creating a well-defined V-taper aesthetic in the back.
Stats
TIER
1
DIFFICULTY
Beginner to Advanced
EQUIPMENT
Pull Up Bar
TARGET MUSCLES
Back, Biceps, Rear Shoulder
Instructions for Proper Form
Setup:
- Grip the Bar: Find a pull-up bar or sturdy fixture capable of supporting your body weight. Grab the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you), hands close together, almost touching.
- Starting Position: Hang freely from the bar with your arms fully extended. Keep your shoulders engaged and your core tight.
The Lift:
- Pull Upward: Initiate the movement by pulling your chest up towards the bar. Lead with your elbows, keeping them close to your body.
- Chin Over Bar: As your chin reaches over the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together and focus on contracting your biceps.
- Controlled Lowering: Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, resisting the urge to drop or relax at the bottom.
Tips:
- Focus on the Biceps: The close grip emphasizes the biceps brachii more than wider grips. Concentrate on the feeling of your biceps contracting throughout the movement.
- Maintain Tension: Keep your muscles engaged throughout the entire movement, avoiding any relaxation at the top or bottom of the rep.
- Slow and Controlled: Avoid using momentum to swing yourself up. Focus on slow, controlled repetitions.
Common mistakes: Not reaching a full extension at the bottom and using the legs to kick for momentum.
Alternatives
Cable
lat prayer
Back
Pull Up Bar
chin up
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
lat pulldown(wide bar)
BackBiceps+1
Row Cable
cable seated one arm row
BackBiceps+1
Pull Up Bar
chin up
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
lat pulldown behind the neck
BackBiceps+1
Dumbbell
dumbbell bent over row
BackBiceps+1
Pull Up Bar
chin ups narrow parallel grip
BackBiceps+1
Pull Up Bar
pull up
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
cable one arm lat pulldown
BackBiceps+1
Pull Up Bar
close grip chin up
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
lat pulldown
BackBiceps+1
Row Cable
cable seated row
BackBiceps+1
Barbell
barbell bent over row
BackBiceps+1
Cable
cable straigth arm pulldown(rope)
BackRear Shoulder
Cable
cable straight arm pulldown(bar)
BackRear Shoulder
Barbell
barbell underhand bent over row
BackBiceps
Lat Pulldown
cable seated high row(v-bar)
BackBiceps+1
Bench
dumbbell chest supported row
BackBiceps+1
Front Pulldown
machine front pulldown
BackBiceps+1
Dumbbell
dumbbell one arm row(with support)
BackBiceps+1
Barbell
barbell chest supported row
BackBiceps+1
Barbell
t-bar row(v-grip)
BackBiceps+1
Landmine
t-bar row
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
cable wide grip behind neck pulldown
BackBiceps+1
Low Row Machine
machine low row
BackBiceps+1
Barbell
barbell reverse grip supported row
BackBiceps+1
Pulldown Machine
machine lateral pulldown
BackBiceps+1
Lat Pulldown
lat pulldown reverse close grip
BackBiceps+1
High Row Machine
machine high row
BackBiceps+1
Row Cable
cable low seated row
BackBiceps+1
Seated Row Machine
machine seated row
BackBiceps+1
Cable
cable pulldown(v-bar)
BackRear Shoulder
None
sliding floor pulldown on towel
BackBiceps
None
superman row with towel
BackBiceps
Row Cable
cable seated row(rope)
BackBiceps+1
Rings
ring high suspended row
BackBiceps+1
Squat Rack
inverted row bend knees
BackRear Shoulder+1
Kettlebell
kettlebell bent over row
BackBiceps+1
Rings
ring suspended row
BackBiceps+1
Dumbbell
dumbbell pull over
BackChest+2
Resistance Band
band seated row
BackBiceps+1
Rowing Machine
rowing on rowing machine
BackQuads+2