Chin ups vs Pull ups: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to strength training, there are tons of exercises that people can do. However, for those who are wanting to use their own body weight for the workout, you will find that chin up and pull ups are two of the most common types of workouts that people focus on. However, aren’t they the same thing? That is where most people get confused! They are definitely different. Let’s go over how these two exercises differ.

Chin ups: The Format

A chin up is slightly different from a pull up in the way that the hands are being used on the bar. During a chin up, the hands are going to be shoulder width apart, but they are going to use an underhand grip. Chin ups are going to rely more on the biceps in order to pull the weight of the person. Thus, this is one reason why more people are going to do better at chin ups than they do at pull ups.

Pull Ups: The Correct Format

A pull up requires that you pull yourself up on a bar just like a chin up, but you are going to have your hands in an overhand grip. In addition, you may have the hands closer together than the usual shoulder width, depending upon what you are comfortable with. You will find that your lats are going to be used more in this exercise, which can make it more difficult for those who are not used to it. In fact, many people may find that pull ups are hard to do to the point that they cannot, instead, they often go with chin ups.

Should You Add Chin Ups and Pull Ups Into Your Workout Routine?

Should you be adding pull ups and chin ups into your workout routine? Most definitely! However, you may find that you have to work at doing more than the other, depending upon your strength level. A great way to start with these exercises is to test them both out, which feels better to you? Whichever one feels better for your body, then start doing a higher rep count of it, and work less on the one that you have more trouble with.

Continue on with practicing your chin ups and pull ups throughout your strength training workouts and you will see dramatic improvements in these areas and great results for your core and arms.