Chin-Up
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Chin-Up
- Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing your torso and a grip closer than the shoulder width.
- As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at the chosen grip width, keep your torso as straight as possible while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position. Tip: Keeping the torso as straight as possible maximizes biceps stimulation while minimizing back involvement.
- As you breathe out, pull your torso up until your head is around the level of the pull-up bar. Concentrate on using the biceps muscles in order to perform the movement. Keep the elbows close to your body. Tip: The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
- After a second of squeezing the biceps in the contracted position, slowly lower your torso back to the starting position; when your arms are fully extended. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
- Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Chin-Up
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
One Arm Chin-Up
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the upper back.
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2
Mixed Grip Chin
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the upper back.
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3
Dumbbell Incline Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
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4
Band Assisted Pull-Up
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back.
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5
Bent Over Barbell Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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6
Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a barbell.
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7
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
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8
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using dumbbells.
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9
Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back, using a cable machine.
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10
Inverted Row with Straps
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the upper back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do chin-up work?
Chin-Up primarily works the upper back. The biceps and forearms assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for chin-up?
None. Chin-Up is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Chin-Up: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Chin-Up is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of chin-up?
One Arm Chin-Up, Mixed Grip Chin, Dumbbell Incline Row train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my chin-up reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; chin-up can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Chin-Up with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.