Chin-Up

Execution

1. Hang with straight arms, ankles crossed, and brace your belly and glutes lightly.
2. Set your shoulder blades down away from your ears before the elbows start to bend.
3. Exhale and drive your elbows down toward your ribs until your chin clears the bar.
4. Hold one beat at the top with the chest close to the bar and the wrists in line with the forearms.
5. Inhale and lower over 3 seconds until the arms are fully straight.
6. If the inside of the elbow starts to hurt, switch to a neutral grip or go back to the band-assisted version.

Quick cues

• Blades down first, then pull.
• Drive your elbows to your ribs.
• Chest travels to the bar.
• Three seconds down every rep.
• Crush the bar in your hands.

Common faults

• Fault: Arching the back and kicking the legs for momentum

  Fix: Squeeze the glutes, cross the ankles and cut the reps to the number you can do cleanly.

• Fault: The wrists folding back as you reach the top

  Fix: Grip harder and keep the back of the hand in line with the forearm, or use neutral handles.

• Fault: Not straightening the arms at the bottom, so every rep gets shorter

  Fix: Pause for one beat in a straight-arm hang after every rep.

• Fault: Training through pain on the inside of the elbow

  Fix: End the set, switch to a neutral grip or horizontal rows, and leave the elbow alone for a few days.