It’s amazing how a slight change in form can target completely different muscles when you’re exercising. One great example of this is chinups and pullups. While many people use the terms “chinup” and “pullup” interchangeably, they are actually two distinct exercises.

Whether you’re a beginning lifter or have been pumping iron for a while, chinups and pullups are fundamental exercises that should be a staple of your workout regimen at AFAC gym. Read this blog to learn more about the differences between chinups and pullups, what muscles they work, their benefits, and how to incorporate them into your strength training routine at our Thornton gym.

What Is the Main Difference Between Chinups and Pullups at the Gym?

Before we discuss the differences between chinups and pullups, let’s talk about the similarities. Both chinups and pullups are highly beneficial bodyweight exercises that target the muscles in your upper body. And, both exercises involve gripping a bar above your body and lifting yourself off the ground until your chin is above the bar, and then lowering your body back down to a hanging position.

The key difference between chinups and pullups is how you grip the bar. With chinups, your palms are facing toward your body. With pullups, your palms are facing away from you. Also, when you do pullups, your hands will typically be wider apart than when you do chinups, which require a narrower grip.

This simple change in grip position results in a significant change in the muscles that are activated. Chinups work the muscles on the front of your upper body better (like your biceps and chest), while pullups target your back and shoulder muscles.

Pullups vs. Chinups — Which One Is Better for My Gym Routine?

The short answer is, neither. Both pullups and chinups are equally excellent exercises for strengthening and building your upper body. That said, it could depend on your fitness goals — one may be better than the other if you’re trying to target a specific muscle group.

Which One Is Easier if I’m a Beginner at the Gym?

If you’re just beginning to incorporate chinups and pullups into your workout regimen, you may find that chinups are easier. That’s because the narrower grip with your palms facing your body allows you to use more muscles in the arms and chest, which are typically stronger and more developed in most people. It also keeps the pull closer to your center of gravity.

While chinups might be a little easier at first, it’s a good idea to program both chinups and pullups into your workouts to achieve balanced upper body strength and muscle building.

How Do I Perform Chinups at the Gym?

Chinups are not easy to perform, but the move is fairly straightforward. To perform chinups, first find a horizonal bar that’s thin enough to grip with your hands and strong enough to support your weight while your body is suspended off the ground. Then:

Grab the bar with both hands, with your palms facing toward you. Your arms should be shoulder-width apart and your feet shouldn’t be touching the floor.
Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar.
Pause for a second, and then lower yourself all the way back down until your arms are straight. That’s one rep.

How Do I Perform Pullups at the Gym?

As previously mentioned, pullups are very similar to chinups, except for a slight variation in your grip which works your upper body in a different way. Here’s how to do pullups:

Grab the bar with both hands, your palms facing away from you, shoulder-width apart or wider. Your feet should be suspended off the floor.
Use your upper body muscles to pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar.
Pause for a second, and then lower your body back down to the hanging position.

Common Mistakes When Doing Pullups and Chinups at the Gym

As simple as the concept of pullups and chinups sounds, you might be surprised to know that the majority of people do them wrong. When done properly, pullups and chinups will help you build strength and muscle mass in all the right places. If you do them incorrectly, you won’t get the results you’re looking for and you could even cause injury. Here are some common mistakes people make with these awesome upper-body exercises:

They don’t extend low enough or lift high enough — Full extension and range of motion are essential to make pullups and chinups effective. These exercises are tough, but you won’t get results if you give half-effort. With each pullup or chinup, you want your body to be in a straight line at the bottom and you want your chin to reach the bar at the top.
They don’t engage their shoulders properly — You need to set your shoulders properly to avoid putting unnecessary strain on your muscles, tendons, and joints. The solution here is to imagine you’re pinching a pen between your shoulder blades before you start your pullup. Pull your shoulders down and back, and then bend your elbows up.
They try too difficult of a variation — Whether you have too little strength or too much body mass, you should choose a variation that allows you to maintain great form while you get stronger. You can use a box or platform to support your lower body throughout the exercise. Or, you can stand on a box or platform until you get to the top of the lift, and then suspend yourself on the bar from there. Then, lower yourself down again. You can do these shortened pullups and chinups while you perfect your form and build your strength.
They go too fast and swing their body to clear the bar — Some people try to go fast and build momentum by swinging their body (also known as “kipping”) to drive their chin over the bar. Go slow at first to build strength, good form, and control when doing chinups and pullups before you try to speed up.

What Muscles Do Pullups and Chinups Work?

Chinups and pullups contain very similar movements, so they work essentially all the same muscle groups, but at somewhat different rates. The muscles worked with pullups and chinups include:

Lats – The V-shaped muscles that connect your arms to your spinal column
Biceps – The prominent muscle on the front side of your upper arm
Infraspinatus – The thick triangular muscle at the back of your shoulder
Lower trapezius (traps) — The large muscle bundle that extends from the back of your head to your shoulders
Pectoralis major — The muscle that connects the front of your chest to your upper arm and shoulder
Erector spinae — The muscles that extend down the vertebral column
Obliques — The muscles on the sides of your abdomen that run from your lower ribs to directly above your hips

Studies have shown that chinups work the biceps and pectoralis major more than pullups, while pullups work the lower traps more than chinups.

What Are the Benefits of Chinups and Pullups at the Gym?

Pullups and chinups have their own unique perks, but they’re both worth including in your workout because:

They are milestone exercises

A “milestone exercise” is one that requires a good amount of baseline strength to perform. It’s a tough exercise for beginners, but also provides a terrific way to gauge the upper body strength of beginning, intermediate, and advanced weightlifters. People who are just starting out with strength training can use pullups and chinups as a way to track their progress, while intermediate and advanced lifters can use them to test their overall fitness and strength.

They require minimal equipment

Since they require only a horizonal bar or similar structure that can hold your weight, chinups and pullups can be done in a lot of different settings like the gym, the park, at home, or even in a forest (the more adventurous among us have been known to do pullups and chinups while grabbing onto strong branches).

They help you with other strength training and sports

Strengthening your shoulders, arms, forearms, back, and grip will give you advantages that carry over into barbell lifts and almost any sport.

Keep Your Chin Up and Pull Your Weight at AFAC Gym

If you’d like to work on your chinups and pullups at AFAC gym, we have the equipment and space you need to take advantage of these fundamental upper-body workouts. Simply ask a member of our team for assistance. Our personal trainers can also help you with your form and answer any questions you have. This is one of many ways that our support helps our members keep their chins up and pull their weight at the best gym in the Thornton, Colorado, area.

If you’d like more information about becoming a member of AFAC gym, please stop by or give us a call. You can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

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