I’ve noticed that I’m a lot stronger with chin ups than pull ups. I’m trying to do a 5x5 and today O got 5-5-5-4-3. If I try to do pull ups, I can only get 3-3-2-2-1.
I always thought the 2 were variations of the same exercise, I can’t figure out why I’m signifigantly stronger on chins than pull ups.
Are the muscles used in each exercise signifigantly different?
Biceps are more incorporated in chin-ups than pull-ups. Hence, almost everyone is stronger that way.
Cool, it’s not just me then. Any reason NOT to do chins this cycle and pull ups next cycle when I’m a little stronger?
[quote]Donut62 wrote:
Biceps are more incorporated in chin-ups than pull-ups.[/quote]
So incorporate both. You can superset them, doing the pull-ups first then switch and do chin-ups. I start with weighted chins, then drop the weight, switch hand positions and do the pull-ups.
[quote]bikemike wrote:
So incorporate both. You can superset them, doing the pull-ups first then switch and do chin-ups. I start with weighted chins, then drop the weight, switch hand positions and do the pull-ups.[/quote]
Ya know, that makes a lot of sense, I might start doing that. The other thing I’m mulling over is doing chin ups as a part of my workout, but doing pull ups throught out the week on my own. I have a ledge I can hang on and do pull ups. My understanding is that it’s pretty hard to overtrain the back, so the extra reps will just help.
[quote]bikemike wrote:
Donut62 wrote:
Biceps are more incorporated in chin-ups than pull-ups.
So incorporate both. You can superset them, doing the pull-ups first then switch and do chin-ups. I start with weighted chins, then drop the weight, switch hand positions and do the pull-ups.[/quote]
I second this. I usually do several sets and alternate between the two. Also you can do them with a neutral grip. The same thing applies to rowing.
Chins aren’t really easier than pulls. If you chin more than you pull you will think chins are easier. It’s just a matter of training.
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
Chins aren’t really easier than pulls. If you chin more than you pull you will think chins are easier. It’s just a matter of training.[/quote]
thats not true, ive done pull ups all my life and i still think chins are easier. you have to relize your not pulling your weight twards you when you do pull ups, your pulling weight thats shifted away from you.
““thats not true, ive done pull ups all my life and i still think chins are easier.””
Not that the basis for your argument isn’t flawed, but, did you do both?
Speaking from my own experience, I ONLY pulled and rock-climbed for years. Then one day I tried chinning and I could only do half as many as I could do pullups.
Obviously I don’t have any statistical evidence, but almost everyone I know who doesn’t train regularly can do more chinups that pullups.
Capn,
I wouldn’t disagree. But I think it has more to do with the way most people train.
People do seem to love excercises that make their biceps, which are recruited more in chins, HUUUGE.
Oh, and I assumed that the people you are talking about have at least trained at some point in their life.
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
““thats not true, ive done pull ups all my life and i still think chins are easier.””
Not that the basis for your argument isn’t flawed, but, did you do both?
Speaking from my own experience, I ONLY pulled and rock-climbed for years. Then one day I tried chinning and I could only do half as many as I could do pullups.
[/quote]
what does rock climbing matter?. i rock climb with my cousin once in a while, i also jog, do pull ups and work out so? you one day tried to see how many chins vs. pulls you could do, that tells nothing of how much time passed between
how much rest time you took in between the chins and pulls. no i never do chins because they only work biceps; “however” i did try to see which ones i could do more of. i came out with 15 chins and can only do 12 pullups, please explain to me, why am i able to do more chins if all i ever do is pull ups?.
your forearm is being used along with your bicep. have you ever tried to pull a dumbell twards you with your palm down? obviously its harder because the weight is not facing you. so if what you said is acually true; that you did half as many chins as pulls, than it “is” in the way you train. but im still going to say that its still harder to “train” for pulls ups than chin ups.
[quote]beebuddy wrote:
““thats not true, ive done pull ups all my life and i still think chins are easier.””
Not that the basis for your argument isn’t flawed, but, did you do both?
Speaking from my own experience, I ONLY pulled and rock-climbed for years. Then one day I tried chinning and I could only do half as many as I could do pullups.
[/quote]
you are an exception. anyone who climbs and has a relatively underdeveloped physique will have super pulling ability. anyone with a relatively more balanced physique (everyone else) will find chinning easier.
Everybody I know has a singificantly easier time with chinups than pullups; I’ve had the two names confused for years! I think just because the chins incorporate the biceps as opposed to just the back and lats, the more muscle groups invovled the more force that can be exerted as a result. I guess if somebody had underdeveloped biceps but a decently strong backside they would find the movements equally challenging or more so challenging with chin ups; best sense I can make of it.