Real quick one. I’ve identified my delts/traps/rhomboids as spots I’d like to improve…
I’ve read pull-ups can work all 3 at once sufficiently, as can facepulls which I do with bands daily for 200 reps…
I read that the same 3 muscles are also worked with chin-ups, plus I’d blast my biceps… others have told me that I would give up what I wanted to work in my back if i did Chins, while I’ve heard that if I just switch to an underhand grip on pull-ups I’d work what I want plus biceps… Anyone know what the real deal is? I’m hoping to add either one with facepulls daily and blast my physique!
I would say it’s not a matter of which one works the most muscle as much as which one works more what you’re trying to work.
Chin-ups are said to be more lat and biceps intensive whereas overhand Pullups should work more of the upper back muscles as opposed to your arms.
Any of the two is probably fine unless you’re really advanced or one variations bothers your shoulders (regular Pullups give me shoulder aches but Chin-ups are fine for me). I should add that for some reason I feel my abs working much more with Chin-ups than with Pullups, to the point of getting them sore the next day.
Well I’ll be doing facepulls- that’s a form of rowing… I’m trying to blast myself…but now that I think about it, facepulls hits all 3 things I wanna hit too right?
god damn people think about these things in weird ways.
ok first off, facepulls, particularly with just band resistant, for 200 freaking reps is not going to stimulate your muscles in a remotely similar way as, say, heavy dumbbell rows for 5 sets of 10. And I don’t know why you’d even think it was the same. facepulls are primarily for the upper back muscles, particularly the stabilizers surrounding your shoulders. I really only use facepulls for posture and shoulder health. And if you’re doing them with band-only resistance, that’s all you’ll get out of them too. The hypertrophic effects will be nearly negligible in that rep range.
I have no idea what you’re strength levels are like, but most healthy adult males I’ve worked with can row 60-80 lbs dumbbells, at least, if they have any weightlifting background. Pick a weight that feels heavy in your hand, maybe starting in that range, and do sets of 10. You can progressively overload this movement, something you can’t do with a band.
As to the initial question asked, I much prefer pull ups for back development. It’s easier/more natural to engage your biceps more in a chin up. I rarely perform this movement, as I’m more interested in working my back more when I’m doing these.
I’ll also throw in a third and 4th option, which are my 2 favorites: neutral grip (palms facing each other) and ring pull ups. I love ring pull ups, because of how easy they are on my joints. I can rotate my wrists freely while doing them. So at the bottom it looks more like a regular pull up, and at the top, I’ve rotated to a neutral grip. Joint health is a primary concern for me, so that’s why I do it, but I can promise you it’s a great back movement as well.