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Difference between pull-ups and chin-ups?

post #1 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 
Besides chin-ups being easier, what's the difference in terms of muscle groups worked with each?
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post #2 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:18pm
I feel my biceps being worked when doing chin-ups as opposed to pullups.
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post #3 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:27pm
Four letters and semantics.
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post #4 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:33pm
Pullups = palms face you.

Chinups = palms face away from you.
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post #5 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by westinghouse View Post
Pullups = palms face you.

Chinups = palms face away from you.

Not according to the US military and a lot of other people. I stopped trying to differentiate between the two based on name because everyone tends to think of something different with each term.
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post #6 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:39pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by why View Post
Not according to the US military and a lot of other people. I stopped trying to differentiate between the two based on name because everyone tends to think of something different with each term.

Yea, I thought the opposite, pull-ups: palms face away, chin-ups: palms face you.

Beyond that, the only thing I know for sure is that the palms facing away are harder, but am not really sure the difference in what they work, or what the benefits are.
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post #7 of 16
2/6/10 at 3:41pm
Palms facing you will work the lower lats better than the palms facing away, which hits the upper lats more.
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post #8 of 16
2/6/10 at 4:35pm
Also pullups tend to use a wider grip. When I do chinups my hands are around shoulder width apart, but with pull ups they are more outside. And it's better to think of different exercises are targeting different movements rather than muscle groups as similar exercises with different grips just change the type of movement. And from technical point of view, "chinups target shoulder extension on the sagitall plane. pullups target shoulder adduction on the frontal plane."
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post #9 of 16
2/6/10 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DGP View Post
Yea, I thought the opposite, pull-ups: palms face away, chin-ups: palms face you.


+1, that's how I've always defined it.
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post #10 of 16
2/6/10 at 5:29pm
If I hold a bar in chinup position (palms facing me), I feel like it pulls my shoulders back and together automatically, where a pullup (facing away) requires me to actively pull my shoulders together.

I'm wondering if this is why chins are usually considered easier - with less than perfect form, perhaps the palms facing you (and inherently closer grip) recruits your back muscles more?
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post #11 of 16
2/6/10 at 8:29pm
In a pullup, you pull your chin to the bar, whereas in a chinup it's the reverse.
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post #12 of 16
2/6/10 at 9:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by milosz View Post

I'm wondering if this is why chins are usually considered easier - with less than perfect form, perhaps the palms facing you (and inherently closer grip) recruits your back muscles more?

I always figured chins were easier because they get a little more help from the bicep.
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post #13 of 16
2/6/10 at 9:35pm
When the palm faces away from you, you are forced to use more forearm and less bicep and it makes it more awkward/less natural.
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post #14 of 16
2/6/10 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by westinghouse View Post
When the palm faces away from you, you are forced to use more forearm and less bicep and it decreases leverage.

FTFY (I'm guessing that's what you mean)
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post #15 of 16
2/6/10 at 9:51pm
Thread Starter 
Well, what I'm learning from this thread (as well as some perusing on body-building forums) is that if I do strength training a few times a week, and want a compound back exercise, alternate between these two for variety, but both give good workouts.
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