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Health2wealthclub Pull-Ups Vs. Chin-Ups Which is Better? Let's Ask Science. by Tyler Thomas | 03/10/16 Pull-ups-vs.-chin-ups Tags: Pull-Up Bodybuilding Here's what you need to know... Research says the pull-up and chin-up are equally effective. When it comes to activating the lats and traps they both work. Grip width is more important. When it comes to recruitment of the lats, the distance between your hands is the most important factor. Grip orientation does matter for bicep activation. Chin-ups will recruit biceps more than pull-ups. Coach yourself with cues. The best way to activate your back muscles is to use proper form. There are two cues that will help you out. Chin-ups refer to a supinated or underhand grip. Pull-ups refer to a pronated or overhand grip. There's been a lot of debate over which one is superior. People also like to argue about which muscles the two variations train. But there's really no need for debate. Anatomy and research has the answers. Pull-Up vs. Chin-Up — Lats What hits the lats better? The main function of the latissimus dorsi is to extend the shoulder. Shoulder extension occurs during both the pull-up and chin-up.


 The second function of the lats is to adduct the shoulder joint – drawing your upper arm down and in toward your torso. Most people who ignore this important function struggle putting width on their backs. It's because of this adduction function that the people who claim that wide grip pull-ups are better for the lats are correct, but not for the reasons they think.  Health2wealthclub Because of the adduction function of the lats, grip width has an impact on recruitment of the lats. Using a pronated grip can make it easier to perform adduction of the shoulder joint, but pronation and supination alone don't dictate the recruitment of the muscles of the back. Plus, the lower fibers of the lats take more of the load during shoulder adduction and the upper fibers take most of the load during shoulder extension. Want to train your upper lats? Go with a close-grip chin-up. But if you're trying to hit your lower lats, a wide-grip pull-up is best. What does the research say? Pulling variations hit the lats virtually the same. Two research teams examined muscle activation during pull-up variations. One looked at four different vertical pulling variations. 

Health 2 Wealth Club Two of those variations were a pull-up (pronated) and a neutral-grip towel pull-up. They found that lat activity was nearly the same in both variations. Another study compared three types of pull-ups: the standard overhand-grip pull-up, the chin-up, and the "perfect" pull-up (using pull-up handles that rotate). The amount of lat activity was virtually the same during all three movements. Pull-Up Back Pull-Up vs. Chin-Up — Traps Some say chin-ups are better for the traps, but the only thing that matters in trap training is scapular movement. Grip orientation is completely irrelevant. Let's look at that from an anatomical perspective. The main function of all three portions of the traps (upper, mid, and lower) are to retract the scapula. Also, the uppermost fibers elevate the scapula (like a standard shrugging exercise) and the lowest fibers depress the scapula (push your shoulder blades down toward the ground). What does the research say? Researchers measured their subjects' traps in a study. They found that the traps were more activated during the standard pull-up than in the neutral pull-up. Other researchers found that lower trap activity was greater in the pull-up than in the chin-up. However, the researchers chalked this up to the pull-up requiring more effort from the lifter than the chin-up. More effort during could also explain why the other study revealed greater activity in the traps during the pull-up. Pull-Up vs. Chin-Up —.