Chin-Up
Underhand chin-ups recruit more biceps and the lower lats. It works mainly the lats and biceps, with help from the rear deltoid, forearm flexors and rotator cuff.
In Flawless, Gold, the third of eight ranks, starts at 14 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 11 for women.
How to do Chin-Up
- Hang from the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you) about shoulder width apart, arms straight.
- Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down to your ribs until your chin is over the bar.
- Keep the chest up and look at the bar; no kicking or swinging.
- Lower with control all the way to straight arms before the next rep.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Lats | Latissimus dorsi |
| Primary | Biceps | Biceps brachii |
| Secondary | Rear deltoid | Deltoideus posterior |
| Secondary | Forearm flexors | Flexores antebrachii |
| Secondary | Rotator cuff | Musculi rotatores humeri |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Back width and the V-taper
- Relative strength — you move your own bodyweight
- Strong grip and forearms as a bonus
Rep standards for Chin-Up
| Rank | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start |
| Silver | 7 | 6 |
| Gold | 14 | 11 |
| Platinum | 21 | 17 |
| Diamond | 28 | 22 |
| Obsidian | 35 | 28 |
| Painite | 42 | 34 |
| Antimatter | 70 | 56 |
Numbers are reps in one set, for ages 23–39.
Flawless ranks Chin-Up by the most reps you managed in one set; the rank updates after every workout. Women’s limits are 20 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
See also: strength rank calculator.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Chin-Up work?
It works mainly the lats and biceps, with help from the rear deltoid, forearm flexors and rotator cuff.
How do you do Chin-Up?
Hang from the bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you) about shoulder width apart, arms straight. Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down to your ribs until your chin is over the bar. Keep the chest up and look at the bar; no kicking or swinging. Lower with control all the way to straight arms before the next rep.
How many reps of Chin-Up is good?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 14 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 11 for women, Diamond at 28 and 22.
Try it free
Free on Google Play and the App Store. The whole log is free; PRO is optional.