The Chin Ups is a intermediate-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the lats and middle back, with the biceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesLats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesBiceps
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Chin Ups
Reach up and grip the bar with palms facing you, hands about shoulder-width apart.
Hang at full arm extension with the shoulders pulled down away from the ears and the core braced.
Pull yourself up by driving the elbows down toward your ribs, leading with the chest.
Continue the pull until your chin clears the bar and your upper chest is close to the bar.
Pause for a beat at the top, squeezing the back and biceps without swinging.
Lower yourself slowly to a full hang over 2 to 3 seconds, then repeat for reps.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds the lats, biceps, and grip with one bodyweight movement.
Develops relative strength that transfers to climbing, sport, and lifting.
Trains the vertical pull pattern that balances out pressing work.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Kipping or swinging the legs to generate momentum instead of pulling cleanly with the back and arms.
Cutting the range short by stopping before the chin clears the bar or skipping the full hang at the bottom.
Shrugging the shoulders up at the start so the traps take over and the lats never engage.
Dropping fast at the bottom and skipping the slow lowering phase, where most of the strength gains happen.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Chin Ups, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
