Cleaning Up Your Chin-up Technique

Published on July 20th, 2012
Written by: Eric Cressey

The chin-up is one of the most sacred inclusions in strength and conditioning programs, but unfortunately, it’s common performed with incorrect technique.  Check out the video below to learn how to avoid the most common chin-up exercise technique mistakes.

 

If you’re looking for more detail on the “gross extension” pattern I discuss in this video, I’d encourage you to check out Functional Stability Training of the Core.

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  1. Hollister Struck
    July 21, 2012 - 6:08 am

    Very good explanation. Thanks Eric for this detailed post.

  2. Ryan
    July 21, 2012 - 7:31 am

    Same for pull-ups?

  3. rico machado
    July 21, 2012 - 7:50 am

    Not only will I use these with clients,I will pay attention to these points for my chins.

  4. Eric Cressey
    July 21, 2012 - 8:30 am

    Ryan,

    Yes, although it’s tough to extend too far with the pronated grip.

  5. Matt Gieringer
    July 21, 2012 - 8:42 am

    Eric, thanks for that deeper-than-most analysis of the pull-up. I have had athletes (and myself) who have experienced lumbar pain/stiffness a day or two after serious weighted pull ups, rowing, etc and I had an inclination that there were better ways I could coach those movements. I had favorable results with foam rolling their thoracolumbar fascia, but cueing the exercise better seems to address the issue more proactively. Also, do you think that good deadlifting can be a positive factor in patterning trunk stability while working gleno-humeral extension from a different direction?

  6. Jedd Johnson
    July 21, 2012 - 8:44 am

    Eric,

    Great video. Love the cues. Seeing you perform them with the excessive anterior movement of the humerus makes me realize that I have noticed that with one of my clients.

    I will apply these corrections right away.

    Thanks again.

    Jedd

  7. Jared
    July 21, 2012 - 10:32 am

    Eric,

    Great post. Something I see all too often with my high school athletes. They think more is always better in a UE pulling exercise and end up with a flared rib cage, excessively depressed scaps, and very weak mid and low traps. Great cues I will use as needed with these athletes.

  8. Thierry Sanchez
    July 21, 2012 - 10:37 am

    The cueing of bracing the anterior core is a great one.

  9. Eric Cressey
    July 21, 2012 - 1:27 pm

    That’s definitely an important one, Thierry!

  10. Bret Contreras
    July 21, 2012 - 1:38 pm

    Nice vid Eric!!!

  11. Ole Henrik Flekstad Vik
    July 21, 2012 - 1:49 pm

    Thank’s for the video, I found it really helpful. Your knowledge and passion is inspiring!

  12. Markus
    July 21, 2012 - 1:57 pm

    He Eric
    What about clients how suffer from impingement, do you do Chin ups and pull ups too or do you leave them at all?
    Thanks a lot

  13. Ole Henrik Flekstad Vik
    July 21, 2012 - 2:00 pm

    Thank’s for the video, I found it really helpful. Your knowledge and passion inspire!

  14. Chris
    July 21, 2012 - 6:58 pm

    Thanks for the great coaching cues. One question I have is about the dead hang position in the chin-up – should the scapula be kept retracted in that position or allowed to relax and rotate outward so that the flexion portion begins with depression and retraction of the scapula? Thanks.

  15. Doug
    July 21, 2012 - 10:18 pm

    The cues of activating anterior core and glutes is huge, great video Eric thanks

  16. Penny Dalton
    July 21, 2012 - 10:19 pm

    Just wondering what your thoughts are about raising the knees up/hip flexion during the movement?

  17. Daveprunedale1
    July 21, 2012 - 10:23 pm

    Great advice! This helps your readers more than you realise.

  18. Conor
    July 22, 2012 - 3:11 am

    Great video and very informative.

  19. TC
    July 22, 2012 - 5:09 am

    Thanks for sharing such detailed chin up instructions, Eric! I think I haven’t look into such depth with the chin but going to apply them in my training. Thanks again!

  20. Dilan
    July 22, 2012 - 6:44 am

    Eric, what’s your opinion on behind the neck pull-ups? Cheers.

  21. Derrick Blanton
    July 22, 2012 - 6:58 am

    Eric, your back is looking freaking big..

    These are my self pull up cues: “Plank the torso, squeeze the glutes, pull to the chest.”

    Or, “You are a human nail. The only things that move are the scapulae and the arms.”

    That question mark position up top which jacks up the anterior shouder seems to me to be part thoracic flexion, and part scapular retraction failure, while the lats are still going strong. Basically the lats are dominating the mid-back.

    Thoughts?

  22. Shane
    July 22, 2012 - 2:07 pm

    Wow. I learn something new of your blogs almost every week. Thanks for sharing.

  23. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:15 pm

    Dilan,

    I’m not a fan at all. Really no incremental value, and much more risk chronically for shoulder issues.

  24. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:20 pm

    Markus,

    Depends on the individual. Some folks (usually external impingement cases) will have pain with overhead pulling, and others won’t. Internal impingement folks rarely have pain with these exercises, but they can indirectly feed into the dysfunction that leads to their symptoms, so you have to weigh the risks vs. benefits.

  25. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:23 pm

    Penny,

    It can be a good thing in those who have extension-based lower back pain. It makes it tough to load the movement up, though, as the weights slide off the waist.

  26. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:23 pm

    Chris,

    The scapula should be allowed to move freely; not held in retraction. However, I don’t like the idea of a dead hang in the bottom position. I’d prefer folks maintain some scapular stability in that position and not relax.

  27. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:26 pm

    Derrick,

    That’s basically what is going on. Lats overpower lower traps (pull scapula into depression, as opposed to the lower traps pulling the scapula into posterior tilt/retraction), and the upper traps are put at a mechanical disadvantage in the process.

  28. Eric Cressey
    July 22, 2012 - 2:31 pm

    Matt,

    Good deadlifting technique can definitely be part of the process. I think appropriate carrying cues for farmer’s walks, etc. can make an even bigger difference because of time under tension, though.

  29. Tim Peirce
    July 23, 2012 - 9:29 am

    Excellent detailed presentation, Eric.

  30. Ian Condon
    July 24, 2012 - 8:04 am

    Brilliant, and as usual, simply told.

  31. Eric Cressey
    July 24, 2012 - 9:05 am

    Thanks, Ian!

  32. Scott
    July 24, 2012 - 9:45 am

    In the recap I wasn’t sure why you mentioned to not aggressively pull the shoulders down. Whats the difference between shoulders down and aggressively down? Not sure how someone would over emphasis this from a hanging position.

  33. Roy Art
    July 24, 2012 - 1:20 pm

    Material is great! I’d like to suggest for videos (and sound) to be recorded in better quality, that would be awesome :) . Thanks

  34. Eric Cressey
    July 24, 2012 - 8:14 pm

    Scott,

    The issue is that the lats can pull the humerus into internal rotation and extension while taking the scapula into depression. This depression can be a big problem, as it interferes with adequate upward rotation of the scapula.

  35. Dilan
    July 29, 2012 - 8:38 am

    Cheers Eric. I better stop doing them just to impress chicks ;-)

  36. Coach Springs
    December 28, 2012 - 11:00 am

    Thank you for your information and guidance, my athletes and I will benefit from your instruction. #TeamHCT!

  37. Justin Leno
    December 31, 2012 - 6:34 am

    As usual… amazing video! thank your very much Eric!

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