Chin Up Cheat – Improve Your Pull Ups

Chin ups and pull ups* are one of the hardest exercises to perform. I would put them in the category of top three most difficult exercises, alongside squats and deadlifts. The chin up cheat is a good way to work on your form.

Chin Up Cheat

Key Points:

1: Make sure you scoot back far enough to start with your elbows straight. If they are bent, you are too close.

2: Keep a very straight back (tall spine). It should replicate hanging from a bar as closely as possible.

3: When you pull, make sure you finish with your chest out and your shoulders back and down.

Common Mistakes

1: Mistake number one is letting your hips come up. This turns the exercise into a horizontal pull (like rows) rather than a verticle pull (like chin ups and pull ups). Don’t do this!

2: Mistake number two is shrugging and hunching. Remember, you want your chest out and shoulders back and down. Don’t get hunchy!

Conclusion – Chin Ups Are Worth The Effort

Chin ups are a great exercise requiring superb upper body and core strength. I think a great goal for almost everyone is to strive to be able to do at least one. Try out the cheat and I hope it works well for you!

* I define chin ups as hanging from the bar with your palms facing towards you (supine grip) and pull ups as hanging with your palms facing away from you (prone grip).