Chin Up
Trains the lats, with help from the upper back and biceps. You need a machine. 13 of our free programs use it, across 50 sessions.
Free to use. The app counts your sets, times your rest and remembers every rep.
In the programs
How our programs run the Chin Up
These numbers are counted from the programs themselves, not averaged off the internet.
13of our 50 programs use it
5×10+ AMRAPthe shape they run most (24 sessions)
1:30typical rest between sets
10finish with an AMRAP set
| Program | Session | Sets × Reps | Progression |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Day Barbell Full Body | Full Body B | 2×8+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| 5/3/1 For Beginners | Workout A — 5s week, Workout B — 5s week +6 | 5×10+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| 5/3/1 Triumvirate | OHP — 5s week, Bench — 5s week +6 | 5×10+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| 5/3/1: Boring But Big | OHP — 5s week, OHP — 3s week +2 | 5×10+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| 5×5 Linear Progression + Accessories | Workout A | 3×10+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| Basic Beginner Routine | Workout A, Workout B | 3×5+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| Fierce 5 | Workout B | 3×5+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| Ivysaur 4-4-8 | Week A · Day 1, Week A · Day 3 +1 | 4×84×4 | Fixed weights |
| nSuns LP | OHP | 3×10+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| PHAT | Upper Power, Back & Shoulders Hypertrophy | 2×6–103×8–12 | Fixed weights |
| Push Pull Legs · Upper Lower | Upper | 3×8+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
| Strong Curves (Beginner) | Workout B — Phase 3 | 3×1–5 | Fixed weights |
| Texas Method | Recovery Day — Bench Week, Recovery Day — OHP Week | 3×8+ AMRAP | Fixed weights |
AMRAP means as many reps as you can manage on that set.
See it in action
Watch the Chin Up progress week by week
Full runs of 3 programs that use it, session by session, in the real app.
Muscles worked
What Chin Up trains
Technique
How to do the Chin Up
- Begin by grasping a pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing you) and your hands shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms fully extended and your legs slightly bent or crossed behind you.
- Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades down and back to start the movement.
- Pull your body upward by bending your elbows and contracting your biceps, continuing until your chin is above the bar.
- Lower yourself back to the starting position with a controlled movement, fully extending your arms. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Form cues
Getting it right
- Focus on using your biceps and back muscles to lift your body, avoiding excessive momentum.
- Perform the movement slowly and with control, especially during the lowering phase, to maximize muscle activation and prevent injury.
- Ensure your shoulders remain down and away from your ears to avoid unnecessary strain.
- Breathe steadily throughout the exercise, exhaling as you pull up and inhaling as you lower yourself.
- Use a full range of motion by fully extending your arms at the bottom and bringing your chin above the bar at the top.
Substitutes
Swap Chin Up for
The app's swap picker ranks these the same way: same muscles, similar movement, similar equipment.
Let the app run the Chin Up for you
Durata times your rest and puts last session's reps in front of you, so you always know the number to beat. That works on any of our 50 free programs, or on a session you put together yourself.