chin-ups

[GeorgeG.]

What can I expect chin-ups to work more of? Shoulders or back?

I started doing chin-ups using the sissy machine that counters your body weight. I've been doing them on my lower body/back days but tend to feel it working my shoulders more than my back plus there's still a bit of soreness from the previous upper body workout. Problem is when I tried to include them in my upper body days, I'm usually done by the time I do my lat raises and shoulder presses.

I've been low on available gym time so my workout routine is upper body on one day, lower body/back on another with cardio mixed in.

[Shorty]

They should be working your back. Perhaps the "sissy machine" is allowing you to cheat and that's how you're hitting your shoulders more. Think of pulling with your elbows, not your hands.

[stangin4lyfe]

Supinated grip will emphasize your biceps/back.
Pronated grip will emphasize back/lats.

[Big A]

You shouldn't be working shoulders at all, 'cept for a little tiny bit of rear delt. I'm thinking that your form is really bad because you aren't strong enough to handle your bodyweight yet. Focus on doing lat pull downs with 100% correct form until you get strong enough to do pull ups.

[GeorgeG.]

They should be working your back. Perhaps the "sissy machine" is allowing you to cheat and that's how you're hitting your shoulders more. Think of pulling with your elbows, not your hands.

thanks, I'll focus on this today. But isn't the whole purpose of the assisted chin up to build your strength?

Supinated grip will emphasize your biceps/back.
Pronated grip will emphasize back/lats.

I had to google it but I'm doing the pronated grip.

You shouldn't be working shoulders at all, 'cept for a little tiny bit of rear delt. I'm thinking that your form is really bad because you aren't strong enough to handle your bodyweight yet. Focus on doing lat pull downs with 100% correct form until you get strong enough to do pull ups.

I'll double check my form. When I'm doing wide grip lat pull downs, my body is almost upright, definitely not leaning back and I make it a point to not swing my body. I pull down till the bar is just below my face. Maybe I'm not pulling down far enough? Maybe try less reps and more weight to help build it up. I usually do 5 sets of 7 reps after a warm-up rep but I'm no where near my body weight.

my personal goal is to a flippin chin up. thanks for the tips guys.

[Big A]

It could just be your body getting used to moving at those angles, and it's not necessarily that you are "working" your delts, but keeping your arms in position is working them in a totally new way, thus being sore until they get used to it. It takes time for somebody that is new to training to get all of the supporting ligaments, tendons, and muscles into shape.

[jdgregory84]

thanks, I'll focus on this today. But isn't the whole purpose of the assisted chin up to build your strength?



I had to google it but I'm doing the pronated grip.



I'll double check my form. When I'm doing wide grip lat pull downs, my body is almost upright, definitely not leaning back and I make it a point to not swing my body. I pull down till the bar is just below my face. Maybe I'm not pulling down far enough? Maybe try less reps and more weight to help build it up. I usually do 5 sets of 7 reps after a warm-up rep but I'm no where near my body weight.

my personal goal is to a flippin chin up. thanks for the tips guys.

If you can, pull the bar down to your chest. Hold it for a second or so before you go back up, and keep it very controlled. Pullups aren't easy. If you can't do a lat pull that's over your body weight, you probably won't be great at pullups.

[samuel642000]

To build up your strength for pull ups try using a normal pull up bar, jumping up and pull your chin up to and over the bar and hold. Hold as long as you can and slowly let yourself down. Then repeat, overtime you'll build up the strength to pull yourself up without jumping, and from there it's just repetition.

The only way to get better at pull ups is doing them.

[jdgregory84]

To build up your strength for pull ups try using a normal pull up bar, jumping up and pull your chin up to and over the bar and hold. Hold as long as you can and slowly let yourself down. Then repeat, overtime you'll build up the strength to pull yourself up without jumping, and from there it's just repetition.

The only way to get better at pull ups is doing them.

You can also get resistance bands. Put your foot in them and do pullups that way.

[R1psycho]

To build up your strength for pull ups try using a normal pull up bar, jumping up and pull your chin up to and over the bar and hold. Hold as long as you can and slowly let yourself down. Then repeat, overtime you'll build up the strength to pull yourself up without jumping, and from there it's just repetition.

The only way to get better at pull ups is doing them.

This. Overtime when your body gets used to it, it will become easy. I went from only being able to do half of one to being able to snap off 10 in a row for 5-10 sets. I mix it up between narrow and wide grip

[samuel642000]

You can also get resistance bands. Put your foot in them and do pullups that way.

True, I just stopped using those when a set broke and popped me in the back. My thinking is the more I do pull ups the more strength I gain and the more weight I lose. Add them together they get easier, especially if I'm already using my own body weight. Just my .02

This. Overtime when your body gets used to it, it will become easy. I went from only being able to do half of one to being able to snap off 10 in a row for 5-10 sets. I mix it up between narrow and wide grip

Yeah that's how it works, and after a short while pull ups became my favorite exercise.
I was told at one time, pull up to your nipples and bar meet until you can't, then pull to your neck, then finally to your chin until exhaustion.

I try to do at least one set, usually my last, to exhaustion. Just forget about counting reps and max out every time.