How to Do a Chin Up: Intermediate Guide

Chin ups are one of the best upper body strength exercises and are excellent for promoting fat loss because they tax the muscular system and burn a large amount of calories. The problem occurs when chin ups become a daunting exercise because they are so difficult for many people, especially women.

In part one of this series I discussed the most effective way to begin a chin up strength program. Once you have progressed through your inverted row series and are able to perform 3 sets of several repetitions either with your feet on the floor or on a bench, you should progress to the next step.
The best way to begin a chin up program is to seek the help of a qualified and highly certified personal trainer. A trainer can help you to develop a proper scheme of repetitions and monitor your progress so that you know when you are ready to take the next step or modify your technique if necessary.

If you do not have access or resources for a fitness trainer, then here is the second step to chin up progressions.

Assisted Chin Ups:

Many fitness facilities and gyms have a nautilus machine called the assisted chin up. This is not what you will use when you perform assisted chin ups. I do not recommend these machines because it is difficult to get a full range of motion and really use the muscles you are trying to activate.

For a proper assisted chin up you will need a thick stretch band (Elite Fitness Systems) or the assistance of a friend or a personal trainer to hold your legs. If you are using another person, bend your knees when you are hanging on the bar and have them place their hands under your shins for assistance.
For this post I will assume that you are using a stretch band because this is the most effective. Using a fitness trainer or a friend can also help but the manual assistance is hard to judge. Follow these steps for a killer upper body workout and one of the best fat burning exercises.
• Place a jump stretch band over the top of a chin up bar or the top bar of a squat rack
• Slide it through to make a knot and let the rest hang down
• Grasp the bar with a shoulder width grip and palms facing you
• Slide the stretch band under one knee for assistance
• Activate your upper back by pulling your shoulder blades down and back (just like the inverted rows)
• Pull your body up toward the bar as high as you can
• As you pull, drive your elbows down toward your rib cage to achieve a full range of motion
• Slowly lower your body down to a straight arm position but keep your back activated
• Repeat for as many repetitions as possible, 3 sets

As you progress in this exercise, your goal should be 3 sets of 8 comfortable repetitions. If you are using a trainer or workout partner for the assistance, make sure they do not push you up too much.
Once you can perform 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions you are ready to move to step three. Developing strength to perform chin ups is going to help overall strength, fat loss, and creating a fit and athletic upper body. Stay tuned for chin ups for the advanced individual.