Upgrade the chin-up to priority status

The chin-up is an amazing arm building exercise, but it is completely ignored. Before we talk more about incorporating this movement, let's explain the difference between a*chin-up and a pull-up.

Pull-up*- Performed with palms facing away from the body.Chin-up*- Performed with palms facing towards the body, utilizing a closer grip.

Now, let's analyze the chin-up with a little more detail. It is a compound bodyweight movement that involves both the biceps and the back. In fact, it is one of the few (if only) bicep-centric compound exercises worthy of leading off your*bicep training workout.

Is it better than barbell or dumbbell curls? Well that's debatable. It is surely equivalent, if not a better choice for some trainees. I would highly recommend adding it to your bicep training repertoire, performing chin-ups at least every other workout, if not every bicep workout.

Now here's another aspect of the chin-up you haven't considered. Not only is it a biceps builder, but the chin-up also calls into play the long head of the triceps. Yes, you read that right - the chin-up works both the biceps AND the triceps (to a lesser degree). Got your attention now? Good.

As mentioned before, the proximal function of the triceps involves driving the arm/elbow back towards the body. When performing the chin-up, you are are not only engaging an intense bicep contraction, but also calling into play the long head of the triceps as your elbow travels back towards your torso. This makes the chin-up a perfect exercise to be used on days when you work both the biceps and the triceps.

Parting shot*- The chin-up is a rare bird; both a bicep-centric compound exercise, and it challenges the triceps. Its value should not be discounted.

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