PlanWorkouts

Exercise 1327 · REF VnfUNW7

Close Grip Chin-Up exercise animation

Close Grip Chin-Up

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Lats

A close grip on chin-ups narrows the hand spacing further than a standard shoulder-width chin-up, shifting even more of the pulling demand onto the biceps while the lats still handle plenty of the work. It's a strong test of pulling strength through a slightly different bar path than a wide pull-up. Anyone chasing bicep size from bodyweight pulling specifically should feel this variation more in the front of the upper arm.

How to Do the Close Grip Chin-Up

  1. Grab the pull-up bar with your palms facing towards you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your feet off the ground.
  3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

The Close Grip Chin-Up primarily targets the Lats, with Biceps as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Forearms.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Lats Exercises

Back Pec Stretch Back Pec Stretch Body Weight · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band · Lats Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band · Lats

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same lats with different equipment.

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell · Lats

FAQ

What muscles does the Close Grip Chin-Up work?
The Close Grip Chin-Up primarily targets the lats, with the biceps and forearms assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Close Grip Chin-Up?
The Close Grip Chin-Up is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Close Grip Chin-Up?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Alternate Lateral Pulldown targets the same lats using cable instead.