PlanWorkouts

Exercise 0466 · REF IL0JUxR

Gironda Sternum Chin exercise animation

Gironda Sternum Chin

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Lats

Leaning back and pulling toward the sternum rather than the chin changes a standard chin-up's bar path enough to bias the lats and lower chest over the biceps, similar to how a behind-the-neck pulldown shifts emphasis compared to a front pulldown. Vince Gironda popularized it as a chest-and-back builder rather than a straightforward pulling exercise.

How to Do the Gironda Sternum Chin

  1. Stand facing a high bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
  4. Engage your lats and biceps to pull your chest up towards the bar, leading with your sternum.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

The Gironda Sternum Chin primarily targets the Lats, with Biceps as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Rhomboids, Rear Deltoids.

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