No one need post a question about pull-ups ever again.

[mjh]

Because 99% of the questions are answered in this article:

Things You Should Know How to Do #1: the Pull-Up

[holvoetn]

Erm ... the answer to this question is not addressed in the article:

Is there any link to the amount of pull-ups you can do and the size of your testicles?

LOL

Good link, mjh !

[SardusPater]

Towel pull-up

Get two sweat towels, wrap them around the bar, grab the ends, and do a neutral-grip pull-up. This really stresses your grip and forearms. If you can hold on for more than three reps the first time you try it, consider yourself a stud.

I did six the first time I tried

[namaste]

12+

quad stud.

[ryanflyer05]

I had a thought this afternoon. Just how similar are pull-ups and chin-ups? If most people are stronger and can handle bigger additional loads with chin-ups, why aren't chin-ups emphasized more in strength training programs? For comparison's sake, flat bench press, incline bench press, and close-grip bench press are all very similar exercises, probably about as similar to each other as the chin-up is to the pull-up. Yet in programs like StrongLifts and Starting Strength, the flat bench press is used and the others aren't really mentioned. In contrast, when it comes to vertical pulling, StrongLifts advocates alternating between chin-ups and pull-ups and Starting Strength says to pick one and stick with it. I'm just wondering why the chin-up, an exercise that usually allows people to vertically pull the most weight, isn't considered more important. Especially when I see a lot of people advocating that the best beginning strength exercises are the ones that allow people to move the largest amount of weight along a certain plane. Other examples would be front squat vs. back squat, regular deadlift vs. stiff-legged deadlift, overhand grip rows vs. underhand grip rows, etc.

Just a thought. Trying to be a bit of a devil's advocate and learn more about training theory. Thanks!

[Love_Deadlifts]

Other examples would be front squat vs. back squat, regular deadlift vs. stiff-legged deadlift, overhand grip rows vs. underhand grip rows, etc.

In all of these examples, the style that is advocated allows you to use more weight, but it also develops all of the muscles more evenly. This prevents muscle imbalances. Front Squat over-emphasizes quads. Stiff-legged deads target hamstrings. under-hand rows target biceps. Chinups target biceps more, Pullups are more of an even development. I personally try to stick with pullups.

[ryanflyer05]

Chinups target biceps more, Pullups are more of an even development. I personally try to stick with pullups.

Is that true? Of all the examples I gave, I'd argue that chin-ups and pull-ups are more similar to each other than all of them. The fact that chin-ups allow for heavier loads should make them more appealing.

[holvoetn]

Chins focus the biceps more. That's a fact.
That's why everybody _should_ be able to do more chins then pulls.

[americanadian]

Chins focus the biceps more. That's a fact.
That's why everybody _should_ be able to do more chins then pulls.

Um... no. It means most people either have a weak upper back or don't know how to engage it. Biceps alone won't get your ass off the ground. Don't believe me, try curling your body weight.

Over time, as your back gets stronger and more utilized, it will become easier to do more pull-ups with more weight than chins.

[holvoetn]

Chins focus the biceps more. That's a fact.
That's why everybody _should_ be able to do more chins then pulls.

Um... no. It means most people either have a weak upper back or don't know how to engage it. Biceps alone won't get your ass off the ground. Don't believe me, try curling your body weight.

Over time, as your back gets stronger and more utilized, it will become easier to do more pull-ups with more weight than chins.

Sorry, but I disagree.
Chins are easier because your biceps are more involved which they are to a lesser extent with pull ups.
They help.

Nobody claimed you are pulling BW solely on your biceps when doing chins. We agree there

But let's end the discussion here.
Read what Mehdi wrote on it (and I applied some highlighting ):

What are Pull-ups & Chin-ups? Hang on a pull-up bar with straight arms & pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. The difference between Pull-ups & Chin-ups is in the grip:

* Pull-ups. Palms facing away. Less biceps, more back. Harder.
* Chin-ups. Palms facing you. Work your biceps more. Easier.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-pull-u ... technique/

[americanadian]

Initially.

[MrWalk]

Yep. That sure settled it.

[Doo]

I just recently read that pull-up article. Afterward, I started making sure that I was doing full chin-ups/pull-ups. In the past I stopped short of my upper chest. I am already noticing the difference in my arms and upper back and doing the full ones only knocked off a rep at most. In my case, it didn't seem that much more difficult to go that extra bit. I just needed to do it.

[atypical1]

Read what Mehdi wrote on it (and I applied some highlighting ):

What are Pull-ups & Chin-ups? Hang on a pull-up bar with straight arms & pull yourself up until your chin passes the bar. The difference between Pull-ups & Chin-ups is in the grip:

* Pull-ups. Palms facing away. Less biceps, more back. Harder.
* Chin-ups. Palms facing you. Work your biceps more. Easier.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-do-pull-u ... technique/

There's an interesting article on T-nation that claims to debunk that myth

http://www.t-nation.com/article/most_re ... _2&s=email

Bottom line is that both work your lats as the primary muscle group. Whether you use a supinated grip or a pronated grip is a matter of leverage and preference.

james

[Love_Deadlifts]

I don't know, that article didn't really make sense to me. He says that pullups put your biceps in a "less efficient pulling position", but somehow this doesn't mean that the lats are used more. He never really makes a good argument for his point. He may be right (or he may not), but he never argues it well one way or the other.