Back · Pull Up Bar
Chin-up
How to do the chin-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Pull Up Bar
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Row
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Grab the bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip and start from a dead hang. Pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down and back, then lower to a full hang with control.
- 1Biceps and lats working together, with a strong squeeze at the top.
Common mistakes
- Swinging/kipping, shrugging the shoulders up, or cutting the range of motion short.
Muscles worked
The chin-up mainly works the biceps and lats, with the forearms, mid traps, upper traps, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- BicepsPrimary
- LatsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
Chin-up strength standards
See how your chin-up ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM20 lb
Silvere1RM30 lb
Golde1RM87.5 lb
Platinume1RM137.5 lb
Diamonde1RM167.5 lb
Champione1RM192.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the chin-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed April 2026.