Back · Bodyweight
Close Grip Chin-up
How to do the close grip chin-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Grab the bar with an underhand grip narrower than shoulder-width, hands close together, and hang at full stretch. Pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down and into your sides, then lower under control to a full hang. The close grip shifts more emphasis onto your biceps.
- 1Feel your biceps load heavily with the narrow grip
- 2Drive your elbows down and tight to your sides
- 3Keep your lats engaged to assist the pull at the top
Common mistakes
- Do not swing or kip your legs to cheat the rep
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
- Do not stop short; lower all the way to a full hang
Muscles worked
The close grip 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
Kovo programs the close grip 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 June 2026.