Back · Bodyweight
Mixed Grip Chin-up
How to do the mixed 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 one palm facing you and the other facing away, hands about shoulder-width apart, and start from a dead hang. Pull your chest toward the bar by driving your elbows down, then lower to a full hang under control. Swap grip positions between sets.
- 1Your lats and biceps pulling your chest toward the bar
- 2An even pull through both arms despite the opposing grips
- 3A strong squeeze at the top before lowering under control
Common mistakes
- Avoid swinging or kipping to generate momentum
- Do not shrug your shoulders up at the bottom of the hang
- Do not cut the range short; pull high and lower fully
Muscles worked
The mixed 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 mixed 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.