mc2 5x5 question; do you prefer pullups or chins?

[Island Son]

what'll give the best results, pullups or chins? They're both acceptable, but which one do you do & why?

 

[Ozz2001]

chin ups would be for bic's and pullups would be for back..I dont get it? I must be slow...

 

[vin01]

i do pullups, strictly trying to focus on back.

i feel my bis too much when i do chins.

sometimes i will alternate pullups with a paralell chin up

pullups with weight will grow your back like no other

 

[JL_204]

Wide-grip pullups. I didnt grow wings until I started these.

 

[AlwaysOn]

what the hell is the diff between chins and pullups?

 

[Guinness5.0]

what the hell is the diff between chins and pullups?

Chins= palms toward you
Pullups= palms away

 

[anotherbutters]

Chins= palms toward you
Pullups= palms away

I always assumed chins were as above but with close grip and pullups were as above but with wide grip. Am I correct or am I missing something?

 

[RipStone]

IMO it's good to do both pullups and chins. Vary yoru grips with both as well. For example, do widegrip pullups sometimes, but also do some hammer grip pullups. Same goes with chins. All in all, both are great for developing your biceps and back.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I always assumed chins were as above but with close grip and pullups were as above but with wide grip. Am I correct or am I missing something?

FWIW it's been recommended to me that the forearms should stay as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible throughout the movement for shoulder health, so that's how I do 'em.

 

[anotherbutters]

FWIW it's been recommended to me that the forearms should stay as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible throughout the movement for shoulder health, so that's how I do 'em.

Ok, but that still allows both wide and narrow grip, depending on whether your upper arms are pointing in front of you or out to the sides.

I'm just curious, because when I do pull ups, I do them wide grip (palms away) and assumed that's what gives you wings.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Ok, but that still allows both wide and narrow grip, depending on whether your upper arms are pointing in front of you or out to the sides.

I'm just curious, because when I do pull ups, I do them wide grip (palms away) and assumed that's what gives you wings.

Personally I don't think it makes all that much difference in terms of effect on your physique (hand spacing I mean) but do what you think is right. It's just that I really respect the opinion of the person who gave me the advice. Plus I feel like I'm stronger whether pressing or pulling when arms are perp. to the ground. Maybe it's just me but it seems to work.

When I do pullups my grip is just a tad wider than shoulder width (same as it is for push press, military press, deadlift, cleans, etc.). It's narrower on chins (pretty much exactly shoulder width or just a bit narrower) b/c it has to be to keep forearms perp to ground.

 

[anotherbutters]

Personally I don't think it makes all that much difference in terms of effect on your physique (hand spacing I mean) but do what you think is right. It's just that I really respect the opinion of the person who gave me the advice. Plus I feel like I'm stronger whether pressing or pulling when arms are perp. to the ground. Maybe it's just me but it seems to work.

When I do pullups my grip is just a tad wider than shoulder width (same as it is for push press, military press, deadlift, cleans, etc.). It's narrower on chins (pretty much exactly shoulder width or just a bit narrower) b/c it has to be to keep forearms perp to ground.

I think forearms perpendicular to the ground definitely makes sense as the weight is transferred straight up/down the bone to the next joint without any losses pulling to the sides, e.g. with deads the weight is transferred straight to the shoulders without any force pulling the hands in towards the center of the bar (if your hands are shoulder width apart).

I can still adjust the angle of my upper arms with respect to my torso quite a lot whilst maintaining vertical forearms though. Wide grip (maybe 70 degrees out) brings me close to the bar and uses my back more, whilst narrow grip (straight ahead) puts me further out and uses the biceps more.

Since I assumed pullups were supposed to hit the back quite a lot, I've been doing them wide grip.

 

[hangclean]

For any movement you do in the gym use as many different grips you can possibly use. Why people dont understand this is beyond me.