Chin Ups are a huge hit right now for everyone at O.B. Training & Sports Performance! For some reason, everyone just keeps asking to have chin ups on their individual program cards.  Well as Dan John says, “If it’s important, do it everyday.”  Side Note – That’s a great motto to apply to anything in life.

The awesome thing about all of the Chin Ups everyone has been doing is that we have had a lot of members in the last few months hit their first bodyweight chin up- some have even gotten 5 or more! Just like everything else we talk about with training and nutrition, CONSISTENCY-HARD WORK & DETERMINATION are how you reach your goals.  So for those of you who are still striving to get that first chin up here are a few tips to to help you get there as well as a video to clearly show you the Do’s and Don’ts of Chin Upping:

Quick Tips

• Use Your Back:  When most people begin working on doing chin ups they make the mistake of trying to pull themselves to the bar using their arms.  Although your arms do help in pulling yourself to the bar, they should only be used to assist your back in pulling.  Your back musculature (See Picture Right) is much bigger/stronger than your arms. SO USE IT
• Keep Your Shoulders Back:  You have probably heard this from us a thousand time and are sick of hearing it but we can’t stress this enough.  It is impossible to use your back muscles if your shoulders are rounded forward.  Pull the shoulders down and back – you will automatically feel your back muscles engage.
• Increase Your Grip Strength:  In order to do a chin up you have to be able to hold your own bodyweight in your hands as you hang from the bar.  If you are constantly worried about being able to hold onto the bar it’s going to be less likely that you will be able to pull yourself up to it.  Work on your grip strength to make the idea of supporting your own bodyweight less intimidating.