To get better at performing chinups, you need to do more chinups. It would be best if you actually did the thing, which some people miss. But when doing more doesn’t improve performance, it’s time to train smart. This is where these four chinup accessory exercises come in.
Chinups are one of the best performance indicators of your relative body strength. What is relative strength? It’s the strength you can lift compared to your body weight. You have improved your relative strength by doing six chinups instead of five.
Plus, chinups give you wings and build serious upper back strength.
Just in case you forgot, upper-back strength and muscle play a critical role in good technique in your bench press and keeping a neutral spine with squatting and deadlifting. Here we’ll dive into what’s needed for good chinup form and four accessory exercises to improve your chinup performance.
What’s Needed For Good Chinup Form
I’ve been fortunate to be able to do chinups from an early age because I didn’t weigh much, but other bigger people struggle. IMO, it should be a goal for every gym-goer to be able to perform chinups, no matter your size, because relative strength matters. Here are a few big rock attributes needed for chinups.
Grip Strength: Because your entire body weight is being held in your hands because you’re hanging vertically, if you cannot grip it, you cannot rip it.
Thoracic Mobility: Extending your thoracic (upper back and chest) spine allows you to better engage your upper back and lats. You can do chinups with rounded shoulders and poor posture, but it could be better.
Core Strength: Chinups are not often thought of as a core exercise, but your anterior core engages to keep your lower body still and your lower back in neutral. Plus, it allows your larger back muscles to do their job. If the core is weak, so is the pull.
Relative Strength: There are two types of strength, absolute strength, the total amount you can lift, and relative strength, what you can lift compared to your body weight. Good relative strength is essential to perform multiple chinup reps.
4 Chinup Accessory Exercise to Improve Performance
Doing more chinups will only get you so far, which is where chinup accessory exercises come in. Accessory exercises strengthen your weak point and strengthen your strengths as well. Both will improve performance, and these four exercises do just that.
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3 Way Chinup Hold
A 3-way chin hold strengthens your grip and back in three different positions and will improve your performance with regular chinups. The isometric holds in the three positions test your forearm, back, and grip strength. This increased time under tension will lead to a bigger and stronger forearm, biceps, and back, improving flex time and chinup performance.
How to do it:
Either use a weight bench to elevate yourself or jump up and grab the bar to get the top lockout hold position.
Hold the lockout position for ten or more seconds.
Lower to just above the 90-degree elbow position and hold for ten or more seconds.
Then lower to a slightly flexed position and hold until you cannot hold on anymore.
Programming suggestions: The three-way chinup hold takes a lot of grip strength, so performing it early is advisable. Two to three sets of this as your daily pulling exercise is enough.
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Hollow Position Hold Pull-Up
Hollow holds build rock-solid core strength, essential to improve your chinup (or pull-up) performance or do your first one. Hollow holds give you a better idea of the tension necessary to perform rock-solid chinups because this is the position they should be in. Adding the pull-up motion is the cherry on top.
How to do it:
Lie on the floor, holding a stick or PVC pipe with your preferred grip over your chest,
Raise your head and straight legs off the ground, feeling immediate tension in your midsection.
Slowly raise the pipe over your head until your elbows are extended.
Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired reps.
Programming suggestion: Doing this on lower body day and pairing it in a superset with squats or deadlifts (reps of 5-8 per set) provides an opportunity to groove the chinup and pullup pattern further.
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Iso Chin Up Hold
Two positions to hold when looking to improve your chinup performance are the dead hang position (grip strength and tension) and the lockout position ( grip and back strength). The chinup iso hold encourages you to engage the muscles needed (rhomboids, middle, and lower traps), to strengthen the upper back and improve posture and thoracic spine extension. All of this adds muscle-building tension and helps to improve your chinup performance and flex appeal.
How to do it:
Either use a weight bench to elevate or jump up and grab the bar to get the top lockout hold position.
Keep your chin tucked, chest up, and straight legs together.
Hang on for dear life and slowly lower yourself down to the ground when you start to lose position.
Programming suggestions: Some over-rely on the arms to do chinups, and holding the top of a chinup reminds you of what muscles need to do the work. Anywhere from 20 to 45 seconds for one to three sets will work.
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Trap Bar Figure 8 Carry
Carries improve full body tension, which requires a chinup or pullup. Often the lower body moves around, and this energy loss doesn’t do wonders for your chinup performance. Any carry variation will work, but the trap bar Figure 8 carry is special. You can perform carries in a limited space and have much higher loading potential to strengthen your grip and upper back further. Plus, the weight in line with your center of gravity is also easier on your lower back. It’s what’s called a win-win.
How to do it:
Step inside the trap bar and use your best deadlift form to pick the weight.
Strolling in a figure 8 pattern (demonstrated in the video) makes your turns easier and extends time under tension.
Keep your shoulders down and chest up to maintain good posture,
Stop and lower the weight down with control when your grip is about done.
Programming suggestion: The trap bar figure 8 carry is best performed when your grip strength is fresh. Doing two to three sets early in your strength programming works well.
