Proper Lifting Techniques

There is an exercise that confuses many, therefore, their proper lifting techniques are compromised.  What exercise am I talking about?  It is the Pull Ups and the Chin Ups.  They get confused by the name and which body parts they work more intensely.  Allow me to explain.

The Pull Up- uses an over hand grip, where the fingers face away from you.  The Pull Up works more back muscles than the biceps.  This exercise is harder than its brother, the Chin Up.

The Chin Up-uses an under hand grip, where the fingers/palms face toward you. This exercise works more of the biceps, than back muscles. The Chin Up is an easier exercise to execute.

Both of these exercises are hard, one is just harder than the other.  These exercises require strength to lift your own body weight.  The stronger you get the more repetitions you can do, the larger the range of motion, and with the Pull Ups, you will develop stronger Overhead and Bench Presses.

There is a right and wrong way to execute these exercises.  I’m here to tell you all about the proper lifting techniques of the Pull Ups and Chin Ups.

• Pick your grip and hang from the bar with bent and/or crossed legs.
• As you exhale, lead with your chest up, shoulders back, and lift as you are looking up.
  
• Don’t let your shoulders go forward.
• Elbows point toward the floor, recruiting more back muscles.
• On the way down, fully extend your arms straight, and inhale.
• Repeat.

Yes, these are hard at first, but what great strength you can achieve by keep doing them.  If you need assistance, ask someone, use a big elastic band, or use a bench or a chair to help you up.  It’s ok to cheat a little, with shorter range of motion, or by swinging your hips.  The more you do these exercises your strength will increase.  Feel free to alternate between the Pull Ups and the Chin Ups.  Either before or after this exercise follow it up with a pushing exercise to be sure there is no muscle imbalance.

There you have it, proper lifting techniques for Pull Ups and Chin Ups.  Think, lean, long and strong!!