Chins - Close Or Wide-grip/under Or Overhand?

[Cackerot69]

I didn't say wide grip supinated, slightly wider than shoulder width...Tuna Guy.

OK, since the anatomical viewpoint isn't getting through think of it this way....

You want to push a car.

You (lats) are strong but you can't do it yourself so you get a weak friend to help (biceps).

Now, you can push the car but eventually your wek friend will tire out but you'll still have some energy left in you, but regardless you're not strong enough to push the car. You didn't work very hard.

So, if you were to get a stronger friend than you had before you could push the car further before the friend tired out. So, you worked harder because your friend allowed you to.

Did that make sense?

I feel so corny using analogies..lol

 

[MarkFlC5]

Crackerot69... that's an interesting idea. I never thought of that. Can anyone back that idea up?

Cackerot69 is 100% correct in the fact that the biceps are a weak link and in fact are the weakest link in the overhand position as opposed to the underhand. With the overhand I have personally discovered that lat pulldown poundages come to a plateau very quickly with this grip because of the weak link. However, I feel the underhand grip works the biceps too much.

Its interesting noone has mentioned the verticle grip method using the bar (I'm not sure what they call it) that is designed for this movement. With the palms faced inward toward each other, you don't sacrifice the weakest bicep link as you would in the overhand position and you don't involve the biceps too greatly (Remember, its not a bicep excercise) as you would in the underhand grip. You settle for the middle ground and poundage plateaus don't come as quickly. Also, I go in front of the neck with this but I arch my back as much as I can squeazing my shoulder blades together as if I'm trying to touch them so I can almost get what a behind the neck movement will give me. Try it, its great!

But no matter what, the biceps will fail first requiring some sort pre-exhaust routine every now and then. Just my .02.

 

[Robboe]

I third Cack's opinion.

 

[goahead]

MarkFlC5, you are right , nobody mentioned the vertical grip, its a good exercise indeed, need to incorporate that in my routine next time!

as for the biceps failure issue:

pre-exhaust with 3 sets of medium overhand grip chins
follow up with 3 sets of close vertical grip chins

I think this should hit the nail on its head

 

[Tuna Guy]

how do your lats and biceps push a car?

 

[Cackerot69]

Wow, some people....

I give up.

 

[Tuna Guy]

what if the car was going uphill?

 

[Belial]

lmao.


Cack is 99% correct.

The strongest grip for most individuals is palms facing each other, followed by palms facing yourself, and finally palms facing forward.

(If anybody can do them with palms facing outwards, please let me know. That would look quite interesting.)

Anyway, yes, you technically would like to maximize the strength of the weak link; think about it as using straps for your deadlift if you're shooting for back/legs overload. Many people fail because of their grip; there's little doubt that grip is a weak link for many.

Why not put your arms in the strongest position possible? The various grips actually make little difference in overall lat growth if you're talking about vanilla chin/pull-ups. (as opposed to Poliquin's whacky subscapularis-, sternum-, mixed-grip- etc. chin-ups, which DO actually involve different muscles.)

 

[MarkFlC5]

how do your lats and biceps push a car?

Ummm . . . , I give up, how?

 

[MarkFlC5]

what if the car was going uphill?

Wait, let me guess, this is British humor, right?