COVER STORY
WOMEN CHASING CHIN
UPS AND PULL UPS
TRAINING CLIENTS FOR
BENCHMARK STRENGTH
PT and performance coach
Susy Natal outlines the
exercises and factors to consider
when training your female client
to achieve the ultimate upper
body strength goal.
hin ups and pull ups are common
strength goals that many female
clients will present to their
trainers. Because they involve so much of
the body and are not something that can be
achieved overnight, they are often viewed as
benchmarks of upper body strength. Unlike
many other movements which are more
concerned with how much weight can be
added to the movement or how many
repetitions can be completed, even being
able to perform the first chin up or pull up is
a challenge in itself. Therefore, the ability to
do chin ups/pull ups at all may be see n as a
great feat of strength requiring persistence
and dedication, which can add to the appeal
as a goal for your clients.
There’s probably a lame joke about
the bar being set high for entry level in
there somewhere, but I wouldn’t dream of
subjecting you to that…
While there are a number of subtle
differences between chin ups and pull
ups with regards grip, movement and
muscles used, both exercises also share
many features (which is why they often get
mixed up). The following information applies
equally to both exercises, but for the sake of
keeping things readable, I’ll just use the term
chin ups for the remainder of the article.
C
10 | NETWORK WINTER 2018
The 30-second article
• Chin ups and pull ups are often seen as
benchmarks in upper body training,
making them a common goal for
female clients who want to get strong
• Several muscle groups are involved in
chin ups and pull ups, and as such
need strengthening before the ultimate
goal can be achieved
• The latissimus dorsi are the primary
driver with the assistance of the biceps
• Grip is responsible for not dropping off
the bar and the lower trapezius, rear
deltoids and rhomboids are responsible
for correct scapular positioning
throughout the movement
• Strengthening these individually,
performing drills to improve awareness
of
scapular
positioning,
and
regressions such as jumping chin ups,
are central to helping your clients
achieve their first chin up or pull up.