Whether you prefer doing pullups of chinups, you’ll need a solid bar that can bear your weight. We’ll get into that in a moment–but first, it helps to understand the exercises at hand.
Both pulling moves are absolute muscle builders.
“There are few more comprehensive upper body exercises than the pullup and chinup. No matter which of the pair you choose to do, you’ll work your lats, biceps, rhomboids, rear deltoids, and core (to name but a few of the muscles involved) during every hard-earned rep,” Trevor Thieme C.S.C.S., previously wrote for Men’s Health.
Both moves will challenge your body in slightly different ways.
“Those in the pro-pullup camp like point out that the pullup is the more challenging of the two, but that has more to do with a difference in muscle activation than it does with muscle-building merit,” says Thieme. “When you flip your grip from overhand, or pronated (in the pullup) to underhand, or supinated (in the chinup), you increase the activation of your biceps, which makes getting your head above the bar a bit easier.”
However, many lifters do find that the chinup is easier, according to MH contributor Jake Boly, C.S.C.S.
“Generally, lifters will find that the chinup is easier than the pullup. The reasoning for this is that with higher biceps brachii activity, the shoulder-arm-forearm complex can be utilized slightly better than in the pullup,” Boly writes. “Basically, lifters tend to have stronger biceps and lats when beginning their lifting journey—it feels more natural to vertically pull with a supinated grip.”
Of course, neither move is easy. And that’s why installing a pull up bar in your home is a fantastic training move to help you build your upper body strength, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Each exercise targets a variety of muscles and can be used to improve both arm, forearm, and back strength,” says Boly. It’s usually a good idea to program both in your workouts to make massive upper body gains.”
How to Do Pullups Better
“It’s a staple in upper body workouts; we use it a ton in weight lifting,” says Sean Waxman, C.S.C.S., owner of Waxman’s Gym. “Depending on how you grip—wide most of the time—you’ll see a thickening and a widening of the back. Your grip will improve, and your whole upper body will get stronger.”
Proper pullup technique is relatively simple, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll have an easy go of it every time you step up to the bar. The move can get difficult quickly for even the strongest among us as you gas your muscles.
It’s important to stay on-form as you do pullups so you’re getting the best possible workout while avoiding injury. Waxman has a few tips for those just starting out to remember. “You want to be hanging from a bar, whether it’s a chinup or a pullup. You want to start with your arms extended, and you want to pull yourself up until the bar hits your chest or at least chin level. At the top of the movement, you want to pull your shoulder blades down and together.”
You might not be able to do all that right away. For some people, eking out even one rep is an accomplishment worth striving for, so you can’t just jump up to the bar and pull. You might have to break the move down to its component parts. To really master the form, work your way up from dead hangs to full-on reps using this guide.
As you improve on your pullups, you may want to find ways to make them more difficult. “If you can blow out 20 pullups, you’re not really improving strength anymore,” says Waxman.
First, he recommends adding some weight. “If you want to improve hypertrophy, you want to add enough weight to you’re doing eight to 12 reps. Then looking for improvement and more strength, you add more weight so you can do three to five reps.”
To add weight, you’ll need a weighed vest or a belt that can have weight attached to it. Them try some new variations, like those seen in the video below.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge to start doing pullups, you need the right tools. As Waxman says, “All you need is a place to hang.”
So if you’re looking to do them at home, you need a pullup bar. Make sure that you place your bar in a sturdy spot, since you’ll be trusting it to hold all of your weight. If it’s a free-standing rig, make sure the ground is level and the unit won’t slip. If you’re hanging a bar above a door frame, make sure that place in your house can handle the weight, so you don’t turn into a workout fail. (And Michael Eckert, the U.S. Marine that broke a world record when he cranked out 50 pullups in a minute, has also shared his pullup tips.)
We’ve done the research and rounded up the perfect pullup bars for guys looking to bulk up at home or in the office.
IRON AGE Doorway Pullup Bar
The best part about this bar? It requires zero assembly. It has unique smart hook technology so you just hook it right into your doorway. The carbon tubes that make up the bars also have a maximum weight capacity of 440 pounds, so it can take a heavy load. And this pullup bar’s upper handle bar is 6 inches higher than traditional pull up bars, so it’s ideal for taller guys.
Men’s Health Multi-Function Power Tower
This power tower was designed with comfort in mind. It has an ergonomically designed 3-inch thick angled backrest and angled forearm cushions for ultimate forearm and elbow support. Plus, the handle bars and leg raise handles are all adjustable. And the handlebars come with foam rollers for extra cushion. Its steel-coated frame has a 400-pound weight capacity and can be bolted into the floor or wall for extra stability and safety.
GH DYNAMICS Pullup Bar
Simple and effective, the GH DYNAMICS bar is ideal for those looking for multiple grip positions when pounding out pullups. From wide to neutral to palms-facing for chinups, this bar can do it all. The grippy foam handles deliver all the non-slip comfort you need. It mounts on a door securely—but you can take it down and put it on the floor to use the different grips for push-ups.
ONETWOFIT Multifunctional Wall Mounted Pullup Bar
If you don’t love the idea of hanging from your doorway, a wall-mounted bar is a great solution. The incredibly sturdy and durable ONETWOFIT bar is adjustable with five different height variations and hold up to 440 pounds for guys of different sizes and skills. The bar itself is thick, so you’ll be getting an excellent grip workout at the same time.
AmazeFan Pull Up Bar
This doorframe mounted unit provides some extra support and multiple bars: the traditional straight pullup bar and angled bar for additional wide-grip options. It can hold up to 400 pounds. Work you back, biceps, triceps, and chest all in one place.
Ikonfitness Pull Up Bar
This heavy-duty steel bar can hold up to 440 pounds of weight. The bar itself is covered in foam for a durable and nonslip grip, and it was designed with larger hooks for increased safety and stability as you workout. Plus, it will protect to the doorframe and wall.
RELIFE REBUILD YOUR LIFE Power Tower
Willing to invest more in a bar that can do it all? Then get a station. If you’ve got the space, this is a dream. It has a bar at the top for pullups, but also grips for dips and abdominal raises. The pad on the back lets you comfortably do raises, and a thick foam grip on the pullup bar makes flipping your grip and doing chinups a breeze. More space, sure, but more complete results. Get a full-body workout on this one station.
ProsourceFit Multi-Grip Chin-Up/Pull-Up Bar
This steel bar has tons of capabilities when it comes to getting a comprehensive upper body and core workout. It has a total of 12 grips so you can perform wide, hammer, close-grip exercises, and it can hold up to 300 pounds of weight.
FEIERDUN Doorway Pull Up and Chin Up Bar
FEIERDUN’s stainless steel bar is a sleek and efficient. It attaches to nearly any door and holds up to 440 pounds for awesome pullups and hanging crunches, and it won’t bother your walls with anti-skid PVC mats on both sides to protect the frame from cracking and prevent the damage. Install in seconds and start your new pullup regimen.
LIANXIN Power Tower
This ultimate heavy-duty bodyweight station is a must-have in any home gym. It has everything you need for an upper-body workout: grips for chinups, grips for pullups, grips for dips, and even grips on the floor for raised pushups.
HANDSONIC Pull Up Bar
This steel pull up bar is perfect if you’re low-maintenance—it requires zero screws or drilling. It can also hold up to 440 pounds, so it’s a great option for weighted moves.
VUP Pull Up Bar
If you’re a big guy or really like to add serious weight to your pull ups, this is the bar for you. It can handle a massive capacity of 550 pounds. It also has a unique 3-bar design includes straight and angled handle options.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar
This pull up bar will hit every muscle group in your upper body thanks to its three grip positions (narrow, wide, and neutral.) It has comfortable foam grips and can hold up to 300 pounds of weight.
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