The chinup and pullup should both be upper body workout staples in your workout program. Both of these exercises target multiple muscle groups at once and are frequently considered breakthrough workouts, as in, they require a reasonable sum of upper body foundational strength to successfully complete. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate lifter, it’s a great thought to get it a few of the key differences between the chinup and the pullup.
Let's break down some of the key elements of the movements, from which muscles are worked with each, common mistakes to avoid, and some of the best variations to use for a strong and dynamic upper body.An easy way to always remember their main difference is to think about scratching your chin. You scratch your chin with your palm facing you, so that’s a chinup.

Chinup or Pullup – Which one is Easier?
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. 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.
Chinup or Pullup – Which one is Better for Hypertrophy?
The chinup and pullup are both fantastic exercises for upper body muscle building. Each exercise targets a variety of muscles and can be used to improve both arm, forearm, and back strength. It’s usually a good idea to program both in your workouts to make massive upper body gains.
The chinup and pullup have a similar movement pattern, so the vast amount of muscles they work will have a high carryover between one another. Essentially, they’re going to work pretty much all of the same muscle groups, but the rate in which they work them will vary slightly based on your hand position and how the body produces strength through a vertical pulling movement pattern.
The primary muscles worked between the chinup and pullup include:
- Lats
- Biceps Brachii
- Infraspinatus
- Lower Trapezius
- Pectoralis Major
- Erector Spinae
- External Oblique

Chinup and Pullup Benefits
Both of these exercises will each have their own respective list of specific benefits that can be catered towards specific sports and other exercises. However, since they both similar in nature, there are a few benefits that overlap that are worth pointing out.
1. Minimal Equipment
If you have minimal equipment or you’re doing home workouts, the chinup and pullup are awesome for providing you with a lot of bang for your buck while needing very little equipment. Since they’re already fairly tough exercises to perform, you can progress regularly with each without breaking the bank buying equipment.
2. Milestone Exercise
Both the chinup and pullup are fantastic exercises to gauge upper body strength for beginners, intermediate, and advanced lifters. Beginners can use these exercises as assessment and to track their progress as they begin a dedicated training routine, while intermediate and advanced lifters can use them to assess their overall level of strength and fitness.
3. Carryover to Barbell Exercises and Sports
The chinup and pullup are vertical pulling exercises and target handfuls of upper body muscles. By strengthening the shoulder-arm-forearm complex, you’ll experience carryover to barbell lifts and sports. Whether you’re deadlifting or playing sports, you can’t go wrong with a stronger back and grip.
About The Author
Rajul Tiwari is the Editor-in-Chief at bodyandstrenth.com and has 18 years of experience in media, content, publishing and education. She has worked with media houses like Daini..
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