Side To Side Chins

How to do the Side To Side Chins

1. Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
2. As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar at a wide grip, bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
3. Pull your torso up while leaning to the left hand side until the bar almost touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space (no swinging) and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
4. After a second of contraction, inhale as you go back to the starting position.
5. Now, pull your torso up while leaning to the right hand side until the bar almost touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
6. After a second of contraction, inhale as you go back to the starting position.
7. Repeat steps 3-6 until you have performed the prescribed amount of repetitions for each side.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	lats
Secondary	biceps, forearms, middle back, shoulders
Equipment	other equipment
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No other equipment? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Chin-Up Bodyweight V-Bar Pullup Bodyweight Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up Bodyweight Pullups Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine

Easier than the Side To Side Chins

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Chin-Up beginner · Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown beginner · Cable Machine Underhand Cable Pulldowns beginner · Cable Machine

Superset the Side To Side Chins with

Opposing chest and shoulders work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Dips - Chest Version chest Front Plate Raise shoulders Battling Ropes shoulders Sled Overhead Backward Walk shoulders

Common questions

What muscles does the Side To Side Chins work?

The Side To Side Chins primarily works the lats, with the biceps, forearms, mid back, and shoulders as secondary movers. Kipping Muscle Up, Muscle Up, and Rope Climb train the same muscle, across 7 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Side To Side Chins?

The Right Equipment. Without the right equipment, Chin-Up, V-Bar Pullup, and Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up train the same muscle, and 8 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Side To Side Chins suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Chin-Up, Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown, and Underhand Cable Pulldowns and work up.

Where should the Side To Side Chins go in a workout?

Early — the Side To Side Chins is compound, working 5 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Dips - Chest Version and Front Plate Raise later.

Similar exercises

Kipping Muscle Up Other Equipment Muscle Up Other Equipment Rope Climb Other Equipment Chin-Up Bodyweight Close-Grip Front Lat Pulldown Cable Machine Full Range-Of-Motion Lat Pulldown Cable Machine