Gironda Sternum Chin
- Zielmuskel
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Synergistenmuskeln
- Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Deltoid Posterior, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head, Teres Major, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Back
- Typ
- Strength
The Gironda sternum chin is a body-weight pull-up variation popularized by Vince Gironda that primarily targets the lats (latissimus dorsi), with strong help from the teres major, lower and middle traps, rear delts, the sternal head of the chest, and the elbow flexors (brachialis and brachioradialis). Instead of pulling your chin to the bar, you lean back into a deep layback and pull until your lower sternum touches the bar, which maximizes lat stretch and contraction.
Gironda Sternum Chin: So führst du sie aus
- 1Grip the bar with a shoulder-width underhand (supinated) grip and hang with your arms fully extended.
- 2Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades down and back to set the lats before the rep begins.
- 3Initiate the pull by driving your elbows down and back, leading with your chest toward the bar.
- 4As you rise, progressively lean your head and torso backward so your body angles away from the bar.
- 5Continue pulling and leaning back until your lower sternum or upper abdomen makes contact with the bar, with your torso nearly horizontal at the top.
- 6Squeeze your lats hard at the top, holding the layback position for a brief moment.
- 7Lower under control, gradually returning your torso to vertical as your arms straighten back to a full dead hang.
- 8Complete your reps, then step down from the bar safely.
Technik-Tipps
- Think of touching the bar with your chest, not your chin — the backward lean is what makes this a sternum chin rather than a standard pull-up.
- Keep the movement slow and deliberate; the layback removes momentum and forces the lats to do the work through a long range of motion.
- Drive your elbows down toward your hips to recruit the lats more strongly than the biceps.
- Build the strength gradually — start from regular chin-ups and add the layback as your control improves, since the horizontal top position is demanding.
Häufige Fehler
- Pulling only the chin to the bar without leaning back, which turns it into an ordinary chin-up and skips the deep lat contraction the movement is built for.
- Kipping or swinging the legs to fling the body up, which removes tension from the lats and makes the layback uncontrolled and unsafe.
- Failing to retract the shoulder blades first, so the rep is driven by the arms and the lats never fully engage.
- Rushing the descent and dropping out of the layback, which loses the eccentric stretch on the lats and strains the shoulders.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the Gironda sternum chin work?
It primarily works the lats (latissimus dorsi), with the teres major, lower and middle trapezius, rear deltoids, and the sternal head of the chest assisting, plus the brachialis and brachioradialis as elbow flexors.
How is the Gironda sternum chin different from a regular chin-up?
In a regular chin-up you stay vertical and pull your chin over the bar. In the sternum chin you lean back into a strong layback and pull until your lower sternum touches the bar, which deepens the lat stretch and contraction.
Is the Gironda sternum chin good for beginners?
It is an advanced variation. If you cannot yet do controlled body-weight chin-ups, build up with assisted chin-ups or standard pull-ups first, then add the backward lean as your strength and control improve.
What grip should I use for the sternum chin?
A shoulder-width underhand (supinated) grip is the classic choice, as it lets you drive the elbows down and back and pull the sternum to the bar with strong lat involvement.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because it is demanding, aim for 3–4 sets of 4–8 controlled reps. Prioritize reaching the sternum and holding the layback over chasing higher rep counts.
