Mixed Grip Chin-up
- Target muscle
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Synergist muscles
- Brachialis, Brachioradialis, Infraspinatus, Teres Major, Teres Minor, Trapezius Lower Fibers, Trapezius Middle Fibers
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Back
- Type
- Strength
The mixed grip chin-up is a bodyweight pulling exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi, with the teres major, brachialis, brachioradialis, and the middle and lower trapezius working as synergists. One hand takes an underhand (supinated) grip and the other an overhand (pronated) grip, so each forearm works at a different angle and the torso resists a mild rotation. It builds pulling strength, grip endurance, and back thickness.
How to do the Mixed Grip Chin-up
- 1Stand beneath a pull-up bar and take it with one hand underhand (supinated) and the other overhand (pronated), hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
- 2Hang at full arm extension with the shoulders lightly engaged rather than fully relaxed, ankles crossed behind you.
- 3Depress and retract your scapulae, pulling your shoulder blades down and together before the arms bend.
- 4Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to lock the torso in place and stop the mixed grip from rotating you.
- 5Drive your elbows down toward your hips and pull your chest toward the bar.
- 6Keep pulling until your chin clears the bar, without swinging or kicking the legs.
- 7Pause for a beat at the top, squeezing the lats and the middle trapezius.
- 8Lower under control over two to three seconds until the arms are straight and the scapulae are fully released.
- 9Finish the set, then swap which hand is supinated on the next set so both sides get the same work.
Form tips
- Alternate the hand orientation set to set, and give each side the same total reps across the session — that is what keeps the asymmetry from turning into an imbalance.
- Set the scapulae before the elbows bend. Starting each rep from a shrugged hang loads the shoulder in a poor position and wastes the strongest part of the pull.
- Keep the chest tall and the ribs down; think about pulling your elbows into your back pockets instead of curling yourself up to the bar.
- Expect a slight pull toward the pronated side. Fight it with the core rather than letting the hips drift, and the rotation demand becomes useful trunk work.
- If your grip fails before your back does, use chalk rather than straps so grip strength keeps pace with pulling strength.
Common mistakes
- Keeping the same hand supinated every set: the two grips load the forearm and shoulder differently, so never switching builds a measurable side-to-side difference in strength and size over months of training.
- Kipping or swinging the hips: momentum does the work the lats should do, and the whipping motion loads the shoulder joint and elbow tendons at the bottom of the rep.
- Starting from a shrugged hang: leaving the scapulae elevated shortens the lat's working range and hands the load to the upper trapezius and neck instead.
- Cutting the bottom of the rep: stopping short of full arm extension skips the stretched position where the lats and teres major do their best growth work.
- Yanking with the arms: bending the elbows before the shoulder blades move fatigues the elbow flexors early and leaves the latissimus dorsi under-stimulated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a mixed grip chin-up and a regular chin-up?
A regular chin-up uses both hands supinated, which puts the elbow flexors in their strongest position. The mixed grip chin-up supinates one hand and pronates the other, so each forearm works at a different angle and the bar tends to twist you slightly toward the pronated side — a grip-stability and anti-rotation demand a regular chin-up does not have.
What muscles does the mixed grip chin-up work?
The latissimus dorsi is the primary mover. The teres major, brachialis, and brachioradialis assist with the pull, the middle and lower trapezius fibers control the shoulder blades, and the infraspinatus and teres minor stabilize the shoulder joint throughout the rep.
Does the mixed grip chin-up work both lats equally?
Both lats work on every rep, but the differing grip angles mean the two sides are not loaded identically. Alternating which hand is supinated each set, and matching the rep totals per side, is the standard way to keep development even.
Is the mixed grip chin-up harder than a standard chin-up or pull-up?
For most lifters it sits between the two. It is usually slightly harder than a supinated chin-up, because only one arm gets the strong underhand position, and easier than a full pronated pull-up. The grip itself often feels awkward for the first few sessions.
How many sets and reps should I do for mixed grip chin-ups?
For strength, three to five sets of three to six reps. For size, three to four sets of six to twelve with a slow two-to-three-second lowering phase. Either way, alternate the grip orientation between sets so both arms accumulate equal volume.
