# Band Assisted Chin-Up

A chin-up with an underhand grip where a resistance band looped over the bar supports one knee and takes part of your bodyweight. It trains the lats and biceps and builds toward unassisted chin-ups.

- Beginner · Compound
- Equipment: Pull-up bar, Resistance bands
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-chin-up-from-knee/video/female.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-chin-up/

## Muscles worked

- Lats: 9/10
- Biceps: 8/10
- Teres major: 6/10
- Rhomboids: 5/10
- Forearms: 5/10
- Rear delts: 4/10
- Traps: 4/10

## How to do the Band Assisted Chin-Up

1. Band over the bar, one knee in the loop.
2. Grip the bar with palms facing you, hands a little narrower than your shoulders.
3. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar, using your back and arms.
4. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, arms fully extended.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Loop a long resistance band over the pull-up bar and let the bottom of the loop hang down.
2. Grip the bar with an underhand grip slightly narrower than shoulder width.
3. Place one knee in the band loop, cross that foot behind the other calf, and let the other leg hang straight.
4. Hang with arms straight and shoulders set down, legs still.
5. Start the pull by driving your elbows toward your ribs.
6. Continue until your chin clearly passes the bar.
7. Lower yourself back to a full hang with elbows fully straightened.

## Common mistakes

- Stopping short of full hang
- Kipping to start each rep
- Bouncing out of the band at the bottom
- Craning neck over bar
- Shrugging shoulders during the pull

## Form cues

- Use an underhand grip
- Drive elbows to ribs
- Start from full hang
- Keep shoulders down
- Use less assistance over time

## How much to do

- **Strength** (good fit): 4–5 sets of 4–6 reps · rest 2 min 15 s · 1–2 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 1 min · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **No equipment**: [Bench Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/bench-assisted-chin-up/), [Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/outdoor-gym-lat-pulldown/)
- **Suspension trainer**: [Suspension Trainer Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-chin-up/)
- **Machine**: [Lat Pulldown (Close Overhand Grip)](https://seto.fit/exercises/lat-pulldown-close-overhand-grip/), [Single Arm Machine High Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-machine-high-row/)
- **Cable machine**: [Dual Cable Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/dual-cable-lat-pulldown/), [Single Arm Half Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-arm-half-kneeling-cable-lat-pulldown/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Machine High Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/machine-high-row/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/assisted-chin-up/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Band Assisted Chin-Up — Beginner**
- Harder: [Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/prone-resistance-band-superman-lat-pulldown/) — Beginner
- Harder: [Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/behind-the-neck-lat-pulldown/) — Intermediate

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Band Assisted Chin-Up work?

Primary: Lats 9/10, Biceps 8/10. Also works: Teres major 6/10, Rhomboids 5/10, Rear delts 4/10, Forearms 5/10.

### Which joints does the Band Assisted Chin-Up load?

Elbow: moderate, Shoulder: low, Wrist: low. Elbow — lighter options: Assisted Pull-Up, Bench Assisted Pull-Up.

### When should I do the Band Assisted Chin-Up in a workout?

Second big lift. Goes after the main lift, while there is still energy for heavy work. ≈ 9 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Band Assisted Chin-Up?

Strength: 4–5 sets of 4–6 reps, rest 2 min 15 s, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 1 min, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Band Assisted Chin-Up?

No equipment: Bench Assisted Chin-Up, Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Chin-Up. Machine: Lat Pulldown (Close Overhand Grip), Single Arm Machine High Row. Cable machine: Dual Cable Lat Pulldown, Single Arm Half Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldown.

### What is an easier version of the Band Assisted Chin-Up?

Assisted Chin-Up (Beginner), Machine High Row (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Band Assisted Chin-Up?

Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown (Beginner), Behind the Neck Lat Pulldown (Intermediate).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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