# Suspension Trainer Chin-Up

A chin-up hanging from suspension trainer handles with an underhand grip and your knees bent. Trains the lats and biceps, and the free-moving handles make you control every rep.

- Intermediate · Compound
- Equipment: Suspension trainer
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-with-grips-chin-up/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-chin-up/

## Muscles worked

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

## How to do the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up

1. Grip the handles with palms facing you, knees bent, feet off the floor.
2. Hang with straight arms, feeling your shoulder blades drop slightly downwards.
3. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the handles.
4. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, arms fully extended.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Anchor the suspension trainer overhead and set the handles high enough to hang with your feet off the floor.
2. Grip one handle in each hand with an underhand grip, palms facing you.
3. Hang from the handles with arms straight, knees bent, and shoulders set down.
4. Start the pull by driving your elbows toward your ribs.
5. Pull yourself up until your chin passes the handles without swinging your legs.
6. Lower yourself back to a full hang with elbows fully straightened.
7. Begin the next rep only after the body becomes still again.

## Common mistakes

- Kipping the legs to start
- Stopping short of full hang
- Craning neck over the handles
- Letting the handles drift apart
- Half reps at the top

## Form cues

- Use an underhand grip
- Drive elbows to ribs
- Keep handles steady
- Reach full hang
- Stay still between reps

## How much to do

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

- **Machine**: [Lat Pulldown (Close Overhand Grip)](https://seto.fit/exercises/lat-pulldown-close-overhand-grip/), [Machine High Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/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/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Band Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-assisted-chin-up/), [Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/prone-resistance-band-superman-lat-pulldown/)
- **No equipment**: [Commando Pull-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/commando-pull-up/), [Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown](https://seto.fit/exercises/outdoor-gym-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: [Bench Assisted Chin-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/bench-assisted-chin-up/) — 35% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Bench Assisted Pull-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/bench-assisted-pull-up/) — 40% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Suspension Trainer Chin-Up — 105% of bodyweight**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up work?

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

### Which joints does the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up load?

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

### When should I do the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up in a workout?

Second big lift. Goes after the main lift, while there is still energy for heavy work. ≈ 10 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps, rest 2 min 15 s, 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 Suspension Trainer Chin-Up?

Machine: Lat Pulldown (Close Overhand Grip), Machine High Row. Cable machine: Dual Cable Lat Pulldown, Single Arm Half Kneeling Cable Lat Pulldown. Resistance bands: Band Assisted Chin-Up, Prone Resistance Band Superman Lat Pulldown. No equipment: Commando Pull-Up, Outdoor Gym Lat Pulldown.

### What is an easier version of the Suspension Trainer Chin-Up?

Bench Assisted Pull-Up (40% of bodyweight), Bench Assisted Chin-Up (35% of bodyweight).

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

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