10 Best Chin-up Alternatives for When You Can't Perform Chin-ups

Ranked Chin-up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Chin-up on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Weighted Close Grip Chin-up On Dip Cage

   99% match

   • Lats
   • Weighted
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the lats.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand in front of the dip cage and grab the parallel bars with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
   2. Hang from the bars with your arms fully extended, feet off the ground, and body straight.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bars, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
   4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bars, then pause for a moment.
   5. Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: chin-up, the same as the Chin-up
   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
2. Play demonstration

   2. Reverse Grip Pull-up

   99% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   It uses the same equipment and still works the lats.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the pull-up bar with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
   2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
   4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
3. 

   3. Side To Side Chins

   98% match

   • Lats
   • Other
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   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.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Chin-up
4. Play demonstration

   Progression

   4. Close Grip Chin-up

   97% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the pull-up bar with your palms facing towards you and your hands shoulder-width apart.
   2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your feet off the ground.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: chin-up, the same as the Chin-up
   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
5. Play demonstration

   Progression

   5. Mixed Grip Chin-up

   95% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grab the pull-up bar with an underhand grip (palms facing towards you) and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   2. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your feet off the ground.
   3. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
   4. Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: chin-up, the same as the Chin-up
   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
6. 

   6. Mixed Grip Chin

   95% match

   • Lats
   • Other
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A straight swap when you want to keep working the lats.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Using a spacing that is just about 1 inch wider than shoulder width, grab a pull-up bar with the palms of one hand facing forward and the palms of the other hand facing towards you. This will be your starting position.
   2. Now start to pull yourself up as you exhale. Tip: With the arm that has the palms facing up concentrate on using the back muscles in order to perform the movement. The elbow of that arm should remain close to the torso. With the other arm that has the palms facing forward, the elbows will be away but in line with the torso. You will concentrate on using the lats to pull your body up.
   3. After a second contraction at the top, start to slowly come down as you inhale.
   4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
   5. On the following set, switch grips; so if you had the right hand with the palms facing you and the left one with the palms facing forward, on the next set you will have the palms facing forward for the right hand and facing you for the left.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
7. Play demonstration

   Progression

   7. Side-to-side Chin

   91% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   Pick this when you want a harder version that works the lats one side at a time.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
   2. Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body relaxed.
   4. Pull yourself up by bending your elbows and bringing your chin towards the bar, while keeping your body straight.
   5. Once your chin is above the bar, lower yourself back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Chin-up
8. 

   8. Gironda Sternum Chins

   89% match

   • Lats
   • Other
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grasp the pull-up bar with a shoulder width underhand grip.
   2. Now hang with your arms fully extended and stick your chest out and lean back. Tip: You will be leaning back throughout the entire movement. This will be your starting position.
   3. Start pulling yourself towards the bar with your spine arched throughout the movement and your head leaning back as far away from the bar as possible. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the upper end of the movement, your hips and legs will be at about a 45-degree angle to the floor.
   4. Keep pulling until your collarbone passes the bar and your lower chest or sternum area touches it. Hold that contraction for a second. Tip: By the time you've completed this portion of the movement; your head will be parallel to the floor.
   5. Slowly start going back to the starting position as you inhale.
   6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
9. Play demonstration

   Progression

   9. Gironda Sternum Chin

   89% match

   • Lats
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand facing a high bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   2. Reach up and grab the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   4. Engage your lats and biceps to pull your chest up towards the bar, leading with your sternum.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Chin-up
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
10. Play demonstration

    10. Lever Assisted Chin-up

    86% match

    • Lats
    • Lever
    • Beginner
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Adjust the leverage machine to your desired resistance level.
    2. Stand on the foot platform and grip the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang with your arms fully extended, keeping your body straight.
    4. Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the handles, leading with your chest.
    5. Continue pulling until your chin is above the handles.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Movement: chin-up, the same as the Chin-up
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Chin-up
    • Equipment: a machine, not bodyweight only
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Chin-up
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Chin-up