To build thicker biceps, you don't have to rely solely on bicep curls or hammer curls. There are other exercises you can try to keep things from getting boring, such as chin-ups. This exercise is considered a back exercise, but chin-ups also engage your biceps.
How come?
Chin-ups generally rely on an underhand grip, which engages your biceps as you pull yourself up. If you're bored with monotonous bicep movements, try doing a programmed chin-up and see the impact it has on your biceps.
What Is a Chin-Up?
A chin-up is a movement that involves pulling the body upward with an underhand grip (palms facing the body). The difference between a chin-up and a pull-up lies in the grip.
Pull-ups typically use an overhand grip (palms facing forward/away from the body) and tend to feel heavier because the biceps aren't as dominant. Chin-ups usually feel easier because the biceps provide more support, especially if the grip isn't too wide.
The main muscles engaged during chin-ups are the biceps brachii, latissimus dorsi, and brachialis. Additionally, the upper back and core muscles are also activated to maintain body stability, allowing for more precise movements and more effective repetitions.
The Little-Known Benefits of Chin-Ups for Biceps
1. Train your biceps with heavier weights than dumbbells.
Chin-ups are an effective way to train your biceps because you're lifting your own body weight. Generally, your body weight is much heavier than the weight you'd normally use for a dumbbell curl.
This forces the biceps to work at higher loads. This is why chin-ups can help you notice rapid bicep growth, especially if you're consistent. Furthermore, chin-ups have a natural progressive overload.
The stronger you get, the easier it will be to increase reps, add sets, or slow down the tempo without needing additional equipment. And once you've reached a high rep count, simply add weight using a weight belt or dumbbells between your legs.
2. Increase Peak Contraction Naturally
Chin-ups are a movement that can produce a more natural peak contraction than curling. This is possible because you're pulling your body up with your palms facing you, which tends to engage your biceps more, especially as you approach the top position.
At the top of the movement, the biceps reach their maximum contraction. If you can hold this position for 1-2 seconds without swinging, you'll achieve a higher-quality contraction.
3. Form Thicker Biceps
This movement actually activates the brachialis and brachioradialis quite effectively. So, you're not just working your biceps, but also the muscle structure that makes your arms look fuller. The effect on your arm shape is obvious: when your brachialis develops, your biceps appear thicker from the sides, and when your brachioradialis strengthens, your forearms become more defined.
This move will create the visual illusion of a "solid" arm from top to bottom. That's why chin-ups often produce visual changes more quickly than isolated bicep exercises. Because many arm muscles are working together under a relatively heavy load, progress is easily measured.
Also Read: What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work? Here's a Guide and Safe Exercise Tips
4. Increase Grip Strength
Regular chin-up training will increase your grip strength, which directly impacts your arm training. As you hang and pull yourself up, your fingers, palms, and forearms work hard to maintain the position.
If your grip is strong, your biceps can work more effectively without "failing" due to hand fatigue. Grip strength may seem trivial, but it has a significant impact on exercise performance like curls and deadlifts.
In curls, a weak grip causes the grip to "open" quickly, so the reps stop before the biceps are fully exhausted. In deadlifts, the grip is often the first limit that causes you to fail the lift, even though your back and legs are still capable. So, chin-ups aren't just about adding reps.
5. Helps Improve Muscle Symmetry
If you feel like your left and right biceps are slightly different in strength, regular chin-ups are highly recommended. This movement will stimulate your muscles to regain balance.
If you do it with proper technique, you'll train your right and left biceps to work in unison and with greater balance. Compared to curls, chin-ups also tend to reduce cheating. Many people unknowingly steal reps when curling, which results in their biceps not being fully engaged and can lead to lopsided results.
Also Read: Can Pull-Ups Increase Height? Here's What Experts Say!
Chin-Up Technique to Maximize Biceps Activation
If your goal is to maximize bicep activation during chin-ups, start with a proper grip. Aim for a shoulder-width or slightly narrower grip with your palms facing you.
This grip typically activates the biceps more than a wide grip. When pulling, think about pushing your elbows down and back until your chin passes the bar, not shrugging your shoulders toward your ears.
Excessive shoulder elevation often shifts the load to the upper back and neck, while the biceps become less dominant. To maximize bicep activity, you must control the descent phase. Aim to lower slowly for 2-4 seconds while maintaining muscle contraction.
A neat eccentric usually creates a greater biceps stimulus and more stable progress. Avoid swinging/kipping, as this relies on momentum, not muscle, and can easily lead to form failure.
Let's Start Biceps Training with Chin Ups
Chin-ups aren't just a back exercise, as the palm-facing grip forces your biceps to work harder as you pull your body up. The chin-up movement pattern also supports the biceps, especially when you focus on pulling with your elbows down and maintaining stability without much sway.
For maximum results, you can combine chin-ups with curls. Chin-ups are great for building biceps strength using body weight, while curls focus more on isolating the biceps to increase training volume and muscle squeeze.
A simple and effective strategy for building biceps is to make chin-ups your main movement, then close the session with 2-3 curl variations so your biceps get a complete stimulus from strength to shaping.
