http://youtu.be/UJN8hHY_PQU
A self-explanatory video by Andre Benoit, who works for Poliquin, at least as far as I know he still does, about how to get better at chin ups.
Chin ups are palms facing each other or facing you. Pull ups are palms facing away from you.
The pull up works the back muscles much harder, chin ups let the arms help more.
Benoit recommends doing at least 30 chin ups in a workout. By this he means a culmunative total rather than 30 chin ups in one set, which has little point for the majority of people. When you can do 15 FULL chin ups, instead of merely doing more, add weight as recommended. If you can’t get hold of a tree climbing belt, then a standard weight belt will do. Its just a bit more awkward.
If you still can’t do a chin up, but you can lower yourself for 30 seconds, it means your shoulder girdle isn’t working properly and you need to engage in some serious rehab. The suggestion that the teres major is adhered to the lats may be true, but in truth, this is a simplistic answer.
The reason I’m not sure if Andre is still working for Poliquin is that I do know that Charles Poliquin no longer works for Poliquin. ! This is all we have been told. In the middle of Sept, I am due to go to Boston for a big conference which was supposed to include Charles – but now presumably will not. I am hoping to learn more there. But having had the great luck to work with Charles for the past 8 years, I am increasingly convinced he jumped rather than was pushed. He can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/strengthsensei
Charles is a big fan of the chin up…….