Weighted Hang Chin-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Secure a weight plate using a dip belt or by gripping it firmly between your thighs.
2. Stand beneath the pull-up bar and grasp it with a supinated grip (palms facing you), shoulder-width apart.
3. Step off the wall or platform to enter a full dead hang with arms fully extended and legs crossed or straight.
4. Engage your core and depress your shoulder blades to stabilize the added load.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you pull your body upward by driving your elbows down toward your hips, aiming to bring your upper chest to the bar.
2. Maintain a slight arch in your upper back and keep your chest up to ensure the lats are doing the work.
3. Inhale as you lower yourself back down with a controlled 2-3 second eccentric phase until your arms are fully extended.
4. Avoid swinging the weight; keep your torso vertical and your core braced throughout the entire range of motion.

Form checklist

• Ensure palms remain facing you throughout the entire movement.
• Achieve a full range of motion from a dead hang to chin-over-bar.
• Keep shoulders pulled down and away from your ears to avoid trap dominance.
• Minimize any swinging or 'kipping' of the legs or the weighted plate.
• Keep your elbows tucked close to your sides rather than flaring them out.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pulling the bar down' rather than pulling yourself up to better engage the lats and biceps.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the peak of the movement to maximize trapezius and rhomboid activation.
• Maintain a 'hollow body' position by bracing your abs to prevent the lower back from over-arching under the weight.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric hold at the top of the rep with your chin over the bar.
• Slow the eccentric phase to 4-5 seconds to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the weighted hang chin-up work?

The weighted hang chin-up primarily targets the biceps, lats, and trapezius, and also works the abs, forearms, grip muscles, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the weighted hang chin-up?

The weighted hang chin-up uses pull up bar.

Is the weighted hang chin-up good for beginners?

The weighted hang chin-up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Band Assisted Chin Up From KneeIntermediate · biceps, lats, and trapezius
• Band Bent Over One Arm KickbackBeginner · biceps, lats, rhomboids, and trapezius
• Chin-UpIntermediate · biceps, lats, and trapezius
• Chin-Up Isometric And NegativeIntermediate · biceps, lats, and trapezius