Chin Ups for Women's Upper Body StrengthBut I believe investing the time of practicing chin ups and its variations are worth the effort and the time you put in to build a strong upper body. And women should not shy away from this bodyweight exercise or become intimidated by it, or even worse, thinking the chin-up exercise is only a men’s exercise.
Getting Over The Other Hump-Chin ups To be able to perform chin-ups we’ll follow similar principles we followed in the push-up routines. Do you remember the different position points we talked about for the push-up routine? Well, let me repeat them here because they’re important to know for the chin up exercise and they’re: • Pose 1 @ top-point • Pose 2 @ mid-point • Pose 3 @ bottom-point • Versatile (V) point Instructions… Example: Week one (3-5 days) • Hold the bar with both hands facing you and a shoulder-width apart or a little narrower • Lift yourself (you can cheat by pushing off with your legs for lift off) to pose 1 and hold it for 2-5 seconds • After the prescribed time, lower yourself to pose 2 for 2-5 seconds • After the prescribed time, lower yourself all the way down (extended your arms fully) to pose 3 for 2-5 seconds • Rest for 60-90 seconds or until you feel recovered, then repeat twice. Example: Week-2 to 3 • Assume the chin up position @ pose 1, and this time try to hold it longer than the first week sessions, like 7-12 seconds.
Upper Body Strength Chin-up exercise- Pose 1 @ Top point -Rest for 10-15** sec and take a deep breath then go for the next pose… • Assume the chin-up position @ pose 2 and try to hold it for 7-12 seconds
Upper Body Strength Chin-up exercise- Pose 2 @ Mid point - Rest for 10-15 sec and take a deep breath then go for the third pose… • Assume the chin-up position @ pose 3 and try to hold it for 7-12 seconds
Upper Body Strength Chin-up exercise- Pose 3 @ Bottom point - Rest for 10-15 sec and take a deep breath then go for the fourth pose... • Assume the chin-up position @ pose V, and try to hold it for 5-10 seconds Rest for about 60-90 seconds, then repeat for two more sets. What to do after week two or three?! After your second or third week, assess yourself. Try to perform the chin-up exercise and see if there is any progress considering your situation. There should be a noticeable improvement, but if not then try the routines mentioned above for another week or two. But first reevaluate what you’ve been doing and ask yourself these questions… -Are you practicing 3-5x/week? -Once you hold the poses for push up (20-30 seconds) or chin up (7-12 seconds) comfortably, are you challenging yourself for longer periods? That is how your upper body strength gradually increases. -Are you using the versatile point at different angles so your muscle fibers get exposed at these different tension positions? -Last but not least, practice both exercises (chin ups and push ups) equally to develop a balanced upper body strength and build a symmetrical physique. Please send me an email and let me know about your story, I’ll be glad to hear from you.
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