What are chinups? Chinups are similar to pullups in that you grip and hang from a straight, horizontal bar and pull your body up toward the bar, ideally to chest level. The main difference is the grip variation. Chinups use a supinated grip, meaning your palms face you.

Do chin-ups count as pull-ups?

And while you may use the terms interchangeably, the two moves are actually quite distinct. The big difference comes in how you grip the bar. Put most simply, chin-ups are performed with your palms facing toward your body, and pull-ups are performed with your palms facing away from you.

Is it better to do pull-ups or chin-ups?

Most of the time, chinups will be recommended before pullups. If your workout routine is already strenuous on your biceps or your lower back, pullups may be the better option. ... So, while chinups will do more for your biceps and pull-ups cause more lat muscle activation, both exercises engage the back muscles.