An upper body exercise similar to a pull-up but performed with palms facing toward you (supinated grip), emphasizing bicep involvement more than back muscles. You pull up until your chin clears the bar.
From 'chin' (the body part that clears the bar) + 'up' (upward movement). Distinguished from pull-ups in military and fitness contexts to specify grip orientation, though the terms are often used interchangeably.
The chin-up versus pull-up debate reveals how grip position dramatically changes muscle recruitment - the supinated grip of chin-ups can increase bicep activation by up to 40%! This makes chin-ups often easier for beginners to master first.
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