This article is authored by Doug Scott. Opinions expressed may not be that of SMARTER Team Training, STT sponsors or constituents. Coach Scott has been a member of the Pingry faculty since 1999 and has served as a Physical Education teacher and Strength and Conditioning coach since that time. Doug designs workouts for both male and female student athletes competing on a variety of Varsity and Junior Varsity athletic teams, including many county, state, and conference championship teams. Listen to Doug’s podcast on iTunes by clicking here.

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“Chinning” yourself is without question one of the hardest and most productive exercises for developing the upper body. Whether you choose to do pull-­ups (palms facing away) or chin-­ups (palms facing towards) make sure you follow the following guidelines to get the most out of the exercise.

Chin-­Up Basics
• Start each repetition at full arms length.
• Pull yourself up so that your chin is over the bar. Do not extend your neck to “reach for it”, but pull your shoulder blades back and raise your chest up.
• Hold the “up” position for a full 1001 count.
• Don’t just “drop” lower yourself under control.

Chin-­Up Variations
30-­second Chin-­Up: Perform 2 repetitions of 30 seconds each, 15 seconds to rise and 15 seconds to lower.

Negative Only Chin-­Ups: This exercise only involves the lowering portion of the exercise. Climb to the top position; hold for a 1001 count and begin to lower slowly. Each lowering repetition should take 8 seconds. The goal is 8 reps at 8 seconds. From there you can add weight by using a weighted belt.

Rope Chin­‐Ups: Attach one or two climbing ropes to the overhead bar and perform your chin-ups. This will add a great deal of stress to the muscles of the hands and forearms and is a great grip exercise in addition to arms and back.

Add chin­‐ups to your training and get take your upper body strength to new heights.


Doug Scott believes that strength training is a “means to and end” and should be a part of every athlete’s lifestyle; and it’s the coaches job to facilitate learning and put the athlete in the best position to get the most out of themselves and ultimately succeed. Mr. Scott has also worked as a personal trainer and has written a number of fitness-related articles and chapters. Coach Scott is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and hold the title of Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. You can contact him at dscott@pingry.org.