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I can't do a single decent chin-up, are there any easy alternatives that I could build up in quantity as a forerunner to being able to do chin-ups?
Alternatively are there are any weights exercises that could help achieve this?
Are there any online resources that outline a program for beginners to learn chin-ups and increase the number? Maybe something similar to hundredpushups.com that I can follow daily (I know they are working on a program called 25 pullups).
Do "negative chin ups": Jump/hop/use a chair/whatever to get to the top of the bar and make it down as slow as you can. Rest for a minute, repeat 5 - 8 times, 3 times a week. You'll be ready in less than 10 days.
Any exercises that work your lats and biceps should be about equally as effective if you do them correctly and in sufficient quantity/sets. After about a month or so of steady training you should be able to start doing regular pull-ups without assistance, if only a few. Just keep working at it.
One of my personal favorites is just getting on a chair or jumping to get up to the bar, then lowering yourself as slowly as possible back down (Negatives). This way you are using the actual weight you'll be working with later with exactly the same grip and position.
Check out this article courtesy of @Barbie: StrongLifts
It has some great pointers to help you build the strength and endurance to be able to do more pull-ups or chin-ups, and it also supports that within four weeks you should be able to do at least a few if you train steadily. StrongLifts' advice is to:
This is an example of a Weight-Assist Machine. The woman in the photo is using it for dips, but this particular machine also supports Chin-Ups. Some Gyms and Fitness Centers have these. The one where I work out has one, and with it, I'm able to get 10 reps instead of my normal 3.
These are exact words from Arnold Schwarzenegger in the July 2007 Muscle and Fitness:
[...] you can build up to doing full-range-of-motion chins for many reps. Start with the lat pulldown machine. Over time, increase the weight until you're doing pulldowns with your equivalent bodyweight for about eight reps. Then, leave the machine and to free-hanging chins.
I'm up to about 210 lbs for roughly 6 reps. I weigh about 215, so I'm slowly, but surely getting there.
The only other advice I can tell you is to just get in the gym and focus like a pro: No chit-chat, texting, no more than 1 minute rest between reps.
If you have access to a gym, try (in order of preference):
Inverted Row
This is really best exercise for beginners who can't do a single pull-up or chin-up. One can adjust the inclination (angle of the body w.r.t ground) to adjust the difficulty of the exercise.
The following picture shows Inverted row (for pull-ups) just use palms facing toward you (supinated grip) you'll have exercise for improving chin-ups.
In 2018 an EMG study (1) found that the most activated muscles during a pull-up are in declining order:
That the abs are heavily involved should be visible from this picture:
Further 3 exercises commonly used to train up to being able to do pull-ups were studied:
The first two had very little ab activation, whereas the last has good ab activation.
Band assisted pull-ups are even worse than machine assisted pull-ups since the band will provide the most assistance at the bottom of the movement where one is strongest and least assistance at the top where one is weakest (4).
The conclusion of this is:
a good way to work up to doing pull-ups or chin-ups is to do kneeling lat pull downs:
Since the abs are so important for chin-ups/pull-ups it is a good idea to also strengthen them directly.
Since the lats are a shoulder internal rotator it is important to balance vertical pulling out with rows and training rear delts using facepulls(2).
An example back workout for working toward chin-ups or pull-ups
Keep 1 or 2 reps in reserve for each set. Do this workout 2 x a week.
(1) A Comparison of Muscle Activation during the Pull-up and Three Alternative Pulling Exercises
(2) The Posture Cure
In addition to the assisted pull-up machine already mentioned...
If doing them with palms facing towards you with a shoulder-width grip: Work your biceps, forearms, and triceps [even though triceps are a pushing muscle, these will just help in strengthening your arms]
If doing them with palms out with a wide grip: Work your forearms, lats, biceps, triceps.
Don't cheat so you can up your number. Stay in good form.
If you have some pounds to lose, do cardio. Working your muscles and losing the amount of pounds you need to pull up will get you to your goal faster.
