Now, it goes without saying that If you have dumbbells, you can set a dumbbell between your feet, and that works well, however there ARE other options.
These 4 weighted chin-up variations hit your back and biceps while also hammering your abs, adductors, hip flexors, and hamstrings...heck, even your CHEST, to some degree.
Ideally, you'll want to use bumper plates for these (in case they drop and for comfort), but it's not 100% necessary in all cases.
Weighted Chin-Up #1 - Adductor Chins
Grab a weight plate and stick it between your knees.
Clench your thighs together by contracting your adductors hard, then do chins. I worked up to a 45 lb plate for these.
You can either cross or not cross your feet over. Crossing will give you something to work against to clamp down harder with the adductors. I opted to not cross.
Then do chins-ups, as normal.
This one most resembles the regular belt-weighted chin-up in terms of feel (other than the adductor activation, of course).
Bumpers do work better here because they're more "grippy" and won't have the tendency to slide out and fall.
Weighted Chin-Up #2 - Shin Chins
Set a plate on the top of your feet, resting it against your shins. Flex your toes up (a.k.a. dorsiflexion, which works the tibialis anterior or front shin muscle) and hold them there.
Now do chin-ups.
This forces you to keep your body straight and allows ZERO body movement (i.e. kipping), otherwise the plate goes flying.
It works the abs quite strongly, along with the tibialis anterior.
Weighted Chin-Up #3 - Ham Chins
For this one, you'll either need a spotter to set the weight plate (if you're using a regular chin-up bar), or you'll need to use a lower bar, like a Smith machine or a bar set on the safety rails like I have.
You'll start the exercise kneeling, so you need to be able to reach up and grab the bar from that position.
Set the weight plate on the back of your lower legs. The plate should set against the top of the backs of your shoes and in the backs of your knees.
Now reach up and grab the bar and do chins, keeping your legs at 90 degrees, which activates the hamstrings with an isometric contraction.
Your feet should be apart to cradle the plate.
Your legs will shift forward as you pull up, which is why the plates needs to rest against your shoes.
At the bottom of each rep, rest briefly on the ground or your hamstrings will give out before your back.
Weighted Chin-Up #4 - Ab Chins
You'll use the same lower back for this one (or have a spotter set the plate).
Squat down under the bar and set the plate on your thighs.
Now reach up and grab the bar. Walk your feet forward until your thighs are horizontal.
Now do a chin-up, keeping your thighs horizontal.
You can set your feet down on the floor between each rep, or try and keep your knees up (which if you had a partner set the plate, you'll need to do).
This one will TRASH your abs. The abs are activated strongly with regular chins anyway...by adding a plate in this position, you'll hit them even HARDER.
If you're ready for an even greater challenge with the pull-up, try the Two Vertical Bar Pull-Up. This one targets lat width better than just about any other exercise.
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