Assisted Standing Chin-up
Also known as: standing assisted chin-up
Use a fixed machine groove to build strength you can feel outside the gym: Assisted Standing Chin-up earns a spot in every back session.
How to do Assisted Standing Chin-up
- Adjust the machine to your desired assistance level.
- Stand on the foot platform and grip the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your chest up and shoulders back, engage your core, and slightly bend your knees.
- Pull your body up by flexing your elbows and driving your elbows down towards your sides.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Assisted Standing Chin-up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Add one plate only when the full range stays smooth.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Control the return instead of letting the stack drop.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Match the seat and pad settings every session.
Common Assisted Standing Chin-up Mistakes
Letting the weight stack crash on the way back
Control the return for the same count as the working phase.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Easier and Harder Than Assisted Standing Chin-up
Swap Assisted Standing Chin-up For
Assisted Standing Chin-up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Assisted Standing Chin-up?
Adjust the machine to your desired assistance level. Stand on the foot platform and grip the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your chest up and shoulders back, engage your core, and slightly bend your knees. Use a leverage machine and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Assisted Standing Chin-up work?
The Assisted Standing Chin-up primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a leverage machine.
How many sets and reps of the Assisted Standing Chin-up should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Control the return instead of letting the stack drop. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Assisted Standing Chin-up good for beginners?
Not usually. The Assisted Standing Chin-up is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier back progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Assisted Standing Chin-up?
Try the Weighted Muscle Up (on Bar), Muscle Up or the Cable One Arm Pulldown. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Assisted Standing Chin-up the same as the standing assisted chin-up?
Yes. The Assisted Standing Chin-up is also commonly called the standing assisted chin-up. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing assisted chin-up" refer to this same movement.
