Side-to-side Chin

Intermediate

Lats

Body Weight

Built around pure bodyweight leverage, Side-to-side Chin fits between vertical and horizontal pulls and builds strength you can feel outside the gym.

How to do Side-to-side Chin

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body relaxed.
Pull yourself up by bending your elbows and bringing your chin towards the bar, while keeping your body straight.
Once your chin is above the bar, lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Side-to-side Chin Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.

Endurance

3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.

Common Side-to-side Chin Mistakes

Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work

Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.

Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains

Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.

Letting the last set decay into a different exercise

End the set when the pattern changes, not when the reps run out.

Easier and Harder Than Side-to-side Chin

Easier progression

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Harder progression

Lever Assisted Chin-up

Swap Side-to-side Chin For

Lever Reverse Grip Lateral Pulldown

Cable Underhand Pulldown

Barbell Decline Bent Arm Pullover

Side-to-side Chin — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Side-to-side Chin?

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your body relaxed. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Side-to-side Chin work?

The Side-to-side Chin primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.

How many sets and reps of the Side-to-side Chin should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Side-to-side Chin good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic back patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Side-to-side Chin?

Try the Lever Reverse Grip Lateral Pulldown, Cable Underhand Pulldown or the Barbell Decline Bent Arm Pullover. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.