Are chin ups better than curls?
William Rodriguez
Published Jan 24, 2026
Despite the isolation of the bicep curl vs the chin up, chin ups are actually the better exercise for your arms and your upper body as a whole. The practicality of the functional strength is a big factor, but not as big as the facts. Chin-ups are proven to have a greater bicep activation than curls.
Can you get big biceps from chin ups?
It's possible to build bigger Biceps with both, Chin Ups and Curls. The highest bicep activation is found in Weighted Chin Ups. But if biceps size is very important to you, just do both.
Is chin-up the best bicep exercise?
The pull-up mostly targets your upper back and lats, along with the brachioradialis (forearm) and other parts of your upper body to a lesser extent. The chin-up on the other hand places a greater emphasis on your biceps and brachialis. It also activates your forearms, teres major, and posterior delts.
Are bicep curls a waste of time?
The short answer is no! Of course biceps curls are not useless. It's become common place for trainers and some coaches to say that this classic and iconic exercise is a waste of time. You can thank CrossFit's “we don't do any movements that aren't functional” line of bs for part of this shift in the industry.
Do athletes do bicep curls?
Final Words. Bicep curls very well may be beneficial to many athletes, when done with the right intent. However, without adhering to the foundation movements; squats, pulls, cleans, snatches, bodyweight calisthenics, sprints, etc of your specific sports, bicep curls may very well be a waste of time.
20 related questions foundDo athletes need to train biceps?
Both the intermediate and advanced athletes will often have trained the triceps and biceps through other movements like pull-ups, chin-ups, presses, and rows. That said, to optimally develop the arms, dedicated arm training is necessary.
How many chin-ups can the average man do?
How many reps of Chin Ups can the average lifter do? The average male lifter can do 14 reps of Chin Ups. This makes you Intermediate on Strength Level and is a very impressive achievement.
Are chin-ups or pull-ups harder?
Generally, chinups are a little bit easier than pullups, meaning that you can probably do more repetitions using a chinup grip than a pullup grip.
Are chin-ups better than pull-ups?
Chin-ups or pull-ups? Both movements are great, and neither one is better than the other. Chin-ups work your biceps and back, while pull-ups work more of your back than biceps. They're equally beneficial and you should be doing both of them in your program.
Is it OK to do chin-ups everyday?
Chinups and pullups can and should be integrated into the overall needs and goals of your fitness routine. They can be performed in repetition sets or to failure. If your goal is to increase endurance, then they can be done on a daily basis.
Can pull ups get you a six pack?
In addition to working your back, pull-ups strengthen and sculpt your shoulders, forearms, and chest (pecs). They also engage your abs, including your deep transverse abdominis, making them a great exercise for targeting many of the major muscles in the body.
Is 10 chin-ups good?
To build prowess in your biceps and back muscles, use chin-ups as part of a workout progression. Once you can pretty readily do 12 to 15 chin-ups, move to multiple sets with 10 reps in each set. For a few weeks, do two sets of 10 chin-up reps.
Can chin-ups get you ripped?
A Weighty Matter. If your goal is to build muscle, push-ups and pull-ups will definitely add to your muscle mass if you do enough of them. But it's worth keeping in mind that resistance training with heavier weights that bring you to temporary muscle failure after six to eight reps are likely to build muscle faster.
Are 10 pull-ups good?
Men should be able to perform at least 8 pull-ups, and 13-17 reps is considered fit and strong. And women should be able to perform between 1-3 pull-ups, and 5-9 reps is considered fit and strong.
Are chin-ups worth it?
Chin-ups can help improve grip strength, posture and appearance, while also helping to strengthen muscles that stabilize the spine. This, in turn, can help reduce one's risk of back pain and injury.
How many chin-ups should I do a day?
(It helps if you have a pullup bar at home or can get in the gym in the morning and evening.) Shoot for 3 to 5 sets each day—one set in the morning, one at lunch, one before bed, and others when you have a few extra minutes.
What are the benefits of doing chin-ups?
3 Benefits of Doing Chin-ups
- Chin-ups build your upper body strength. By working muscles like the latissimus dorsi, teres major, and trapezius muscle in your back, the chin-up can build your upper body strength.
- Chin-ups build strength in your arms. ...
- Chin-ups improve your grip strength.
Is 25 chin-ups good?
Lower-rep, heavy chin-ups can be just as ego-stroking as cranking out sets of 25 with bodyweight, and your upper-body strength and muscle mass will skyrocket. Your back, biceps, and yes, even your abs will be stimulated in a whole new way.
Is 20 pull ups a lot?
If you do pullups like I just described, 20 in a row is a great standard to aim for. The vast majority of guys can't do that. If you get to 20 reps, it tends to be a game changer for your upper body strength.
How many pull ups should I be able to do at 13?
Thirteen-year-old males are expected to perform three pullups. Fourteen-year-olds are expected to perform 2 more reps for a total of 5 reps for meeting the 50th percentile. Fifteen-year-olds are expected to complete 6 reps; while 16-year-olds typically do 7 reps, and 18-year-olds do 8 reps.
Is ARM day a waste of time?
So, is a dedicated arm day a waste of time? Because arm muscles grow and develop in the same way as any other muscle in your body, arm days can be just as valuable and useful as any other workout split.
Do big arms mean strength?
Having bigger, stronger arms can give you a feeling of confidence. Muscular arms can also convey a sense of athleticism and strength.
Why wont my arms grow?
There are two main training errors people make that keep their biceps from growing. These are overtraining the biceps (often unintentionally) and a lack of variation in training techniques. Adding additional biceps focused workouts and trying multiple biceps exercises doesn't work.
Is 50 chin-ups a day good?
You'll Get Stronger at Pull-Ups
If your goal is to be able to do 50 or more consecutive pull-ups, doing them every day is the best way to reach that goal. You'll develop plenty of back strength, but you'll also be able to do more pull-ups than most people you know.