Pull Ups vs Chin Ups – What’s The Difference & Which One Is Better?

If you asked any intelligent trainer or strength coach to list the top 5 exercises the majority of the population should be doing, pull ups and/or chin ups (or lat pull-downs) will usually be on every list.

It’s just universally considered one of the best exercise variations for building muscle and increasing strength in the back and biceps. It’s also a common “test” exercise used to show you’re at a certain level of strength and physical condition.

I of course agree with this completely, which is why every workout routine I ever create will ALWAYS contain some type of pull up, chin up, or lat pull-down movement.

The problem however is that many people don’t seem to realize that pull ups and chin ups are NOT the same thing. They’re similar exercises for sure, but using their names interchangeably is just flat out wrong.

In fact, there are actually quite a few differences and pros/cons between them, and you’d need to know them all to figure out which one truly is best for you.

So, here now is a break down of the major differences between pull ups and chin ups…

(*NOTE* Everything in this article also applies to lat pull-downs just the same.)