Exercise guide
Lever Assisted Neutral Grip Chin Up
- Beginner
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
This beginner-friendly compound movement uses a counterweight machine to reduce body weight, allowing for a full range of motion while targeting the lats and biceps. The neutral grip (palms facing each other) places the shoulders in a safer position and increases mechanical advantage for the biceps.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Select the appropriate assistance weight on the machine (higher weight provides more help).
- Step onto the platform and place your knees or feet firmly on the padded lever arm.
- Grasp the parallel handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) at shoulder-width.
- Lower yourself into a full hang with arms extended and your torso vertical.
How to do it
- Exhale and pull your body upward by driving your elbows down toward your hips and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Continue the movement until your chin is level with or slightly above the handles, keeping your chest lifted.
- Inhale and slowly lower yourself back to the starting position using a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.
- Stop just short of a dead hang to maintain constant tension on the lats and biceps.
Form checklist
- Keep your shoulders depressed (away from ears) throughout the entire rep.
- Maintain a proud chest and avoid rounding your upper back at the top.
- Ensure your elbows stay tucked close to your ribs rather than flaring out.
- Avoid using momentum or 'bouncing' at the bottom of the movement.
Pro tips
- Imagine you are pulling the handles down to you rather than pulling yourself up to engage the lats more effectively.
- Focus on a hard squeeze of the shoulder blades at the peak of the movement to maximize trapezius and rhomboid activation.
Make it harder
- Gradually decrease the assistance weight by 5-10 lbs each week to progress toward unassisted chin-ups.
- Incorporate a 2-second isometric hold at the top of each rep to increase time under tension.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the lever assisted neutral grip chin up work?
- The lever assisted neutral grip chin up primarily targets the biceps, lats, and trapezius, and also works the abs and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the lever assisted neutral grip chin up?
- The lever assisted neutral grip chin up uses leverage machine and pull up bar.
- Is the lever assisted neutral grip chin up good for beginners?
- Yes. The lever assisted neutral grip chin up is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.