Ring Neutral Grip Chin Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Adjust the rings to a height that allows you to hang with arms fully extended without your feet touching the ground.
2. Grasp the rings with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) at roughly shoulder-width apart.
3. Assume a dead-hang position with your core braced, glutes squeezed, and legs straight or slightly in front of your body (hollow body position).

How to do it

1. Exhale as you initiate the pull by depressing your shoulder blades and driving your elbows down toward your ribcage.
2. Pull your chest toward the rings until your chin is clearly above the level of your hands, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.
3. Pause briefly at the top of the movement to emphasize peak contraction in the lats and biceps.
4. Inhale as you lower yourself back to the starting position with a controlled 3-second eccentric phase until your arms are fully locked out.

Form checklist

• Keep your shoulders pulled away from your ears to avoid shrugging during the pull.
• Maintain a rigid core to prevent swinging or using momentum from the lower body.
• Ensure the rings stay parallel to each other and do not flare outward as you ascend.
• Achieve a full dead hang at the bottom of every rep to ensure maximum muscle fiber recruitment.

Pro tips

• Think about pulling the rings 'apart' slightly at the very top of the movement to further engage the rear deltoids and mid-back.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining your hands as hooks and pulling through your elbows to minimize forearm fatigue.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement in an L-sit position to drastically increase the demand on your abdominals and hip flexors.
• Incorporate a 5-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension and stimulate more hypertrophy.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the ring neutral grip chin up work?

The ring neutral grip chin up primarily targets the biceps, lats, and trapezius, and also works the abs, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the ring neutral grip chin up?

The ring neutral grip chin up uses suspension trainer.

Is the ring neutral grip chin up good for beginners?

The ring neutral grip chin up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Band Bent Over One Arm KickbackBeginner · biceps, lats, rhomboids, and trapezius
• L Sit Chin UpAdvanced · abs, biceps, lats, and trapezius
• Ring Chin-UpAdvanced · biceps, lats, and trapezius
• Ring L Sit Chin UpAdvanced · abs, biceps, lats, and trapezius