Pull ups vs Chin ups vs Push ups? Which is the best?

daryldeal

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Pull ups vs Chin ups vs Push ups? Which is the best for general fitness, strength and endurance? Thoughts? and why?
 
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Pull ups and push ups are good together right, it would seem to fit that you'd want the pull AND the push combo. Keep them babies tone and in shape.
 
I like pullups because I find it works my grip and traps more. I work chinups because I find they have the most carryover to the thai clinch. Towel chinups for grip, one armed time holds, front and back lever, hanging leg raises... so many things to do with the bar.

I wouldn't even have pushups in the comparison since they are a completely different exercise. I enjoy doing low reps with my shoulderblades toghethor (scapula), I find they are good for shoulder health. I enjoy do plyometric pushups after a bench day, or one handed pushups on a overhead press day. So many variations, no reason to neglect them. Can always just scatter them throughout your day, good cooldown or warmup.
 
Pull ups vs Chin ups vs Push ups? Which is the best for general fitness, strength and endurance? Thoughts? and why?

Considering chin-ups work teh biceptors, and push-ups work teh chesticles, I'd say it's a toss-up between those two.

Pull-ups are not even close to being in the mix. Nobody cares about your lats if your pecs and bis are underdeveloped.
 
Considering chin-ups work teh biceptors, and push-ups work teh chesticles, I'd say it's a toss-up between those two.

Pull-ups are not even close to being in the mix. Nobody cares about your lats if your pecs and bis are underdeveloped.

It's true. Lats are never going to make the top of your polo shirt pop, or fill out the sleeves.

In truth, I don't even know why we have lats. Do they even serve a purpose?
 
^ classic noob question.

Well-developed lats bring more attention to your bis by pushing into them and thus making them more prominent.

Have you even read the FAQs?
 
^ classic noob question.

Well-developed lats bring more attention to your bis by pushing into them and thus making them more prominent.

Have you even read the FAQs?

I tried to, but it was all crap about leg exercises and they were saying that you don't even need to get the burn. The guys that wrote that, I don't know if they even lift.
 
^^ obvious troll but just to point out a developed back/lats definitely fills out tshirts/polos etc and IMO is just as important as any other upper body muscle if looks are what you are after :)
 
You can't really compare pull-ups/chins to pushups because they do different things.

As for pull-ups vs chins: Although some say the opposite, most people including myself define a chin as a pull-up with the palms of your hands facing yourself.

Pull-ups will work your upper back more and chins will work your biceps more. But both are excellent exercises for overall upper body strength, and you'd be wise to combine them. I'd give a slight edge to pull-ups if I had to choose because it is in my opinion the one single best exercise for upper back strength, and I think most people will find a strong upper back more useful than strong biceps. Rather hypothetical question however.

Push-ups are fine too, but most people find a push-up so much easier than a pull-up that they will only be useful for muscular endurance rather than explosive strength or "body building". As you know, push-ups primarily train your chest, triceps and front deltoids, so it's a completely different exercise vs pull-ups.

I think you'll still get much of the benefits of push-ups from just doing other stuff such as working the bags, swimming or cross-country skiing. So even though I happen to do push-ups on a regular basis, I'd vote them last in your hypothetical poll.
 
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