Tip Do Close-Grip Chin-Ups First Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Do Close-Grip Chin-Ups First If you really want bigger biceps start your workout with these Here' s how many sets and reps to do by Christian Thibaudeau October 1, 2020February 25, 2021 Tags Training Ask a dozen strength coaches what the best overall triceps-builder is and most will say either the close-grip bench press or dips. These are compound movements that allow you to create the greatest overload of the triceps. They also involve other muscle groups (pecs and delts) but they're still considered the best way to start a triceps workout. Think of all the main muscles in your body and the big lifts you'd do to hit them: pecs, lats, quads, hams, triceps, delts, etc. They all have their own compound movement or bread-and-butter lift. For pecs the bench press (or dips), for delts the military press, for quads the squat, for hamstrings the Romanian deadlift, and for the upper back it'd be either barbell rows or pull-ups. But for biceps, it's weird. When we think of its bread-and-butter lift, the first thing that comes to mind is the standing barbell curl. Listen, there's a multi-joint big basic for the biceps too: the supinated (palms facing you) close-grip pull-up. That exercise shows greater biceps activation than most direct biceps exercises while also using a heavier load. Keep in mind, you're lifting around 97% of your bodyweight with no added weight, and it's even more effective if you DO add weight. If you want to build your biceps, start your workout with the close-grip supinated chin-up. Load it up pretty heavy so that you reps will fall in the 6-10 range. Your goal should be to get stronger in that range while maintaining proper form. But what if you can't even do 6 proper chin-ups with bodyweight? You have two main options: 1 Use a partial range of motion Start from the bottom and pull yourself up as high as possible (without cheating or contorting). Over time, your goal will be to get higher and higher. 2 Use a lat pulldown If you can't even do a partial rep, use a close-grip, supinated lat pulldown. To make it work you must have the impression of pulling it down toward you, not simply down. This should be the first exercise when training biceps. Don't go to failure, since chin-ups respond well to the greasing-the-groove approach of daily practice. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Make This a Finisher On Leg Day Increase time under tension to increase the gains. Try this mechanical drop set on for size. Legs, Tips, Training Dean Graddon September 5 Training When Should I Change My Training Change up your workouts or you'll stop making progress. But change them too often and you'll never get good. Here's how to find the balance. Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Training Charles Staley April 26 Training Tip Rethinking the Sissy Concentration Curl It's an easy isolation exercise, it's not functional, and everyone knows chin-ups are better. Except, according to this study, that's not quite right. Arms, Bodybuilding, Tips, Training Chris Shugart July 22 Training Fix Your Knees Get Bigger & Stronger A "knee" article that covers box squats, American deadlifts, stretching too much, and avoiding mobility drills. Bodybuilding, It Hurts Fix It, Powerlifting & Strength, Training Tony Gentilcore December 26