How to do an Australian Chin Up
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Australian Chin Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Australian Chin Up is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the back, biceps, and shoulders. This compound movement is performed from an inclined, horizontal position using a low bar, which makes it easier than standard Chin Ups. The inclined position adds stability, allowing you to focus on muscle engagement and form. It's a great exercise for building strength to progress towards full Chin Ups.
- Position yourself underneath a fixed barbell grabbing the barbell with an underhand grip shoulder width apart.
- Keep your legs and torso straight and start with your arms extended.
- Pull your upper chest up towards the barbell keeping your elbows close to your torso and ensure that your body remains straight by engaging the core throughout the movement.
- Control your movement back to the starting position and repeat.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Australian Chin Up standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Australian Chin Up
1. Dumbbell Row
99.9 mSCORESWAPPED 5,978 TIMESThis compound movement primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps, as well as requiring some core activation for stability. By bracing yourself on the flat bench, you can position your torso parallel to the ground, without needing specific equipment. This is a great exercise with or without limited equipment, and a staple in many back workouts.
2. Lat Pulldown
100 mSCORESWAPPED 5,227 TIMESThis compound exercise primarily targets the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. The movement itself is based on a Pull Up, however, by locking your legs into place, you can add significantly more stability to the movement making it easier to complete a rep, as well as getting control over the resistance. This exercise can be easily adapted to meet your needs with different handles.
- Beginner
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3. Cable Row
99.8 mSCORESWAPPED 5,213 TIMESCable Row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders and biceps. This exercise is often done with a specific cable machine that sets you into the perfect position, but you can also use an adjustable cable to have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from. This is a great exercise for building muscle mass and strength in your back, and is a common addition to most upper body or pull workouts.
4. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
94.4 mSCORESWAPPED 3,665 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits biceps. The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for any discrepancies in strength between sides, as well as adds more instability to the movement compared to equipment like barbells. This can be a great addition to any back workout for building muscle mass and strength.
5. Bent Over Barbell Row
97.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,300 TIMESBent Over Barbell row is a compound movement that primarily targets your back, but also hits your shoulders, traps, and biceps. The use of a barbell adds more stability to this movement compared to something like dumbbells which can help you focus on exerting strength rather than stabilizing the movement. It’s a great exercise for building strength, and can be a way to start learning more advanced exercises like Olympic Lifts.
6. Incline Dumbbell Row
90.5 mSCORESWAPPED 2,070 TIMESThis is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. It’s a variation on the more standard Bent Over Row, that uses an incline bench to stabilize your upper body. This added stability ensures that you can't assist yourself by recruiting other muscle groups. The added stability also allows you to focus on moving the weight rather than stabilizing your upper body in the right position.
7. Machine Row
95.6 mSCORESWAPPED 1,941 TIMESLike other row variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your back. Unlike other variations, using a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds a ton of stability to the movement. This is excellent exercise for learning or practicing the movement of a seated row.
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8. Reverse Grip Barbell Bent Over Row
83.9 mSCORESWAPPED 1,781 TIMESReverse Grip Barbell Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back, but also hits the biceps and shoulders. The reverse grip can help further emphasize the biceps and recruit different muscles in the back compared to a standard grip. Using a barbell adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion rather than stability.
9. Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly
81.9 mSCORESWAPPED 1,595 TIMESDumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). The use of dumbbells helps prevent compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. Leaning forward during the exercise allows for better isolation of the targeted shoulder muscles while also recruiting some muscle activation in the upper back.
10. Pull Up
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,571 TIMESPull Ups are compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily target the back, but also hits the shoulders and biceps. While this exercise does have a decently high barrier to entry, it can be easily adapted to match your current conditioning with weighted or assisted variations. This is an excellent exercise for building functional strength and body control.
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