chin ups

[the block]

some say that wide grip are bad for your shoulders. why would they be bad?

[Robert]

They hurt my shoudlers the wider I go. No idea why.

[Robert]

Actually thats a lie.

Yoru body is not designed to do it, so its not easy for some poeple, and not possible for others [to do safely].

[the block]

so its one of those you can do them comfy or you cant. and thats your lot.

i dont have any probs with them and i go wide but super duper wide. just a bit outside shoulder width.

[Robert]

Shoulder width is my limit.

**** wide chins anyways: Do thick bar ones. Overhand. With no knurling, and make the bar float (rotate - rest it on the power rack pins). THATS a chin up.

[PikeKing]

i dont really see the point of going wide to be honest

[bunnyluva]

Keep you're hand spacing on exercises in a 'comfortable' position. Try to avoid narrow and widegrips.

Thats my take on the narrow/wide argument anyway.

Phil

[kinkymisspinky]

I'm not aware of anything wrong with close-grip chins, but taking your grip too wide opens your shoulder cavity at the top of the lift.

[the block]

aaah - cheers pink

[666]

I remember it being mentioned before that cg chins were better than wg as they use exactly the same muscles but you can lift more weight (or the same weight for more reps - whatever). I believed this at the time but I've changed my mind. As part of my recovery from my muscle imbalance in my back, I've been doing a lot more chins than before and I've come to appreciate the difference.

With wide arm chins, I've found that you incorporate your lower traps a lot more than cg, which has really helped with my problem (which is why the physio told me to do them rather than cg). I believe this is because your elbows end up behind you rather than in front so the greater ROM makes you squeeze your shoulder blades together. This is all observational with only myself as subject though.

[the block]

depends on the hand positioning also. close grip you have a palms facing you grip. this taxes the forearms and biceps more.

[Hulk]

I had always thought that the wider you go the more your lats are worked and the closer you go the more your arms are worked. I certainly find that i can do more cg's and wg's. I use the wide grips though as im finding my lats are gaining more this way.
I suppose its just a personal preferance, if it hurts then it cant be doing your joints much good! :018: