Can You Get Abs From Chinups?

Nothing else symbolizes the idea of the perfect physique like a six pack. A lean, defined set of abdominals indicates that you have a low body fat percentage and a muscular midsection. While many people focus on isolated core moves such as crunches and leg lifts in an attempt to achieve this, chinups are actually a far better choice in your pursuit of sculpted abs.

  1. Muscles Worked

    • Chinups mainly target different muscles in your upper body, most notably your lats, biceps, rhomboids, lower and middle traps and forearms, but your abs get a good workout, too. Your core has to work hard to stabilize you throughout the entire movement, notes personal trainer Matt Furey. During a chinup, your abs are in charge of making sure your torso stays straight and you don't swing too much.

    Getting Abs

    • Everyone has abdominal muscles, but revealing them is a different matter. To get your abs to show, you need a low body fat percentage. While training is important for this, your diet plays an even bigger role. According to trainer Ian Graham, abs are made in the kitchen. You need to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose fat and reveal your abs, so adjustments to your diet are crucial.

    Benefits of Chinups

    • While training isn't the most important factor in losing fat and getting abs, chinups should play a role in your fat-loss program. You have to be in good shape with low body fat to perform a chinup anyway, notes strength coach Rachel Cosgrove, as extra fat will weigh you down and make chinups much harder. Additionally, chinups work multiple muscle groups. Exercises that work more muscles release larger amounts of hormones such as testosterone and human growth hormone than isolation or machine exercises do, and this leads to faster fat loss, adds Josh Bryant of Metroflex Gym in Texas.

    Programming

    • Perform chinups as part of your upper-body workouts. How many sets and reps you do depends on your current level. If you can perform body-weight chinups, aim for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions, or add some weight using a weight vest or weight belt and complete five sets of five. If you can't do unassisted chinups, perform machine-assisted or negative chinups, where you just lower yourself as slowly as possible for three sets of eight to 12 until you've built up the strength for body-weight reps. Combine your chinups with other compound exercises such as lunges, squats and bench presses, along with a calorie-controlled diet to help you lose the fat covering your abs. To strengthen your core muscles further, stabilization exercises such as planks, side planks and rollouts can be useful, too.