pull/chin up grip

[conorvansmack]

I didn't want to hijack rasczak's thread but I saw that he mentioned hammer grip pull ups.

The gym I go to has pull up handles, not a bar. There isn't a bar connecting the two handles, so it's impossible to do shoulder-width chin ups. There are hammer grip handles (they point toward you and are about shoulder-width apart for me) that I assume are supposed to replace chin ups. Does anyone have experience with these? I don't know if they are working my biceps as well as chin ups.

 

[RagingBITCH]

I don't know about effectiveness, but I think they incorporate more of your upper body, as they seem infinitely easier to me than pull/chin ups.

A lot of guys will use a lat pull down bar and place it across the top of those hammer grip handles, effectively making a straight bar w/ curved handles that you can do normal pull-ups on.

 

[MegaVovaN]

At my gym we have a bar and hammer grip. Hammer grip is significantly narrower than my shoulder width, and pulling myself up is easy.

 

[bignateyk]

I've always felt that chin-ups and hammer-grip pullups were far less effective than shoulder width pullups. It seems like they work your biceps and arms more than the back.

 

[KoolDrew]

The biceps will not be worked as much and the majority of the work would be done by the lats as a shoulder extensor.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: bignateyk
I've always felt that chin-ups and hammer-grip pullups were far less effective than shoulder width pullups. It seems like they work your biceps and arms more than the back.

The old guy that wrote SS Faq at bodybuilding.com says that it does not matter which grip you use; just pick a grip you like and move weighted pullups, he says.

I do all 3 grips just to keep stuff mixed up. If I had to pick one, it would be shoulder width pullups.

 

[presidentender]

Widening or narrowing your grip shifts the focus of the exercise. Just as you can move the focus of bench between tris and pecs by changing your grip, you can move the focus between the lats (narrow grip) and teres major (wide grip). Now, all the muscles involved in either are involved in both; you'll change which muscles are doing the most work, not which are or aren't involved.

 

[conorvansmack]

I guess my main concern is making sure my biceps are getting enough stress. I'm starting Stronglifts 5x5 again and I'm not sure that bent-over rows and hammer grip pull ups will do the job.

 

[gramboh]

I've heard wide grip pull-ups (on a normal bar, gripping on the slanted ends/handles) can be overly stressful on the shoulder, is that true? I usually take just outside shoulder width when I do pull-ups. (chins I do shoulder width, arms vertical pretty much).

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: gramboh
I've heard wide grip pull-ups (on a normal bar, gripping on the slanted ends/handles) can be overly stressful on the shoulder, is that true? I usually take just outside shoulder width when I do pull-ups. (chins I do shoulder width, arms vertical pretty much).

I believe it is true. But grip slightly wider than shoulder should be ok.

 

[KoolDrew]

Originally posted by: gramboh
I've heard wide grip pull-ups (on a normal bar, gripping on the slanted ends/handles) can be overly stressful on the shoulder, is that true?

Yes, as well as limiting range of motion.