All forms of pull-ups require nothing but the weight of the body and a pull-up bar. What makes these good exercises is that they are considered compound. A compound exercise works more than one muscle at a time and it promotes fast muscle gain. Pronated and supinated pull-ups have their similarities and differences. When doing workouts, your best bet is to include both variations.
Hand Position
The major difference between pronated and supinated pull-ups is your hand position. Pronation is a position where your palm faces down or away from your body. Supination, on the other hand, is characterized by a palms-up position. When it comes to pull-ups, your palms face away from you with the pronated grip and they face toward you with the supinated grip. Supinated pull-ups are often referred to as chin-ups.
Muscle Recruitment
Both pronated and supinated pull-ups work the same muscles, but the emphasis is different with each variation. The latissimus dorsi is the large "V" shaped muscle that runs from the mid lower back up to the top. The lats, along with the rhomboids, lower trapezius and biceps all get worked with both versions. However, when you do supinated pull-ups, the biceps see more action. The trapezius and rhomboids are found at the top of the back between the shoulder blades.
Execution of the Pull-ups
Proper form is very important when doing both versions of pull-ups. To use a pronated grip, grasp the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and let your legs hang straight down. You have the option of bending your knees and crossing your legs behind your body at this point. This will act as a counter-balance. Steadily pull yourself up by bending your elbows. Although people often stop when their chin reaches the bar, you will get a better contraction if you get your chest to the bar. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as you reach the midpoint and hold for a second. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are fully extended, and repeat. Use the exact same technique for supinated pull-ups.
Variations
With both types of pull-ups, you can change the width of your grip for a variation. This will shift the emphasis on your muscles. For example, if you move your hands wider than shoulder-width apart with a pronated grip, you will place more emphasis on your outer lats. If you did the same with a supinated grip, the inside of your biceps will get more work.
Body Alignment
When you do pronated and supinated pull-ups, it is important to not let your body sway back and forth to gain momentum. This can take work away from your muscles and it can lead to injury. The best way to prevent this is by contracting your abs and keeping them tight throughout your whole set.
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