Which hand should go underhand?

Either one. Pick an arrangement for the first set, then swap it for the next set, so the hand that was underhand goes overhand. Do the same number of sets and reps each way.

Should I switch hands every rep or every set?

Every set. Changing the grip mid-set means letting go of the bar, so keep one arrangement for the whole set and swap it for the next one.

Is the mixed grip harder than a regular chin-up?

Usually a little. Most people can do more reps with both hands underhand, and the mixed grip puts one arm in the overhand pull-up position, so your rep count tends to land between your chin-up and pull-up numbers.

Does the mixed grip work each arm differently?

Somewhat, but less than you might expect. In a study of 25 young adults, the chin-up produced higher biceps and chest activity than the pull-up, while the pull-up worked the lower trapezius harder, yet a comparison in 19 strength-trained men found muscle activity over a full rep similar across underhand, overhand and neutral grips. The mixed grip itself has not been tested, so treat the difference between your arms as modest and even it out by switching hands each set.

What should I do if I can't do a mixed grip chin-up yet?

Build strength with the Band-Assisted Pull-Up and the Negative Pull-Up, and practice the regular Chin-Up until you can do several strict reps. Then try the mixed grip.

Chin-Up (Mixed Grip)

What Is the Chin-Up (Mixed Grip)?

Chin-Up (Mixed Grip) is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and also engages the biceps, forearms and the muscles between the shoulder blades. It is an intermediate-level movement in which you lift your full body weight from a dead hang until your chin clears the bar, holding the bar with one hand underhand and the other overhand.

The mixed grip sits between the Chin-Up and the Pull-Up. It is mostly used to add variety to a program that already includes both. Because the two hands hold the bar differently, the trunk also has to work to stop the body from turning as you rise.

The lats do most of the work in every version of the pull. What changes is the arms: the underhand arm leans somewhat more on the biceps, while the overhand side leans somewhat more on the upper back. That uneven split is the reason to switch which hand is underhand from one set to the next, so both sides end the session with the same work. Comparing your reps in each arrangement is also a simple way to notice a side-to-side difference.

This variation suits lifters who can already do several strict chin-ups and pull-ups. If you are not there yet, build up with the Band-Assisted Pull-Up, the Negative Pull-Up and the regular Chin-Up first. During each rep, think about pulling both elbows down toward your ribs at the same pace rather than pulling with the hands, which keeps the body square to the bar.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Latissimus Dorsi: Primary
Biceps Brachii: High
Brachialis: High
Teres Major: High
Brachioradialis: Medium
Infraspinatus: Medium
Lower Trapezius: Medium
Rhomboid Major: Medium
External Oblique: Low
Pectoralis Major: Low

Instructions

Grab the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart, one hand underhand (palm facing you) and the other overhand (palm facing away). The image shows the left hand underhand and the right hand overhand.
Wrap your thumbs around the bar and hang with your arms fully straight.
Bend your knees, cross your ankles behind you and brace your trunk so your chest faces the bar squarely.
Draw your shoulder blades slightly down to set the shoulders before you bend your arms.
Pull by driving both elbows down toward your ribs at the same pace, keeping your chest square to the bar instead of letting your body turn.
Keep pulling until your chin clears the bar.
Pause briefly, then lower yourself under control until your arms are straight again.
Repeat for the set, then swap your hands for the next set so the hand that was underhand goes overhand, and do the same number of reps.

Common Mistakes

Never switching hands
Keeping the same hand underhand every set gives one biceps and one side of the upper back the same job each time, so the two sides never get matched work.
Letting the body turn
Pulling harder with one arm lets the torso rotate so the chest finishes angled to the bar, instead of bracing the trunk and bringing both elbows down together.
Kipping or swinging
Using the hips and legs to throw the body up takes tension off the back and arms and adds a jolt to the shoulders.
Partial reps
Stopping short of straight arms at the bottom or short of the chin clearing the bar at the top skips the hardest part of the movement.
Shrugging at the start
Letting the shoulders ride up toward the ears as you begin the pull shifts the load away from the lats and onto the upper traps.
Dropping into the hang
Falling from the top instead of lowering under control wastes the lowering phase and jolts the elbows and shoulders.

Injuries

Chin-Up (Mixed Grip) is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The shoulders take the most load at the bottom of the hang, and the elbows work hard throughout. Because each hand holds the bar differently, the two arms are not loaded the same way: the underhand arm's biceps tendon at the front of the elbow usually takes more of the pull, and the trunk has to resist the body turning toward one side.

Switch which hand is underhand every set so neither biceps always gets the heavier job. Set the shoulders by drawing the shoulder blades slightly down before you bend the arms, lower under control instead of dropping into the hang, and keep every rep strict, without kipping or swinging. Add sets and reps gradually, since elbow tendon irritation usually comes from doing too much hard pulling too soon.

If you cannot keep the body square or the elbows complain, go back to the regular Chin-Up, use the Band-Assisted Pull-Up, or build control with the Negative Pull-Up. Once you can do about 10 strict reps in each hand arrangement, the Weighted Chin-Up is the next step.

Stop the set if you feel sharp pain at the front of the elbow or in the shoulder, a pop, or numbness or tingling in the hand. Pain that persists after rest is a reason to see a physician or physical therapist rather than training through it.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back
Equipment: Pull-up bar and body weight
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Chin-Up (Mixed Grip)

The Chin-Up (Mixed Grip) is also known as:

Mixed Grip Pull-Up

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which hand should go underhand?: Either one. Pick an arrangement for the first set, then swap it for the next set, so the hand that was underhand goes overhand. Do the same number of sets and reps each way.
Q: Should I switch hands every rep or every set?: Every set. Changing the grip mid-set means letting go of the bar, so keep one arrangement for the whole set and swap it for the next one.
Q: Is the mixed grip harder than a regular chin-up?: Usually a little. Most people can do more reps with both hands underhand, and the mixed grip puts one arm in the overhand pull-up position, so your rep count tends to land between your chin-up and pull-up numbers.
Q: Does the mixed grip work each arm differently?: Somewhat, but less than you might expect. In a study of 25 young adults, the chin-up produced higher biceps and chest activity than the pull-up, while the pull-up worked the lower trapezius harder, yet a comparison in 19 strength-trained men found muscle activity over a full rep similar across underhand, overhand and neutral grips. The mixed grip itself has not been tested, so treat the difference between your arms as modest and even it out by switching hands each set.
Q: What should I do if I can't do a mixed grip chin-up yet?: Build strength with the Band-Assisted Pull-Up and the Negative Pull-Up, and practice the regular Chin-Up until you can do several strict reps. Then try the mixed grip.