Question about what grip to use for pull-ups?

[poots]

I am guessing there is a few variables that do different things. Wide/short gripe, underhand/overhand and this like this?

I also saw a picture of a power tower and the pull up grips were not horizontal to your body, they were grips like what you would use on a wheel barrel, if that makes sense. I assume this would work different muscles then if you did a pull up using a door?

[Q.]

Bill Hartman's comment on grips from another recent post on pull-ups:

"P.S. Vary your grip width by 1 or 2 inches on each set. It will stimulate a broader variety of motor units."

Makes sense to me. I vary mine from palms facing toward me, facing away and the "neutral" grip like you were referring to. However, I don't do anything much wider that slightly beyond shoulder width anymore because of something that I read about the potential harm to the shoulder. I was already leaning that way anyway so it didn't take much for me to drop that variation!

[poots]

Is "neutral grip" what you call it when you do a pull up with your hands in teh direction of what they would be if you were grabbing a wheel barrel?

[poots]

Is "neutral grip" what you call it when you do a pull up with your hands in teh direction of what they would be if you were grabbing a wheel barrel?

Just from your post I assume that a neutral grip works different muscles?

If that is the case, then I should look for a power tower that I can do underhand/overhand, AND, neeutral grip?

[Q.]

Yep, at least that's what I've always heard it called. People usually speak in terms of where your palms "face" and this is where your palms face each other, like they were on the handles of a wheelbarrow.

Q

[Bill Hartman]

The grip affects the position of the upper arm relative your torso and the involvement of your arm muscles.

Palms away/wider grip - pronated grip, more shoulder abduction/adduction (upper arm away from torso to the side)
-results in less biceps, but more horizontal fibers of the lats

Palms facing (neutral)/narrow grip, shoulder flexion/extension (upper arm in front of torso)
-results in less biceps, more vertical fibers of the lats (sometimes referred to as lower lats)

Palms toward, medium grip - supinated grip, shoulder flexion/extension
-results in more biceps, more vertical fibers of lats (lower lats)

subtle adjustment in grip width each set increases recruitment of different motor units.

Mechanical advantage Chins
-one set max reps of wide, pronated chins
-no rest
-max reps of neutral grip chins
-no rest
-max reps of supinated grip chins
-complain about how difficult this workout is!
-rest 3 minutes repeat

Enjoy!

Bill Hartman, HARTMAN certified

[Q.]

They removed the only piece of equipment from the gym that we could do supinated pull-ups from! I did it some from the cross bar on the cable machine but they nailed me.

Now, I have to use the "pull down" machine... I guess that will work...? When I find a good tree limb, I'll do some reps but it's still frustrating!