Which pull-up/chin-up variation is best for powerlifting?

[tlifter]

My bodyweight chin-ups are weak, but I want to get them stronger. I usually do chin-ups because they are easier than pull-ups so I am working up to doing pull-ups, but I am a long ways away from that. I just tried bodyweight neutral grip pull-ups and I did pretty much just as many as thoughs as I can do chin-ups, but neutral grip pull-ups feel more natural for me. Which is better for powerlifting? Since I cannot do many chin-ups, I follow up my chin-ups with some lat pull-downs with a pronated grip for a little more volume. Basically, I want to follow a progression, which is best for powerlifting. Thank you.

[wardog21]

The type of chin-up/pull-up doesn’t really matter for powerlifting in my opinion. Still do them of course. I’d say do all (Underhand Chins, Neutral, and pronated wide Grip) But I think you’ll have more carryover with rows (especially barbell and dumbbell rows).

[SA249]

My intuition is that a pull up will have more carryover than a chin up will to pressing because of the pronated grip, and back vs arm involvement.

With that said, I am too imobile to do a chin up, so I stick to pull ups and neutral grip work.

Train your back hard and you'll get stronger. Don't worry too much about the specific details.

If you bench twice a week on day one hit a row variation first, then a vertical lat movement a bit lighter and a bit higher rep. On day two hit a vertical lat movement first, and a row variation second a bit lighter and a bit higher rep.

[tlifter]

My intuition is that a pull up will have more carryover than a chin up will to pressing because of the pronated grip, and back vs arm involvement.

With that said, I am too imobile to do a chin up, so I stick to pull ups and neutral grip work.

Train your back hard and you'll get stronger. Don't worry too much about the specific details.

If you bench twice a week on day one hit a row variation first, then a vertical lat movement a bit lighter and a bit higher rep. On day two hit a vertical lat movement first, and a row variation second a bit lighter and a bit higher rep.

You are probably right that pull-ups are better. Rippetoe disagrees, but there are lots of powerlifters that say do all grips and I would normally go with that, but my gym doesn't have an assisted pull-up machine. They sort of expect you to be strong enough to do chin-ups. Its a powerlifting gym. They have lots of bars for you to do all the chin-ups, pull-ups, etc. you would want though. So I am starting with chin-ups and will progress to pull-ups. Right now, I do 4 sets of chin-ups and they have gotten stronger, but they usually go something like 5 reps, 3 reps, 2 reps, 1 rep. I don't consider that enough volume to count as my vertical pulling, but enough to get stronger at bodyweight vertical pulling. As I said in the OP, I follow chin-ups with lat pull-downs for extra volume. I do them for 3x10. I will start doing 2 sets of chin-ups and 2 sets of neutral grip pull-ups before going to lat pull-downs. Maybe the neutral grip pull-ups will help my chin-ups and vice versa so eventually I will be able to do pull-ups.

[tlifter]

The type of chin-up/pull-up doesn’t really matter for powerlifting in my opinion. Still do them of course. I’d say do all (Underhand Chins, Neutral, and pronated wide Grip) But I think you’ll have more carryover with rows (especially barbell and dumbbell rows).

Thank you. I do barbell bent-over rows as well. I do chin-ups on my overhead press day and bent-over rows on my bench press day. I took a year off from lifting due to work so I got much weaker. This time around, I'm committed to getting my vertical pulling and horizontal pulling stronger. I think back strength was a large reason why my deadlift wasn't proportionately stronger than my squat. It was only 20-30lbs stronger. My legs were pretty strong, but I think my back needed some more strength.

I have a theory that if I get my bodyweight vertical pulling stronger, my back won't be a problem like it was earlier. I'm considering doing a 5/3/1 template in the Forever book that has you doing 100 rows, but I'm going to focus on only 2 or 3 goals at a time. I'm still only 1/3 through God is a Beast. I have 10-13 more weeks of that.

[SA249]

Buy a band, choke it around the top bar, put one end under your knees or feet, and boom, you've got yourself an assisted pull up. You can start with a heavier band, and then work your way down to a band with less tension.

[shawnrc]

I would say they are all pretty important. If you can do better with pull ups or neutral grip, focus heavily on that while trying to get better at chin ups.

I personally tend to far order full range chin ups because it helps me move more weight, and as a result I feel far more stable and ready for heavy deadlifts and way safer on bench press.

[tlifter]

Buy a band, choke it around the top bar, put one end under your knees or feet, and boom, you've got yourself an assisted pull up. You can start with a heavier band, and then work your way down to a band with less tension.

I have tried that and I have seen other people do that. The time I tried it, the band shot up when I tried to put my feet in it. I don't know what I did wrong. I will try it again. Thank you.

[godlaywers]

I’d go with pull up