The lean-away chin-up is a great exercise not only for your lats and biceps but also for the subscapularis, serratus anterior, triceps and believe it or not, the abdominals.
Yes, a strong contribution from the abdominals is required to stabilize the core during lean-away chin-ups, especially when additional loading is used. It’s not uncommon to hear people complain of abdominal soreness for a day or two after doing this exercise!
Here’s how to do them…
Start from a dead hang. Your chin should clear the bar at the top of the movement. Lean back as you come down by pushing the bar away, and make sure to go all the way down at the bottom by fully extending your arms. Add weight to a chin/dip belt for additional loading.
Insert lean-away chin-ups in your next routine and use the protocol I laid out on page 31 of my book The Elite Trainer. Play your cards right and you may end up sporting a set of “six-pack abs” this summer
