Gironda Sternum Chins
Instead of pulling your chin up to a fixed bar, this chin-up variation has you lean your torso back as you pull, aiming your sternum, not your chin, toward the bar. That change in body angle shifts more of the work onto your lats and upper back and asks your biceps and shoulders for a different pulling angle than a standard chin-up.
Why it works
A standard chin-up pulls your body mostly straight up toward the bar, which keeps your torso roughly vertical the whole time. Leaning back and driving your chest toward the bar changes that angle so your elbows travel down and back rather than just up, closer to how your lats naturally pull your arms when you row something toward your body. That angle change is what makes this variation feel noticeably different in your upper back even though the grip and bar are the same as a regular chin-up. Your biceps still assist throughout the pull, but with the elbows finishing further back, your rear shoulders and mid-back get pulled into the effort more than they would in a straight-up pull.
Set up
- Grip the bar with palms facing you, hands roughly shoulder width apart.
- Start in a dead hang, arms straight and your body in one line, before the first rep.
- Brace your core so you can control the backward lean rather than swinging into it.
How to do it
- Begin the pull by driving your elbows down and back, letting your torso lean backward as you rise.
- Aim your sternum, not your chin, toward the bar as you continue pulling.
- Keep leaning back through the top of the movement until your chest is close to the bar.
- Pause briefly at the top, feeling the contraction across your upper back.
- Lower yourself under control, letting your torso return to vertical as your arms straighten.
- Reach a full hang at the bottom before starting the next rep.
Form cues
- Elbows drive down and back, not straight down.
- Chest reaches for the bar, not the chin.
- Lean builds gradually, no sudden swing.
- Full hang at the bottom, every rep.
Breathing: Exhale as you pull yourself up and lean back, inhale as you lower back down to a full hang.
Common mistakes
Kicking the legs or swinging the body to generate momentum for the lean.
Fix: Slow the rep down and let your lats and arms control the lean instead of momentum; if you can't control it, this variation isn't ready for you yet, so use the band-assisted version until it is.
Barely leaning back at all, which turns the movement into a regular chin-up in disguise.
Fix: Commit to the backward lean early in the pull rather than trying to add it only near the top; the angle change needs to happen through the whole rep to shift the work onto your upper back.
Stopping short of a full hang at the bottom of each rep.
Fix: Let your arms fully straighten and your shoulders relax at the bottom before starting the next pull; cutting the bottom short reduces the range your lats actually work through.
How to program it
- As a demanding bodyweight pulling variation, once or twice a week with real recovery between sessions works well for most people.
- Three or four sets of four to eight reps suits building strength in the lean-back pattern; add reps only once the full angle feels controlled.
- If bodyweight reps become easy at eight or more, adding light external weight is a better next step than chasing higher rep counts.
- Give your grip and forearms a rest day between sessions of this and other heavy pulling work, since sternum chins tax the grip more than a straight-up chin-up.
Safety notes
- Build up to the full lean gradually; a sudden, uncontrolled backward lean can strain the shoulders before your back is ready for it.
- If your shoulders feel unstable at the top of the lean, shorten how far back you go until strength catches up.
- Use a spotter or the band-assisted version while you're first learning the movement, rather than attempting the full lean unsupervised.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between sternum chins and regular chin-ups?
A regular chin-up pulls your chin straight up to the bar with your torso mostly vertical. Sternum chins have you lean your torso back and pull your chest toward the bar instead, which shifts more work onto your lats and upper back.
How many reps of sternum chins should I do?
Three or four sets of four to eight reps is a reasonable range for most people building strength in this pattern. Once you can comfortably do eight or more with good form, adding light weight is a better next step than adding more reps.
I can't lean back far enough, what should I do instead?
Start with a regular pull-up or chin-up until your pulling strength is solid, then use a resistance band for assistance while you practice the leaned-back path. Build the lean gradually rather than forcing it.
Why do my shoulders feel unstable during sternum chins?
The backward lean puts your shoulders in a different, more demanding position than a straight pull-up. Shorten how far back you lean until your shoulder strength and stability catch up to the movement.