# wide grip chins straight bar vs angled bar



## Jim1954 (Oct 14, 2003)

I was wondering how straight bar wide chins differ from
using a bar that has angled ends when it comes to muscle
development?
I have been having elbow problems and the straight bar 
really causes more stress on the elbow.


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## icekool (Oct 14, 2003)

a decent question Jim, can't say that i have any answer but try concentrating on the exact difference in feel & hopefully that should enable u to 'feel' the different part emphasis, sorry I dont know for sure...someone on here will know.
regards
Ice


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## BabsieGirl (Oct 14, 2003)

my .02 would say......There is no difference.  You're working the same muscle.  Just a different way.  Just like working tri's.  What's the difference in pull downs, v-bar, straight bar, curve bar, rope?  Vs...kick backs


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## shortstuff (Oct 14, 2003)

I have done both and to me there was no difference, like Babs said.  It is all a matter of preference, some  prefer the straight bar some prefer the angled bar.  I prefer the straight just because i am used to it, but our gym the angled one is padded some some prefer that to grip harder if they don't have straps.


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## gr81 (Oct 14, 2003)

there is totally a difference man, I wouild stick with the straight bar, it makes the exercise harder/ You are right babs you are working the same muscle, but grip changes so much in an exercise. There ae differences in tri pressdowns alos, stress is placed on a different area and other fibers are recruited, there si a difference. If your elbow is bothering you though then it will not be detrimental to switch up grips, the angle of the straight bar may be causing the elbow pain.


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## Jim1954 (Oct 14, 2003)

gr81,

I tend to agree with you about there being a difference, I always seemed to get more range of motion from the straight bar. But it seems to be one the worst things for my elbow right now. Guess I'll be switching to the angled bar for my wide grips for awhile.


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## shortstuff (Oct 14, 2003)

I have a bad shoulder, so if you have bad shoulders I would watch out for the angled bar, but to each their own.


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## Jim1954 (Oct 14, 2003)

shortstuff,

I'm lucky when it comes to shoulders and knees, but everything else seems to be going to hell.


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## Stroyer (Oct 14, 2003)

*Straight bar vs. Angle BIG DIFFerence*

There IS quite a bit of difference in the actual range of motion between the two...read on !

Actually the angled bar allows for more range of motion; picture this is in your head, kind of hard to explian without showing a person in person with both bars, when you use the angle bar, and grip the bar low on the angles will then put your hands then in fact LOWER than the part of the bar that will lower and eventually touch your upper torso/collar bone area as you pull down, so using the angle bar, your hands will when contracted and pulled back will come down farther than where the bar touches your upper torso/collar bone than what they would when using a strait bar.

Using a straight bar, your hands are then in line and level with the bar where it touches your upper torso/collar bone area so your hands arms in fact do not pull down and back as far as they would/could when using the angle bar.

Stroyer


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## shortstuff (Oct 14, 2003)

thanks for the info strpyer, good thing i am tring to break away from the straight bar


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## Jim1954 (Oct 14, 2003)

Stroyer,

Range of motion was probably a poor choice of words, what you say makes sense, but I usually seem to get my lats worked more with the straight bar though, or so it seems, perhaps I should switch around with it, when my elbow gets better.

Maybe a more precise question should be, does the extra range, (or pulling above the bar) do any more for the lats, or does it work the arms or some other muscles at that point?

Appreciate all the replies to this question.


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## P-funk (Oct 14, 2003)

Actually, you guys are missing the bigger picture here.....range of motion, is slightly changed but the main thing that you are missing is the biomechanics of the exercise. You are in different planes of motion, which is slightly going to change the musculature being worked (especially when looking at the scapular involvment)!!

When using the angled bar you are primarily in the frontal plane, alowing for a much greater amount of shoulder adduction.  When using the paralel bar, you are working in almost two plane at once.  A little bit of the frontal plane and a little bit of the sagital plane, as the shoulder joint is not going through the motion of more extension.

My suggestion.....do both, it is important to be strong in all planes of motion.


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