Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Weighted Close Grip Chin-Up on Dip Cage: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage is a challenging upper body exercise that targets the lats, with significant involvement from the biceps and forearms. It requires the use of additional weight, increasing the demand on strength and control.

Primary muscles
Lats
Secondary muscles
Biceps , Forearms
Equipment
Weighted
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage
Front view: muscles worked by the weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage. Primary: lats. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage. Primary: lats. Secondary: biceps and forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage

  1. Step 1: Stand in front of the dip cage and grab the parallel bars with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Hang from the bars with your arms fully extended, feet off the ground, and body straight.
  3. Step 3: Engage your back muscles and pull your body up towards the bars, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
  4. Step 4: Continue pulling until your chin is above the bars, then pause for a moment.
  5. Step 5: Slowly lower your body back down to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the weighted close grip chin-up on dip cage by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Weighted Close Grip Chin-Up on Dip Cage alternatives

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.