Gironda Sternum Chins

Climb like a strong bear, but with fancy cave etiquette: lean back, puff the chest, and pull your sternum toward the bar. Keep your shoulders packed and your belly braced so you do not wiggle like a startled cub. Big upper-back and biceps work, with a proud chest-at-the-bar finish.

Instructions

1. Grab a pull-up bar with a shoulder-width supinated (chin-up) grip.
2. Hang tall with legs slightly forward, ribs down, and core braced.
3. Depress and retract your shoulder blades to set your shoulders.
4. Begin the pull by driving elbows down and back while leaning your torso back.
5. Actively extend through the upper back to bring your sternum toward the bar.
6. Pause briefly with chest high and shoulders still packed.
7. Lower under control to a full hang without losing tension or shoulder position.

Benefits

• Builds strong lats and upper-back musculature through a large scapular range
• Increases biceps and brachialis strength in a demanding pull pattern
• Improves scapular depression/retraction coordination
• Develops body tension and strict pulling strength for advanced calisthenics

Key Points

• Think sternum to bar, not chin to bar.
• Keep shoulders depressed and controlled; avoid shrugging.
• Maintain a tight hollow-to-slight-arch body position without excessive swinging.
• Use a smooth, controlled tempo; do not bounce at the bottom.
• Stop the set if you lose scapular control or start kipping.

Common Mistakes

• Pulling the chin over the bar instead of bringing the sternum toward it
• Shrugging shoulders up toward the ears and losing scapular depression
• Excessive lumbar arching and rib flare to fake range of motion
• Kipping or swinging to reach the top
• Cutting the eccentric short or dropping into the bottom