One Arm Chin-up
Built around pure bodyweight leverage, One Arm Chin-up fits between vertical and horizontal pulls and builds strength you can feel outside the gym.
How to do One Arm Chin-up
- Stand facing a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Reach up and grab the bar with an underhand grip, with one hand gripping the bar and the other hand holding your wrist for support.
- Hang from the bar with your arm fully extended, keeping your body straight and your core engaged.
- Pull yourself up towards the bar by bending your elbow and squeezing your back muscles.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms and repeat.
One Arm Chin-up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 4-6 reps at a leverage you can only just control, resting 3 minutes. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 15-20 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
4 sets of 40 seconds of unbroken work with 30 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common One Arm Chin-up Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Grinding heavy singles when the plan called for quality reps
Hold the prescribed effort so the rest of the week stays trainable.
Easier and Harder Than One Arm Chin-up
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One Arm Chin-up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the One Arm Chin-up?
Stand facing a pull-up bar with your feet shoulder-width apart. Reach up and grab the bar with an underhand grip, with one hand gripping the bar and the other hand holding your wrist for support. Hang from the bar with your arm fully extended, keeping your body straight and your core engaged. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the One Arm Chin-up work?
The One Arm Chin-up primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the One Arm Chin-up should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 15-20 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the One Arm Chin-up good for beginners?
Not usually. The One Arm Chin-up is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier back progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the One Arm Chin-up?
Try the Weighted Muscle Up (on Bar), Assisted Standing Chin-up or the Cable One Arm Pulldown. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
