Weighted One Hand Pull Up
Weighted One Hand Pull Up is a step up once the basics feel easy, using added external load to deliver control through the whole range.
How to do Weighted One Hand Pull Up
- Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hang from the bar with your arm fully extended and your body straight.
- Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbow and squeezing your back muscles.
- Continue pulling until your chin is above the bar.
- Lower your body back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Weighted One Hand Pull Up Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Drop the weight and finish clean if position slips.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add the smallest increment that still feels different.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Secure the load before the set so form does not shift.
Common Weighted One Hand Pull Up Mistakes
Jumping up in load faster than the range can absorb
Add small increments and keep the range you had unweighted.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Easier and Harder Than Weighted One Hand Pull Up
Swap Weighted One Hand Pull Up For
Weighted One Hand Pull Up — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Weighted One Hand Pull Up?
Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your arm fully extended and your body straight. Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar by bending your elbow and squeezing your back muscles. Use added weight and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Weighted One Hand Pull Up work?
The Weighted One Hand Pull Up primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with added weight.
How many sets and reps of the Weighted One Hand Pull Up should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Add the smallest increment that still feels different. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Weighted One Hand Pull Up good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic back patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Weighted One Hand Pull Up?
Try the Cable Straight Arm Pulldown, Band Close-grip Pulldown or the Barbell Pullover. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
