One-Arm Pull-Up

Pull vertical · reps per side · unilateral The endpoint: a full pull-up on one arm, no help — the maximal expression of bodyweight pulling.

The movement

From a one-arm dead hang, pull until the chin clears the bar, lower under control to a straight arm. The free hand holds nothing. The whole bodyweight is pulled by one arm while the trunk resists turning. Do the reps on one side, then switch.

Set-up — and what each part is for

  • Working hand pronated on the bar, thumb wrapped; the grip can rotate slightly for comfort.
  • Free hand held at the chest or waist, gripping nothing.
  • Start from a one-arm hang, blade set, body square. → feel the whole side brace; the body wants to rotate toward the free arm — hold it square.

The rep — rehearse it before you do it

  • Set the blade (pack the working shoulder down) before pulling — protects the shoulder and starts the pull from the back.
  • Pull: elbow back and down, chest toward the bar, chin clearly over. The hardest point is the start from the dead hang — drive through it. → feel the lat and biceps; the trunk stays square against the twist.
  • Lower in 2–3 s to a full one-arm hang, controlled.
  • Switch sides after the reps on one side.

Breathing

Inhale before the pull, exhale through the hardest part; a brief brace-hold at the start is natural under max load.

Watch for

  • Kipping / body whip → strict means no swing; power comes from the back and arm.
  • Twisting the torso to the bar → it shortens the lever and turns it into a cheat; hold square.
  • Dropping at the bottom → control the lower; a fast one-arm drop strains the elbow.
  • Chin over by head tilt → chin clears by pulling, head neutral.

Within the level

The endpoint stays active after the criterion is met.

  • Harder: slower tempo on both phases; top pause; external load if you can track it (Open Path).
  • Easier: drop back to the one-arm lock-off (level 11) for the top hold and controlled descent, or re-introduce a touch of free-hand help (the assisted level’s convention).

Dose

Test a clean max on each side, then practice at half of the weaker side rounded down, capped at 5 reps per set, same count both sides, weaker side first, spread through the day. At the endpoint the daily set is typically a single clean rep per side. Stop well short of form breakdown.