One Arm Chin-Up
A demanding single arm pulling exercise using a towel and a chin up bar for extra grip support. It suits advanced lifters who already have significant pulling strength from standard chin ups.
- Primary musclesBack
- Secondary musclesBiceps
- EquipmentBodyweight
- LevelAdvanced · compound
How to do the one arm chin-up
- Loop a towel around the chin up bar so you have something extra to hold with your free hand.
- Grip the bar with one hand, palm facing you, and hold the towel with the other hand.
- Lean your torso back slightly, arch your lower back a little and stick your chest out to start.
- Pull your torso up by drawing the shoulder and upper arm down and back, exhaling as you go.
- Squeeze your back briefly at the top, then inhale as you lower yourself slowly back down.
- Complete your reps on one arm, then switch and repeat with the other arm.
Original library instructions (7 steps)
- For this exercise, start out by placing a towel around a chin up bar.
- Grab the chin-up bar with your palm facing you. One hand will be grabbing the chin-up bar and the other will be grabbing the towel.
- Bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.v
- Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
- After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
- Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- Switch arms and repeat the movement.
Common mistakes
- Trying this before you can do multiple strict two arm chin ups; that strength base comes first.
- Letting the torso swing during the pull, which reduces control; keep the movement smooth and steady.
- Pulling mainly with the free hand on the towel instead of the working arm; let the towel only assist balance.
- Dropping quickly from the top position; lower yourself slowly to protect the shoulder and elbow.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 sets of 1 to 3 reps per arm, 2 to 3 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 sets of 3 to 5 reps per arm, 2 minutes rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps per arm, 90 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Build up with slow negative reps on one arm before attempting a full concentric pull up.
- Use a spotter or a hanging band for light assistance while your single arm strength develops.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the one arm chin up good for beginners?
No. It is an advanced movement that needs a strong pulling base, so beginners should focus on standard chin ups and rows first.
What muscles does the one arm chin up work?
It works the back heavily as the main mover, with the biceps working hard to bend the elbow throughout the pull.
