One Arm Chin-Up

An advanced unilateral pulling exercise requiring exceptional strength, where you pull yourself up using one arm while the other provides minimal assistance.

Instructions

1. For this advanced exercise, start by placing a towel around a chin-up bar.
2. Grab the chin-up bar with your palm facing you (underhand grip). One hand will grip the bar firmly and the other will grip the towel.
3. Bring your torso back approximately 30 degrees while creating a curvature in your lower back and sticking your chest out. This is your starting position.
4. Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and upper arms down and back.
5. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement.
6. Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach full contraction.
7. After a second in the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position.
8. Switch arms and repeat the movement with equal repetitions.

Tips

• The towel provides a secondary grip point that makes the movement slightly easier.
• This is one of the most difficult bodyweight exercises; only attempt after mastering regular pull-ups.
• Focus on the towel grip to provide assistance while the primary arm does most of the work.
• Perfect form and controlled movement are essential for safety.
• Progression takes months or years of dedicated training.
• Practice separately with bands or assisted pull-ups to build strength.
• The strength gains from this exercise are substantial.