One-arm pull-ups
4 sets of 1-3 assisted one-arm pull-ups per arm, alternating arms, 90 s rest.
- Slot
- Strength
- Focus
- Pulling strength
- Time
- 16 min
- Intensity
- Max intensity
- Injury risk
- High injury risk
- Equipment
- Pull up bar, Pulley, Resistance band, Timer
High injury risk. Only do this fully warmed up, rested and injury-free, and stop at the first sign of pain in your fingers or elbows. Training is at your own risk.
How to do it
Hang from a bar with one hand and use assistance - a resistance band, or your other hand holding a towel or sling lower down - so you can do 1-3 clean reps. Pull up with control, lower slowly, then rest 90 seconds and switch arms. Do 4 sets per arm, using the least assistance that still gives clean reps. Advanced - build up weighted two-arm pull-ups first.
Run it now
The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.
One-arm pull-ups
0:00 / 15:15
Ready
15:15
8 rounds
4 sets of 1-3 assisted one-arm pull-ups per arm, alternating arms, 90 s rest.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 8
- rounds
- 1:30
- rest
- 15:15
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Climbers who can already do several clean weighted pull-ups and want the lock-off strength that steep climbing asks for. If you can't yet do eight good two-arm pull-ups, your time is better spent there.
Common mistakes
- Too much assistance. If you can grind out six, it isn't a one-arm pull-up any more. Use the least help that still gives you clean reps.
- Twisting to the working side. The body should stay square. A body that spirals is borrowing from the other arm.
- Dropping out of the bottom. Lower slowly to straight arms every rep. The lowering is where most of the strength comes from.
- Doing them tired. These go early in the session, on fresh arms and healthy elbows.
How to progress
Take the assistance away slowly: a lighter band, a lower towel hand, fewer fingers on the second hand. Elbow pain is the usual reason people stop, so add a set only when you still did the last one with good form, and keep some antagonist work in the same week.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.