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One Arm Chin-Up

A expert strength exercise for the upper back, done with a other equipment.

One Arm Chin-Up: starting positionOne Arm Chin-Up: finishing position
Main muscles
Upper back
Also works
Biceps, Forearms and Lats
Equipment
Other equipment
Level
Expert
Type
Compound
Movement
Pull

How to do the One Arm Chin-Up

  1. For this exercise, start out by placing a towel around a chin up bar.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  7. Switch arms and repeat the movement.

Sets and reps

Strength3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes
Muscle3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes
Endurance or fat loss2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the One Arm Chin-Up

Questions

What muscles does the One Arm Chin-Up work?

Mainly the upper back, with the biceps, forearms and lats helping.

Is the One Arm Chin-Up good for beginners?

It's rated expert. Beginners can build up to it with Inverted Row with Straps first.

What can I do instead of the One Arm Chin-Up?

Good alternatives that train the upper back: Mixed Grip Chin, Bodyweight Mid Row, Inverted Row with Straps or Sled Row.

How many sets and reps of the One Arm Chin-Up should I do?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).