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Calisteniapp / One arm pull-up

One arm pull-up: your step-by-step plan.

The one-arm pull-up is a very striking exercise that requires great biceps, forearm and lat strength. With the first levels you will create a solid foundation in the muscles involved in the exercise through unilateral work, to later learn the technique until you achieve a one-handed pull-up.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Explore my path
One arm pull-up

Objective

Be able to do at least 3 one-handed pull-ups with each arm.

Frequence
See program guidance
First session duration
27 min
Program
19 estimated weeks

01 / Requirements

Required prerequisites

  • × 15 Prone pull-ups

Necessary equipment

For this program you will need Pull up bar.

02 / Program

Build your path.

Each phase prepares you for the next. Weeks are a guide: repeat a phase when you need more practice before moving on.

  1. Week 1–2Basic strength

    What you will practise

    In this phase you will build the base of strength and control you need before moving on to unilateral work. The goal is not just to accumulate reps, but to perform them with solid technique in different grips to develop the lats, biceps, brachialis, forearms, and all the stabilizing muscles of the scapulae and shoulders. Explosive pull-ups will teach you to apply force quickly, while Prone pull-ups, Supine pull-ups, and Neutral pull-ups will give you a complete vertical pulling foundation. Isometric half-way prone pull-ups will be especially important for strengthening the point where later you will have to control much of the load with a single arm.

  2. Week 3–5Asymmetric exercises

    What you will practise

    Now the work becomes clearly unilateral. In this phase you will begin to distribute the load unevenly between both arms with exercises such as Archer pull-ups, Typewriter pull-ups, and Asymmetric pull-ups. This will allow you to get used to pulling harder with one side while the other assists just enough. In addition, One arm scapular retraction and One arm dead hang will improve shoulder stability, grip strength, and forearm tolerance, three essential aspects for progressing toward the one arm pull-up.

  3. Week 6–8Progressions

    What you will practise

    In this phase, the most direct progressions toward the one arm pull-up come in. One arm isometric pull-ups will teach you to hold your body weight in specific positions, while Elbow-assisted one arm pull-ups and Wrist-assisted one arm pull-ups will greatly increase the demand on the main arm. Here you are no longer just looking for general pulling strength, but real unilateral force production, control of body rotation, and the ability to keep the scapula stable throughout the entire range. The lats, biceps, brachialis, forearms, teres major, and core musculature will all play a key role.

  4. Week 9–13One arm pull-up attempts

    What you will practise

    You have reached the phase where the first attempts at One arm pull-ups begin. The goal is not only to achieve a single isolated rep, but to learn how to organize the effort, find your most efficient path, and continue strengthening the progressions that bring you closer to the full movement. Shoulder-assisted one arm pull-ups and Elbow-assisted one arm pull-ups will continue to be essential for accumulating quality work, while One arm isometric pull-ups will help you consolidate strength at the most demanding angles. All of this is supported by a powerful vertical pulling base and great scapular and core stability.

  5. Week 14–19One arm pull-up capability

    What you will practise

    In this final phase, the goal is to consolidate One arm pull-ups until you can perform several controlled reps with each arm. It is no longer just about achieving the movement, but about doing it with enough confidence and consistency for it to become a real part of your repertoire. One arm pull-ups now take center stage, supported by Shoulder-assisted one arm pull-ups, Elbow-assisted one arm pull-ups, and One arm isometric pull-ups to continue developing specific strength, endurance, and control throughout the full range. You will also continue reinforcing asymmetric patterns with Typewriter pull-ups and Asymmetric pull-ups, which are very useful for maintaining quality volume without losing the unilateral focus.

Estimated end of the plan

Choose a valid date to preview your plan.

This date reflects the planned duration, not a guaranteed date for completing One arm pull-up. Your progress may take additional weeks.

03 / Calisteniapp

Your first session, step by step.

Here is the first session of the program, so you have a reference for how the sessions are structured.

Estimated duration of 27 min depending on the rest periods you choose. Sets and reps are a reference: adjust them to your level.

The exercises you will discover.

Every movement that appears at least once across the program.

Understand the reason behind each step.

  • Each level will be a challenge that you must fight to achieve, trying to get closer and closer to the execution without failure of the main routines.
  • This program is designed to be done twice a week, with an extra routine in case you want to do a third session.
  • The objective of this program is to increase your strength, so you can take long breaks, between 2' and 3 ', adjust them to how difficult the routine is for you.

They train with Calisteniapp.

App reviews already published on our website. These are not specific to this program.

The best. I've been on the pro plan for two years and have achieved excellent results. Resistance, strength, skill, and aesthetics, I've obtained it all thanks to the guidance of this app on this beautiful calisthenics journey.
Roberto Duarte
If the free option is already great, the pro option has to be amazing. I'm super happy. I'm a beginner, a very beginner, and really everything is simple, the exercises can be done anywhere without equipment, and it's helping me a lot.
Maite Ruiz

From “one day” to your first session.

  1. Download Calisteniapp on your phone.

  2. Find One arm pull-up and check its access options.

  3. Review the terms shown in the app and start the first phase.

If the app offers you a 7-day trial, check the subsequent price, billing period, renewal and cancellation before activating it. Availability and terms are those shown in your account and store.

Before you start.

What rest times to use?

We recommend using intermediate breaks of between 2' to 3'. If in any phase you find it difficult to advance and you feel stuck, you can try using longer rest times to try to complete it.

What requirements must I meet to be able to do this program?

This is a program geared toward experienced athletes, so you need to be able to do at least 15+ pull-ups to get started.

Every step counts.

Start with preparation. Follow the path. Give your progress time.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Your program continues in the app.

Download Calisteniapp and find “One arm pull-up” in Programs. If you already have the app, open the program directly.

I have the app: open One arm pull-up
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