Bodyweight Can someone help me do one arm pull up?

[nyet07]

I weight around 92kg and am able to do 6-7 strict pull-ups without using any momentum. I cannot yet do any muscle ups but I used to do when I was 10 kgs lighter. Now I'd like to proceed doing one arm pull-ups but realized cannot even do negatives with one arm. It is not because my lats cannot handle it but because my biceps is not strong enough to hold my body. I can hang with one arm around 5 to 15 secs.

 

[Kozushi]

What is the point? I'd suggest you don't try this.

I tried it a few months ago and I'm still so badly hurt in my right shoulder that I can't weight train on that side at all!!!

I wish I hadn't tried that ridiculous and purposeless move.

 

[nyet07]

There are people who can do it without injuring themselves. I think it is down to genetics and body proportions combined with correct exercises. Some people have their primary muscles mass in their upper body. For them it should be easy. Besides distribution of muscle mass across the body, ligaments, tendons, body proportions should also be taken into consideration. I have my primary muscles mass around my femur bones and glutes. Rest of my body is more average no matter how hard I work them.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

Being able to do "just" 6-7 pullups and attempting one arm PUs is like squatting 225x5 and then jumping to 405...it just asks for injury.
You're skipping a good amount of steps.
Get to double digit PUs first. Work up to archer PUs and around-the-world PUs. Then double digit archer PUs. One arm hangs of at least 60sec. Then flexed arm hangs of at least 60secs. Maybe then you can start to add negatives.
Or go the way of weighted PUs mixed with archers etc.
There are several routes from normal PUs to one arm PUs, but no matter which of them you choose jumping from single digit normal PUs straight into one arm training is a bad idea IMO.

 

[nyet07]

@Kettlebelephant

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Your recommendations sound very logical.

 

[Steve Freides]

I weight around 92kg and am able to do 6-7 strict pull-ups without using any momentum.

Before working on a one-arm pullup, I'd get to a heavier weighted pullup - around 1/2 bw on a dipping belt is a good base to have before tackling a one-armer. If you're going for reps @ bw instead, I'd aim for 25 reps before switching to one-arm work.

In the meantime, try some one-arm hangs, which can be quite challenging, depending on the person - if you rotate all over the place, you can hurt yourself pretty easily. A way to work up to a one-arm hang is a two-arm hang but start using fewer than 4 fingers on one side.

Also be sure to include a variety of grips - overhand, underhand, neutral - in your training.

-S-

 

[305pelusa]

I weight around 92kg

At that weight, you stand virtually zero chance of doing one. At the very least, you'll want to go back to 82 kgs (that seems to be the upper end of where heavyweights can get it). Even then, every kilo you can strip past that will be very beneficial.

am able to do 6-7 strict pull-ups without using any momentum.

Before any unilateral work or progressions, you must be very proficient at the bilateral version. Could you imagine someone attempting Pistol work if he could only do 7 squats? Or One-arm Push-up if he can only grind out 6 push-ups?

Aim for 18-20 good Pull-ups as a first order of business.

but realized cannot even do negatives with one arm. .

This isn't too surprising. Not to discourage you, but at your current level, negatives are still a bit farther down the road.

It is not because my lats cannot handle it but because my biceps is not strong enough to hold my body.

I've heard this a lot in the past but there's the possibility you're misjudging just how hard a One-arm Pull truly is, on every pulling muscle. However, maybe you're right. A good test is "can you hold a Front Lever?". If you can, your Lats are in good shape. If not, they'll need to be strengthened a lot and progressively, just like your biceps, grip, etc.


I wish you a lot of luck!

 

[nyet07]

@Steve Freides

Doing weighted pull-ups is something I had in mind. Couple years ago I was able to do archer pull-ups, muscle ups and 12-15 reps which were not in exact strict form. But I started to develop some issues regarding flexibility and muscle proportions. They included down shoulders(because my upper traps could not balance), internally rotated arms, very wide back with an underdeveloped upper chest and upper middle back. I realized something was going very wrong. I stopped working out completely and gained weight after. After a year, I started working out again with a different routine. I started to use battle ropes, did bench presses, deadlifts and horizontal rows. Most of my workouts were targeted at my posterior chain. After coming across with Pavel's books and vidoes, I incorporated kettlebell swings/snatches/cleans, side and bent presses into my workouts. Side and bent presses really thickened sides of my torso. Meanwhile, I couldn't go back to my old weight.

 

[nyet07]

@305pelusa

I agree with you that 92kg is a bit much. I can't, however, go below 90 kg and even if I did, I would have to lose some muscle mass from my lower body. The problem with front lever is since my center of mass is further away from my upper body, I need to apply greater force than a person who weights the same but has his muscle mass centered around his upper body. I realized many Europeans or Africans have athletic bodies, wide shoulders and narrow hips thus allowing them to be more "athletic". I am not built that way.

 

[305pelusa]

I agree with you that 92kg is a bit much. I can't, however, go below 90 kg and even if I did, I would have to lose some muscle mass from my lower body.

What do you estimate you Bodyfat % to be? Either with a caliper or with simple pictures like here:
Example Photos of Different Body Fat Percentages - Sports Science .co

 

[nyet07]

@305pelusa

10-15%

 

[305pelusa]

@305pelusa

10-15%

In that case, I first commend you for the clear amount of work you've put in to training. Being that heavy, at that BF%, you probably look titanic.

Secondly, in your case, I'm with @Kozushi and recommend you stay away from this skill. The goal of working up to more Pull-ups is certainly great, and you definitely have some kilos to lose if you choose (at 92 and, say, 13% BF, you could lose 5 kilos of fat and end up at 87 kilos and 8% BF, without having lost any muscle mass for instance). But I wouldn't place One-arm work as the end goal, personally.

There are people who can do it without injuring themselves. I think it is down to genetics and body proportions combined with correct exercises. Some people have their primary muscles mass in their upper body. For them it should be easy. Besides distribution of muscle mass across the body, ligaments, tendons, body proportions should also be taken into consideration. I have my primary muscles mass around my femur bones and glutes. Rest of my body is more average no matter how hard I work them.

Those people aren't 90 kilos. They are 60-80 kilos, usually towards the lower end. Genetics, proportions, age, sex, they all play a role, you're right.

And btw on a lighter note, to nobody is the One-arm Pull-up "easy". I like the SF analogy of strong vs weak arm. The OAP is hard for those built for it, and harder for those who aren't.

 

[Wesker11]

Have you ever been tested with an accurate measuring system, dexa or Bodpod? I thought I was 12-15, turns out I was 21. Now I'm under 12.

 

[nyet07]

@Wesker11

No. It is an approximation that I made by looking at the pictures in the link provided by 305 pelusa.

 

[nyet07]

@305pelusa

Most of my weight is centered around my waist and femur bones. Circumference of upper portion of my upper leg is approximately 70cm. I've never taken any substances, steroids or "supplements". It is just genetics. My shoulders, chest, arms, calfs are relatively small compared to my upper legs.

 

[Machete]

All good stuff here.

I'm seconding the recommendation of 20 good Pull-Ups. At least be able to pull 15 on a bad day. I would add legless Rope Climbs to that--aim for like 2 trips unbroken on a 15-20 foot rope. Definitely be able to pull at least half-bodyweight, and hang one-armed for multiple sets of 30 seconds each without rotating (this is also good flexibility work).

And losing weight will help. Don't worry about losing muscle mass, if you want the One-Arm Pull-Up you'll have to stop worrying about mass and start worrying about your pulling strength. If your muscle mass went down but your Pull-Ups went up, did you get closer to your goal?

 

[offwidth]

I am biased to purpose based training. If you have a valid purpose to need this skill then go for it. Great advice has been given you thus far. The only thing I would add to the mix would be a counterweight pulley system.
I agree totally with @305pelusa the one arm pull-up is hard no matter how you look at it. For most people it ends up being a huge training commitment. Only you can say whether it's worth it or not. And there is a certain amount of risk....

 

[Ivan Merl]

All great advice here. There really isn't a need to do a one arm pullup, but it is pretty cool. I managed to pull a few out by dropping weight, doing some rock climbing and practicing weighted static holds. I was amazed the first time I put my hand in my pocket and pulled my Chin to the bar. Good luck on your journey and let us know how it goes.

 

[Carl]

Great info here already but my two cents......

1) The One Arm Chin/Pull Up is an elite level move, if you're not really competent in the two arm versions and regressions in between (archers, negatives etc) you really need to respect the process otherwise risk injuring yourself and halting all progress across the board.
2) It can literally take years of patient practice for even elite level calisthenics practitioners to get this move - are you willing to invest that much time?
3) 92kg is a lot of weight to one arm chin
4) As impressive as it is to see as a move (and it is incredible to see a perfectly performed one), is the cost of getting to the one arm chin worth it? If you get most of the benefit from two arm versions (switching grips, archers etc) with less risk of injury and frustration, maybe that can/should be enough.

Specialization is fine and has it's place but if you want to be in this for the long haul and be healthy maybe there are safer ways of getting the job done.

Being able to do "just" 6-7 pullups and attempting one arm PUs is like squatting 225x5 and then jumping to 405...it just asks for injury.
You're skipping a good amount of steps.
Get to double digit PUs first. Work up to archer PUs and around-the-world PUs. Then double digit archer PUs. One arm hangs of at least 60sec. Then flexed arm hangs of at least 60secs. Maybe then you can start to add negatives.
Or go the way of weighted PUs mixed with archers etc.
There are several routes from normal PUs to one arm PUs, but no matter which of them you choose jumping from single digit normal PUs straight into one arm training is a bad idea IMO.

 

[J Petersen]

While every ounce of non-useful weight is certainly going to impede your progress on the long road to a legit one arm chin, at the very least I may be able to offer a respectful rebuttal to the notion that the skill is unattainable for anyone over 82 kilos. After more than a year of dedicated training, I achieved my first somewhere in the ballpark of 86-88, and with an all-time personal best of a solid set of triples at what was probably closer to 90 (I was still active duty military at the time, but only had to agonize over a scale twice a year).

I second (third...?) the advice that you first bag 20 solid regular pull-ups before contemplating unilateral work on the bar. However, while you make this a medium term goal, I would also strongly suggest that you get on a first name basis with Naked Warrior-style one arm pushups until you can perform multiple sets of five strict reps from the deck. The credit for ultimately getting me over that bar using only my right arm belongs to this drill. While old timers around these forums are probably sick to death of this anecdote: when a boy gets deployed for months in a place where chinning isn't practical and he makes these pushups a constant practice, the elusive one-arm chin might just happen (and did) promptly upon the return to the free world.