How to get your first One arm Pull-up (OAP)

This is the most comprehensive guide for getting your OAP.

Requirements:

• 20 Pull-ups
• 1 Weight Pull-up with 70kg

If you do not have these requirements, focus on gaining strength or losing fat until you do.

Training Equipments:

Firstly, buy :

• a pair of gymnastic rings 
• resistance bands
• weighted vest
• chalk

Gymnastic rings: Regardless of whether you are trying to master the OAP on rings or the bar, we recommend to learn and practice on the rings first. This is because it is easier on your elbows as the ring can rotate freely. The OAP is already really stressful for your elbow and we recommend making it as easy as possible for the elbow when beginning to prevent injury.

Chalk is for the grip. With only one hand grip is much harder and chalk can dramatically help grab the bar.

Weighted Vest is for the weighted pull-ups and archer pull-ups.

Resistance bands are for training assisted OAPs. All you need is one resistant bands( the thinnest and cheapest version is sufficient).

Training Protocol:

There will be two workouts a week , separated by 72 hours.

Day 1:

Focus on negatives(3-5 sets each arm as slow as possible) and then high rep(5 sets of 10-20 reps) high volume two handed pull-ups.

**Caution** Warm up well before performing heavy negatives.

Example:

3-5 negatives on each arm with rings

5x15 bodyweight pull-ups

3x12 inverted rows

Day 2:

Focus on assisted OAP(with bands, straps, holding other arm, archer OAP, etc) in the 3 to 8 rep range. 

Example:

5x5 assisted OAPs with bands

3x8 archer pull-ups (on each side) or 3x8 weighted pull-ups

3x12 rows

BONUS:

Partial Negatives and Isometrics:

Strength is joint angle specific. Meaning that if you have a sticking point you should train that portion of the movement. For example, if you have trouble with the bottom portion of the OAP focus on doing isometrics and slow negatives in that range of motion.

Picking the right bar:

Chalk is extremely helpful, but the bar texture and girth also make a huge difference. Find a bar that is ideally on the thinner side and also with a good grip. Often time at crowded gyms the powder coat on the bars is worn off and can make the bars much more slippery than they are supposed to be.

Improving grip and scapula strength:

Doing dead and active one arm hangs is another great assistance exercise that may be helpful in achieving the OAP. I would recommend doing these at the end of a workout.

 

 

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Best of Luck on your OAP and tag us or reach out to us when you succeed!