Archer Pull-Up
The archer pull-up is an advanced pull-up in which one arm bends and pulls while the other stays nearly straight along the bar, giving only partial help. It loads the working-side lats, biceps and grip far more than a standard pull-up and is a common step towards the one-arm pull-up.
Also called: Archer Pullups, Archer Pullup, Side-to-Side Pull-Up, One-Arm-Assisted Pull-Up · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: pull
Step by step
- Take an overhand grip about one and a half to two times shoulder width, wide enough that one arm can straighten along the bar while the other pulls.
- Hang with straight arms, legs together and slightly in front, and brace your trunk so your body stays still.
- Draw your shoulder blades down, then pull your body up and towards your working hand by driving that elbow down to your side.
- Let the other arm straighten as you rise, pressing lightly down into the bar so it helps only as much as you need.
- Pull until your chin clears the bar beside your working hand, keeping your hips and legs square to the bar rather than twisting.
- Come back down under control through the middle to a full hang with both arms straight.
- Alternate sides each rep, or complete all reps on one side before switching.
- Drive the working elbow down to your ribs
- Straight arm presses lightly on the bar
- Chin to the working hand
- Hips and legs square to the bar
- Shoulders down before every pull
- Full hang between reps
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Latissimus dorsi | Prime mover | C |
| Biceps brachii | Secondary | C |
| Brachialis | Secondary | C |
| Teres major | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: lower | Secondary | C |
| Posterior deltoid: posterior | Secondary | C |
| Obliques (internal/external) | Stabiliser | C |
| Rotator cuff | Stabiliser | C |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Bending the assisting arm to share the pull
Fix: Keep the assisting arm long and press down on the bar only as much as you need.
Twisting the hips towards the working side
Fix: Squeeze your legs together and keep your hips square to the bar throughout.
Shrugging at the start
Fix: Draw your shoulder blades down before your elbows bend on every rep.
Dropping from the top
Fix: Take two to three seconds to return to a full hang through the middle.
Grip too narrow
Fix: Widen your grip until the assisting arm can straighten at the top.
Half reps
Fix: Start each rep from a full hang and finish with your chin over the bar.
What the research says
Strength · first choiceMuscle growthSport performance
- Load and reps — Research comparing loads finds maximal strength favours heavier loads. For most lifters the archer pull-up is a heavy, low-rep movement, commonly 3–6 reps per side.
- Effort — Studies show strength gains are largely insensitive to how close to failure a set is taken, so many lifters finish archer sets with a rep or two in reserve and keep reps clean.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets to more strength and size, with diminishing returns. Strength shows sharper diminishing returns than size, so a few hard sets per side a week goes a long way.
- Rest — In trained lifters, rests of about 3 minutes between sets have produced greater strength gains than 1-minute rests.
- Progression — A common path runs from weighted pull-ups to archer pull-ups to one-arm negatives and the one-arm pull-up. There is no direct research on archer pull-up progressions.
Log the archer pull-up in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.