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Strength Training · Calisthenics

Archer Pull-Up

The archer pull-up is a wide-grip pull-up toward one hand while the opposite arm stays nearly straight. It trains your back and arms with more of your bodyweight shifted to one side.

Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.

  • Advanced
  • Compound
  • Higher injury risk
  • Rest 2 min

How to do it

  1. Grip the bar wider than shoulder width with your palms facing away from you.
  2. Hang with your elbows straight and your feet clear of the floor.
  3. Draw your shoulders slightly away from your ears.
  4. Pull your chin toward one hand at bar height, keeping the opposite arm nearly straight.
  5. Lower yourself back to the centered hanging position under control.

Form cues

  • Keep your chest facing forward.
  • Keep your ribs over your hips.
  • Exhale through the pull.

Common mistakes

  • Both elbows bending equallyUse the opposite hand mainly for assistance rather than pulling evenly with both arms.
  • Kicking to reach the barChoose a standard pull-up until you can lift without swinging your legs.
  • Reaching with your chinKeep your neck neutral instead of stretching your head upward to finish the rep.

Safety

The wide, uneven pull places substantial demand on your shoulders and elbows, especially when fatigue causes sudden shifts in load. Losing your grip can cause a fall.

  • Build comfortable, controlled standard and wide-grip pull-ups before attempting this variation.
  • Use a securely mounted bar with enough clearance around and below you.
  • Choose a grip width that allows lateral movement without shoulder pinching or forcing the assisting elbow backward.
  • End the set before your grip starts slipping or you can no longer control the descent.

If you have shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain or a history of shoulder instability, use an easier variation and seek guidance from a physiotherapist first.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Lats

Secondary muscles

  • Biceps
  • Forearms

Equipment

  • Pull-Up Bar

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
2–4 reps per side
Rest
2 min

Alternate sides each rep; one pull toward one hand counts as one rep.

Variations

Easier

Harder