How many strict pull-ups should I have before trying this?

A reasonable entry point is around ten clean strict pull-ups with a full hang at the bottom. Below that, added volume on standard pull-ups builds strength faster and with less joint stress.

Does the assisting arm count as cheating?

No, the straight arm is part of the exercise and provides a small amount of support and balance. The goal is to keep it close to locked so the working side does the work, not to eliminate its contribution entirely.

How wide should the grip be?

Set the hands wide enough that the torso can travel most of the way toward one hand at the top, which is usually well outside shoulder width. Too narrow and the rep becomes an ordinary wide pull-up.

Should I alternate sides within a set?

Alternating is the most common approach and keeps volume even between sides. Doing all reps on one side before switching is also valid if you are chasing a specific weak side, provided both sides get the same total work.

Is this a good step toward a one-arm pull-up?

Yes, it is one of the standard progressions because it teaches the body to pull under an offset load. Reducing help from the assisting arm over time is the practical way to advance toward a full one-arm rep.

Archer Pull-Up

What Is the Archer Pull-Up?

Archer Pull-Up is a compound exercise that primarily targets the back and also engages the biceps, forearms and core. It is an advanced-level movement performed on a fixed bar with a very wide overhand grip, where the body is pulled up and across toward one hand while the opposite arm stays almost straight along the bar. Each repetition loads one side far more than the other, which is what separates it from a standard Pull-Up.

The purpose of the exercise is to build toward single-arm pulling strength without giving up the safety of two points of contact. The straight arm still helps, but only slightly, so the working lat, teres major and biceps handle most of the bodyweight. Alternating sides within a set also exposes strength differences between the left and right lat that a symmetrical pull-up hides.

Muscle emphasis sits on the latissimus dorsi of the pulling side, with the mid-back and rear shoulder working hard to keep the shoulder blade pinned as the torso shifts sideways. The obliques and deep core resist the rotation and swing that the offset load creates, so the exercise trains trunk stiffness as much as it trains the back.

Common variations change the difficulty by how much the straight arm is allowed to help. Bending the assisting elbow slightly makes the movement easier and closer to a wide pull-up, while keeping it locked and letting the hand slide toward the fingertips pushes it closer to a one-arm pull-up. Some lifters use a towel or a ring on the assisting side to reduce grip strain on the wide hand.

This variation suits calisthenics athletes and intermediate to advanced lifters who already own ten or more clean strict pull-ups and want a route toward the one-arm pull-up. Anyone still building basic pulling volume is better served by the Assisted Pull-Up or the Close Grip Pull-Up. Focusing on driving the working elbow down toward the ribs, rather than on reaching the chin over the hand, keeps the lat in charge of the rep.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Latissimus Dorsi: Primary
Biceps Brachii: High
Teres Major: High
Upper Trapezius: High
Brachialis: Medium
Brachioradialis: Medium
Rhomboid Major: Medium
Deltoid: Low
External Oblique: Low
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris: Low

Instructions

Grip a pull-up bar with an overhand grip set noticeably wider than shoulder width.
Hang with the arms straight, shoulders pulled down away from the ears and the legs steady.
Brace the core and squeeze the glutes so the body does not swing.
Pull up and toward one hand, driving that elbow down and back while the opposite arm stays long.
Let the assisting hand slide or rotate on the bar as the body travels sideways, keeping that elbow close to straight.
Rise until the chin clears the bar next to the working hand and the chest is close to it.
Lower under control back to the center hang without dropping the shoulders into the ears.
Repeat toward the opposite hand and alternate sides for the prescribed reps.

Common Mistakes

Bending the assisting arm
Letting the straight arm pull hard turns the movement into an uneven wide pull-up and removes the point of the exercise.
Kipping through the sticking point
Swinging the legs to generate momentum loads the shoulder at the worst angle and hides the strength gap the exercise is meant to expose.
Shrugging at the start
Beginning the pull with the shoulders up around the ears leaves the shoulder blade unpacked and shifts work from the lat onto the neck and upper traps.
Cutting the range short
Stopping before the chin clears the bar or failing to return to a full hang trains only the easiest part of the movement.
Training one side only
Finishing every set on the same strong side widens the left to right imbalance the exercise should be correcting.
Gripping too narrow
Setting the hands close together leaves too little room for the torso to travel sideways, so the rep never reaches a true archer position.

Injuries

Archer Pull-Up is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The offset load places high demand on one shoulder at a time, so the risk sits mainly at the working shoulder and at the elbow of the straight assisting arm.

Typical strain points are the biceps tendon at the front of the shoulder, the common flexor origin at the inner elbow and the wrist of the wide hand, which is forced into an awkward angle as the torso shifts. Sudden kipping or a fast drop at the bottom of the rep loads these tissues while the shoulder blade is unpacked, which is when strains usually happen. Starting each rep from an actively depressed shoulder position and lowering over two to three seconds removes most of that exposure.

Progress into the movement rather than jumping straight to it. Wide-grip pull-ups, slow negatives lowered toward one side, and band-assisted archer reps all build the tolerance needed. The Pull-Up and Assisted Pull-Up remain the sensible regressions, while adding a pause at the top or removing help from the straight arm are the natural progressions.

Stop the set if a sharp pinch appears at the front of the shoulder, if the inner elbow starts to ache, or if the assisting arm has to bend heavily to complete the rep. Lifters with a history of shoulder impingement, labral injury or elbow tendinopathy should get clearance before adding this to a program.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back
Equipment: Body weight and pull-up bar
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Advanced

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many strict pull-ups should I have before trying this?: A reasonable entry point is around ten clean strict pull-ups with a full hang at the bottom. Below that, added volume on standard pull-ups builds strength faster and with less joint stress.
Q: Does the assisting arm count as cheating?: No, the straight arm is part of the exercise and provides a small amount of support and balance. The goal is to keep it close to locked so the working side does the work, not to eliminate its contribution entirely.
Q: How wide should the grip be?: Set the hands wide enough that the torso can travel most of the way toward one hand at the top, which is usually well outside shoulder width. Too narrow and the rep becomes an ordinary wide pull-up.
Q: Should I alternate sides within a set?: Alternating is the most common approach and keeps volume even between sides. Doing all reps on one side before switching is also valid if you are chasing a specific weak side, provided both sides get the same total work.
Q: Is this a good step toward a one-arm pull-up?: Yes, it is one of the standard progressions because it teaches the body to pull under an offset load. Reducing help from the assisting arm over time is the practical way to advance toward a full one-arm rep.