Archer Pull Up vs Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row: Complete Comparison Guide

Archer Pull Up vs Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row — you’ve got two solid bodyweight back moves that emphasize the lats but load them differently. In this guide you’ll get clear, usable comparisons of muscle activation, technique cues, equipment needs, and which exercise to pick for hypertrophy, strength, or home training. I’ll show specific rep ranges (3–6 for max strength, 6–12 for size), biomechanical reasons to choose one over the other, and progressions so you can slot either into your weekly plan and track measurable progress.

Similarity Score: 90%

Exercise A

Archer Pull Up

Target Lats

Equipment Body-weight

Body Part Back

Difficulty Advanced

Movement Compound

Secondary Muscles

Biceps Forearms

Exercise B

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

Target Lats

Equipment Body-weight

Body Part Back

Difficulty Intermediate

Movement Compound

Secondary Muscles

Biceps Forearms

Attribute	Archer Pull Up	Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row
Target Muscle	Lats	Lats
Body Part	Back	Back
Equipment	Body-weight	Body-weight
Difficulty	Advanced	Intermediate
Movement Type	Compound	Compound
Secondary Muscles	2	2

Secondary Muscles Activated

Archer Pull Up

Biceps Forearms

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

Biceps Forearms

Visual Comparison

Archer Pull Up

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

Key Differences

Difficulty levels differ: Archer Pull Up is advanced, while Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row is intermediate.
Both exercises target the Lats using Body-weight. The main differences are in their movement patterns and muscle activation angles.

Pros & Cons

Archer Pull Up

+ Pros

Very high unilateral mechanical tension ideal for building unilateral pulling strength
Strong lat peak activation due to combined adduction and extension
Progresses toward one-arm pull-up variations and weighted work
Builds grip and forearm endurance under high load

− Cons

Requires high baseline strength and a secure overhead bar
Higher shoulder and biceps strain risk if technique or strength is lacking
Harder to accumulate high-volume sets for hypertrophy without assistance

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

+ Pros

Easily scaled by body angle, great for controlled volume and hypertrophy
Requires minimal equipment—can be done at home with a table or low bar
Consistent tension across ROM supports time-under-tension approaches
Lower injury risk when progressed sensibly

− Cons

Less peak unilateral overload compared to Archer Pull Up
Can underload stronger lifters unless body angle is near horizontal
Requires careful scapular control to avoid using excessive shoulder shrug

When Each Exercise Wins

For muscle hypertrophy: Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

The one-arm row lets you easily manipulate volume and time under tension by adjusting body angle and tempo. Because you can perform 8–15+ controlled reps per set and accumulate total work, it’s more practical for targeted lat hypertrophy.

For strength gains: Archer Pull Up

Archer Pull Ups generate higher peak mechanical tension on one side and better transfer to one-arm pull strength; use low-rep sets (3–6) and weighted progressions to maximize neural and maximal-strength adaptations.

For beginners: Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

Beginners can start more upright and slowly increase difficulty while learning scapular retraction and elbow path. It develops the lat–biceps coordination with lower risk than attempting near-unilateral overhead pulls.

For home workouts: Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row

It requires less specialized gear and is simple to scale using a door frame, table, or suspension trainer. You can match training volume to goals without needing a high pull-up bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do both Archer Pull Up and Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row in the same workout?

Yes. Use the one-arm row early for higher-volume sets (8–12 reps) to pre-fatigue and reinforce form, then perform Archer Pull Ups later for heavy, low-rep strength work (3–6 reps) or as a focused skill set. Monitor total volume to avoid overtaxing the shoulder complex.

Which exercise is better for beginners?

Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row is better for beginners because you can reduce load by standing more upright and gradually increase difficulty. It teaches scapular control and elbow path with lower risk before attempting asymmetric overhead pulls.

How do the muscle activation patterns differ?

Archer Pull Ups produce a spike in lat activation near the top as the working side performs strong adduction and extension, creating short-duration peak tension. The one-arm row keeps the lat under steadier tension throughout the pull because the force vector is more horizontal and muscle length-tension remains more consistent.

Can Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row replace Archer Pull Up?

For hypertrophy and general back strength, yes—the one-arm row is a practical substitute. For maximal unilateral pulling strength and transfer to one-arm pull-ups, the Archer Pull Up is not fully replaceable because of its higher peak unilateral load and lever mechanics.

Expert Verdict

If your priority is raw pulling strength and you already have solid pull-up capacity, prioritize Archer Pull Ups for the unilateral overload and high peak tension—use low reps (3–6), slow eccentrics, and progress toward assisted one-arm pulls. If you want reliable lat hypertrophy, safer progressions, or you train at home, choose the Bodyweight Standing Close-grip One Arm Row: control body angle to hit 6–12 reps per set, emphasize scapular retraction, and increase horizontal load over time. Both moves complement each other: use rows to build volume and technique, then add archer pulls for heavy single-side stress and strength transfer.

More comparisons with Archer Pull Up