A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level One Arm Pull Ups of 5 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 9 lbs (0.05x bodyweight).
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results
How strong is your One Arm Pull Ups? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.
How Strong Is Your One Arm Pull Ups?
How Much Should You One Arm Pull Ups?
1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.
| BW (lbs) | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 8 | 13 |
| 120 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 |
| 130 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 |
| 140 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| 150 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| 160 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| 170 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| 180 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| 190 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| 200 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 9 | 12 |
| 210 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 |
| 220 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 |
| 230 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| 240 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| 250 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| 260 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| 270 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| 280 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| 290 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 7 | 9 |
| 300 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 310 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 90 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 13 | 34 |
| 100 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 17 | 37 |
| 110 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 20 | 40 |
| 120 | < 1 | < 1 | 6 | 22 | 41 |
| 130 | < 1 | < 1 | 8 | 24 | 43 |
| 140 | < 1 | < 1 | 9 | 25 | 44 |
| 150 | < 1 | < 1 | 10 | 26 | 44 |
| 160 | < 1 | < 1 | 12 | 27 | 45 |
| 170 | < 1 | < 1 | 13 | 28 | 45 |
| 180 | < 1 | 2 | 13 | 29 | 45 |
| 190 | < 1 | 3 | 14 | 29 | 45 |
| 200 | < 1 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 45 |
| 210 | < 1 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 45 |
| 220 | < 1 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 44 |
| 230 | < 1 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 44 |
| 240 | < 1 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 44 |
| 250 | < 1 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 43 |
| 260 | < 1 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 43 |
How Does Age Affect One Arm Pull Ups Strength?
How One Arm Pull Ups standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.
| Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 6 | 12 |
| 20 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 10 | 18 |
| 25 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| 30 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| 35 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| 40 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 |
| 45 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 9 | 16 |
| 50 | < 1 | < 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 |
| 55 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 10 |
| 60 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 65 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 |
| 70 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 1 |
| 75 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 |
| 80 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 |
| 85 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 |
| 90 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 |
| 15 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 20 | 40 |
| 20 | < 1 | < 1 | 8 | 27 | 50 |
| 25 | < 1 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 |
| 30 | < 1 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 |
| 35 | < 1 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 |
| 40 | < 1 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 |
| 45 | < 1 | < 1 | 7 | 25 | 47 |
| 50 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 22 | 43 |
| 55 | < 1 | < 1 | 2 | 18 | 37 |
| 60 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 14 | 31 |
| 65 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 10 | 26 |
| 70 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 7 | 20 |
| 75 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 15 |
| 80 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 10 |
| 85 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 7 |
| 90 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 |
What Do One Arm Pull Ups Strength Standards Mean?
Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement on the One Arm Pull Ups, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.
Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the One Arm Pull Ups with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.
Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your One Arm Pull Ups is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.
Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built significant strength on the One Arm Pull Ups through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.
Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your One Arm Pull Ups strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.
How to Progress Your One Arm Pull Ups
Tier-specific training recommendations to move your One Arm Pull Ups to the next level.
- Train the One Arm Pull Ups 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
- Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
- Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
- Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
- Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the One Arm Pull Ups.
- Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
- Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
- Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
- Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through One Arm Pull Ups plateaus.
- Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
- Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
- Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
- Maximize One Arm Pull Ups strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
- Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
- Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
- Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
How to Perform One Arm Pull Ups
- Start by gripping the pull-up bar with one hand, using a pronated grip (palm facing away).
- Engage your core and keep your body straight, avoiding any swinging or kipping.
- Pull your body upwards, aiming to bring your chin above the bar while keeping your shoulder blades retracted.
- Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner until your arm is fully extended.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Tips for One Arm Pull Ups
- Warm up thoroughly before attempting one-arm pull-ups.
- Use assistance bands if you are not yet able to perform a full one-arm pull-up.
- Focus on maintaining a tight core to prevent swinging.
- Gradually build up strength by starting with assisted variations or negatives.
Where Do These One Arm Pull Ups Standards Come From?
These One Arm Pull Ups standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.
Last Updated: March 30, 2026
Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.
Is Your One Arm Pull Ups Good for Your Weight?
Strength standards help you objectively measure your One Arm Pull Ups performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:
- Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
- Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
- Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
- Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.
If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can One Arm Pull Ups 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.
These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.