How common are single arm chins?

[TedB]

Rip, in your almost fourty years of coaching experience, how common is the ability to perform a strict one arm chin up? Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

With one hand on the bar/one on the wrist, or with one hand only?

[TedB]

One hand only, completely unassisted.

[Smyth]

With one hand on the bar/one on the wrist, or with one hand only?

It seems to me the former is easy (at least one) for most people who can do chins, while the latter is virtually impossible for most anyone.

[Mark Rippetoe]

If this question is somehow important, Smyth is correct, depending on the bodyweight of the CrossFitter.

[Smyth]

depending on the bodyweight of the CrossFitter.

Heh. Indeed.

[VNV]

Here is a coincidence. I just did one of the first type. 190 lbs. 46 yrs.

Rip's volume/intensity-weighted chins program works.

Could barely do a single unweighted chin when I was 30 yrs. (No, I haven't been training the whole time since then.)

[Tom DiStasio]

This is the only one I think I've ever seen. But then again, I'm not sure if Gillian is human

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO9lwhSSmD8

[Stephen Wokanick]

One arm chins can be trained like anything else. York lifters like Grimek, Stanko and Davis could do one arm chin for reps and they all weighed over 200-lbs.

Trainees do more rowing nowadays than heavy pull up work.

[idlehands]

I've seen Steve do them also. Seems like if you want to do them train for them. I can think of a few folks who log in the competitors forums that could do one arm chins with minimal training focus. Just based on their current weight and weighted chin numbers