# Single-Arm Power and Pull One-sided power and pulling work, which exposes the weaker side quickly. - URL: https://formaroutines.com/routines/single-arm-power-and-pull/ - Duration: About 24 min - Admin slug: single-arm-power-and-pull ## Before you start Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care. ## Exercises ### 1. Dumbbell Single Arm Clean And Press 4 sets · 5 reps · 60s rest · both sides A whole-body movement on one side. Start light; the catch is the part that needs practice. #### Steps - Stand with a dumbbell on the floor between your feet and squat down to grip it with one hand. - Set a flat back, brace your core, and look straight ahead with the dumbbell hanging between your knees. - Drive through your heels and explode upward, pulling the dumbbell straight up close to your body. - Catch the dumbbell at shoulder height with the elbow tucked under and your knees softly bent. - Stand fully tall, then press the dumbbell straight overhead until your arm reaches full lockout. - Lower the dumbbell back to your shoulder, then to the floor under control before the next rep. #### Cues - Drive from the hips. - Catch at the shoulder. - Press once stable. #### Common mistakes - Rounding the lower back during the pull from the floor, which puts the spine at high risk under load. - Curling the dumbbell to the shoulder with the arm instead of using the hips to drive it up. - Pressing overhead before standing fully tall, turning the lift into an unstable push press. - Dropping the dumbbell back down without control, which can injure the shoulder or wrist. ### 2. Kettlebell Push Press 3 sets · 8 reps · 50s rest · both sides Uses the legs to start the press, so you can handle more than a strict press allows. #### Steps - Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and clean a kettlebell to the rack position at your shoulder. - Brace your core and dip slightly at the knees and hips, keeping your torso vertical. - Drive explosively through your heels to extend the legs and launch the kettlebell upward. - Press the bell to full lockout overhead with the bicep alongside your ear and the wrist stacked. - Lower the kettlebell back to the rack position under control, absorbing with a soft knee bend. - Reset your stance and brace, then dip and drive again for the next rep. #### Cues - Small leg drive. - Press overhead. - Lock out gently. #### Common mistakes - Turning the dip into a deep squat instead of a short, fast drop and drive. - Pressing with the arm before the leg drive transfers, which kills the power assist. - Letting the wrist bend backward at lockout, which loads the joint instead of the shoulder. - Leaning back into the lower spine to finish the press instead of pressing straight up overhead. ### 3. Kettlebell Gorilla Row 3 sets · 10 reps · 45s rest · both sides Rowing from a bent-over hold with two bells keeps the torso locked while one arm works. #### Steps - Stand over two kettlebells with feet wider than shoulder width and toes turned slightly out. - Hinge at the hips and grip both handles with a flat back, chest proud, and arms hanging straight down. - Brace your core and row the right kettlebell to your hip, keeping the elbow close to the ribs. - Lower the right bell back to the floor under control while keeping the left arm long and loaded. - Row the left kettlebell to your hip with the same tight elbow path, fighting any rotation in the torso. - Continue alternating sides for the full set, keeping the hips square and the back flat throughout. #### Cues - Hinge and hold. - Row one side. - Hips stay level. #### Common mistakes - Rotating the torso to throw the kettlebell up instead of pulling cleanly with the back. - Letting the elbow flare wide, which shifts the load off the lats and onto the rear shoulders. - Rounding the lower back at the bottom of each rep, which strains the spine under load. - Yanking the bell off the floor with the arm instead of pulling with the lat and mid-back. ### 4. Kettlebell Front Raise 3 sets · 12 reps · 40s rest A front raise with the bell held in both hands, which keeps the shoulders even. #### Steps - Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell by the horns with both hands. - Let the kettlebell hang in front of your hips with your arms straight and shoulders pulled down and back. - Brace your core to lock the torso in place so it can't swing or arch through the rep. - Raise the kettlebell straight out in front of you by lifting through the front shoulders only. - Stop when the kettlebell reaches roughly eye level with your arms straight and elbows soft. - Lower the kettlebell slowly back to the start over 2 to 3 seconds, then begin the next rep. #### Cues - Both hands on the handle. - Stop at eye level. - Ribs stay down. #### Common mistakes - Swinging the torso to start the rep, which uses momentum instead of front-delt strength. - Lifting the kettlebell too high overhead, which shifts work to the traps and out of the front delts. - Bending the elbows mid-rep, which turns the raise into a partial curl and reduces shoulder isolation. - Letting the lower back arch to help lift, which strains the spine and removes the brace. ### 5. Cable 30 Degree Shrug 3 sets · 15 reps · 35s rest The angled cable pulls the traps along a different line than a vertical shrug. #### Steps - Set the cable at the lowest pulley setting and attach a straight bar or rope handle. - Stand a foot or two back from the cable and grip the handle with arms straight. - Lean your torso forward at about a 30-degree angle, keeping a flat back and braced core. - Let your shoulders relax forward and down so the cable pulls your traps into a stretch. - Shrug your shoulders up and slightly back along the angle of the cable, squeezing the traps hard. - Lower the weight back down under control over 2 to 3 seconds and repeat for high reps. #### Cues - Slight lean. - Shrug along the cable. - Pause at the top. #### Common mistakes - Standing fully upright, which turns the lift into a regular straight-up shrug. - Bending the elbows instead of keeping the arms straight — loads the biceps, not the traps. - Rounding the lower back in the leaned-over position, which strains the spine over volume. - Using too much weight and rolling the shoulders forward instead of shrugging up and back.