5 Accessory Exercises For Better Pull-Ups And Muscle-Ups

When it comes to training for pull-ups and muscle-ups, including accessory exercises is very beneficial. These exercises can help prepare your body for the rigours of pull-ups and muscle-ups, and they address key components of pull-ups and muscle-ups.

Here are 5 of my go-to accessory exercises for pull-ups and muscle-ups. These exercises address lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, grip, elbow health and durability, and more.

Even if pull-ups and muscle-ups aren’t a goal, all of these exercises will be very beneficial.

#1) Weighted Forearm Supinations And Pronations

This exercise improves the durability of the elbows. I am demonstrating both forearm supination and pronation. So, I am targeting both the medial and lateral aspect of the elbow. If you have one area you need to work on more, you can focus on this side.

While I am using a water bottle, you can do this using any longer weighted object.

The weight should be very light. You can modify by using assistance from your other hand during the lifting/concentric component.

ONLY use a range of motion that feels comfortable. The movements should not hurt. This is extremely important!

Coaching Tips: (for supination, but same key points apply for pronated variation)

You can do this from a seated, standing, half kneeling, or tall kneeling position.

Hold onto a weighted object, and fully extend your arm. Your shoulder, elbow, and hand should be in a relatively stacked position, and your wrist should be in a neutral position.

Now take 3-5 seconds and rotate your forearm, wrist, and hand so your palm is facing the ceiling (supinated). Everything should move as a single unit.

Once you hit your end range, perform the opposite movements and return your arm and the weight to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your elbow fully extended (or close to it), and at the same angle. Do not allow your elbow to bend or extend.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps per direction per side.

#2) Single Arm Rows From Plank

This core exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability (think core stability), and shoulder and scapular stability. The goal here is to focus on form, body position, tension, and stability, NOT exhaustion!!

With pull-ups and muscle-ups, many people struggle as they are not able to maintain the body position and tension that are needed to thrive. This exercise will help!

Coaching Tips:

Get into a plank position from your forearm and feet, and elevate your forearm on a stable surface.

On the planted side, your elbow should be underneath your shoulder.

On the other side of your body, place a weighted object.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt), and flex your glutes.

While maintaining the plank position, perform single arm rows.

In the top position of the row, do not ⁣⁣allow your elbow to flare out, and during the lowering component do not keep your shoulder blade pinned (many people do).

Perform the target number of reps on one side before switching sides.

Pay attention to your supporting side. Push away from the surface/towards the sky and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.

For the duration of the exercise, aside from your moving arm, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and flex your glutes.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.

#3) Hollow Body + Band Resisted Overhead Dowel Presses

This exercise, which is extremely anti-extension in nature, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

With pull-ups and muscle-ups, many people struggle as they are not able to maintain the body position and tension that are needed to thrive. This exercise will help!

Coaching Tips: ⁣

Loop a resistance band around a secure surface and slide the dowel through the band. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Lift your head and neck so they are several inches above the floor. Keep your chin tucked and neck in a neutral position. If this bothers your neck, you may rest your head on a yoga block.⁣⁣

Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, fully extend your knees, point your feet away from you (plantarflex).⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Grab onto the dowel, and adopt your preferred hand width. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

⁣Now slowly lower your legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core muscles (360 degree brace), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt).⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Now extend your elbows and perform an overhead press.

Gain a moment of control, return your arms to the starting position.

In the bottom/starting position, do not allow your elbows to flare out.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to excessively elevate. ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to leave the floor. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and flex your glutes and quadriceps. ⁣⁣ ⁣

In terms ⁣of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. ⁣

Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Do you want to get your first muscle-up ever? If so, check out my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program.A world class training program for excelling at muscle-ups. Do your first rep ever! Improve your PR for reps! Dramatically improve your form! And learn a LOT in the process! For trainees AND coaches!

LEARN MORE

#4) Plate Pinches

This exercise improves grip. If you don’t have weight plates you can improvise with another object.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a standing/athletic position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Keep your arm by your side, and hold onto a weight plate.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your arm rigid and imagine you are crushing an orange in your armpit.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

Hold the weight plate for the target amount of time.

You can perform this exercise unilaterally or bilaterally (hold a weight plate in each hand).

Do 2-3 sets of a 10-30 second hold per side.

#5) Long Lever Inverted Rows

This exercise strengthens the mid and upper back, improves shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, and lumbo-pelvic stability. If you are training at home and don’t have the equipment, you might be able to do this using a very sturdy wooden kitchen table or wooden desk.

Coaching Tips:

Set your grip so your palms are facing away from you (pronated), and are slightly greater than shoulder width apart, but figure out what hand width works and feels best for you. You may also use a neutral grip (palms facing one another), or a supinated grip (palms facing you).

Set your body so it is in a relatively straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. If you are struggling to maintain the plank position, you can modify the exercise by bending your knees and shortening your body’s lever.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug, and flex your glutes.

Perform an inverted row. Initiate the movement by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw your shoulder blades together and towards your spine (retract). Do not initiate the movement with your arms, and do not use momentum.

In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out.

Return to the starting position with control. Your shoulder blades should perform the reverse movement (protract) as they did during the rowing/concentric component. Think about moving your shoulder blades away from your spine and around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.

In the starting position, your elbows should be close to fully extended, but not hyperextended.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a relatively straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.