Muscle-ups are something I’m really passionate about! Back in the day, muscle-ups were something I always wanted to do, but they seemed impossible.
I started training for muscle-ups right before my 40th birthday. I’m 43 now, and it’s safe to say I’ve come a LONG way!
I will preface by saying I was already elite at pull-ups and had a very high level of upper body strength, stability, and mobility. So I did skip some key foundational exercises I include in my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program. In this program I teach you how to do muscle-ups from the ground up.
I don’t share a lot of my own training videos, but I’m proud of my progress! Also, I hope my own progress gives you some inspiration and confidence!
Here are a few of my muscle-up milestones
As I talk about a LOT, pull-ups are the foundation of muscle-ups. You need to be elite at pull-ups before you learn muscle-ups. If you are still trying to get your first pull-up, improve your pull-up form, and learn more advanced types of pull-ups, here are two resources of mine that will be instrumental!
Struggling With Pull-Ups? 5 Of My Top Exercises For Learning Pull-Ups
Here are the 6 exercises that have been the most impactful in helping me get my first muscle-up, and then excel at muscle-ups. All of these exercises are in various phases of my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program.
#1) False Grip Hang
This exercise strengthens the false grip, improves shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt a false grip, and your preferred hand width.
- Set your body in a relatively straight line from your head to feet. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Fully extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).
- Initiate the movement by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip (retract, depress, and downwardly rotate). When you do your body should elevate a slight amount.
- Do not allow your elbows to bend/”pull.”
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears, shoulder blades to elevate, or shoulders to roll forward.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain the above body positioning. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2a) Weighted Pull-Ups
Once you can do regular pull-ups, weighted pull-ups are great for improving your pull-up height.
Coaching Tips:
- Weight yourself however you prefer (weight belt, hold weight between feet, loop KBs over feet, etc).
- Use a regular pull-up grip (palms facing away) as this is specific to muscle-ups.
- Set your body in a relatively straight line from your head to feet. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Fully extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).
- Initiate the pull-up by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip, and drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the floor.
- Aim to pull as high and explosively as possible. Make sure your chin passes the bar, but do not look up and reach with your chin.
- Exhale after you have initiated the “pull,” and as your body is traveling towards the top position.
- In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- During the lowering/eccentric component, do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They should perform the reverse movements as they did during the ascending component.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears or shoulder blades to elevate during the “pulling” component.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to roll forward.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body positioning. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
2b) Band Resisted Pull-Ups
Most people are familiar with band assisted pull-ups, but I bet many people are not aware that there is such a thing as band RESISTED pull-ups!
Once you are able to do regular pull-ups, adding band resistance is a great way to progress the exercise, and improve your pull-up height and power!
While adding band resistance obviously makes the exercise more challenging, I also love this variation because it absolutely forces you to maintain tension around your torso/spine/hips/lower body for the duration of the exercise. So this is also a great learning tool, and way to progress!
I have anchored a small band around a heavy dumbbell, and have the band looped around my ankles (and my feet are dorsiflexed so the band doesn’t slide off).
You can also anchor a long band underneath a heavy dumbbell and can rest the band on your upper traps.
#3) False Grip High Pull-Ups
In order to excel at muscle-ups, you need to have a very high pull-up. Chin to bar, or even upper chest to bar won’t cut it. This is especially true with bar muscle-ups. The rings are easier as they allow you to transition with a much lower pull.
Many people overlook the pull-up component, and as a result struggle mightily with muscle-ups. If you feel overwhelmed with muscle-ups, focus on making your pull-ups as high and powerful as possible. This is likely my number one piece of advice.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt a false grip (or hybrid false grip which is what I use), and your preferred hand width.
- Set your body in a relatively straight line from your head to feet. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Fully extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).
- Initiate the pull-up by using the muscles in your mid and upper back, and draw each shoulder blade in towards your spine and down towards the opposite hip, and drive your elbows in towards your sides and down towards the floor.
- Exhale after you have initiated the “pull,” and as your body is traveling towards the top position.
- In the top position, do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Make sure your chin passes the bar, but do not look up and reach with your chin. Aim to get your mid to lower chest to the bar. This is a good bench-mark for a successful muscle-up.
- During the lowering/eccentric component, do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They should perform the reverse movements as they did during the ascending component.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears or shoulder blades to elevate during the “pulling” component.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to roll forward.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain the pull-up specific body positioning. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
A world class training program for excelling at muscle-ups. Get your first muscle-up ever! Improve your PR for reps! Dramatically improve your form! And learn a LOT in the process! For trainees AND coaches! Home workout friendly, and for gym workouts.
#4) Weighted Dips With Slow Lowering
This exercise strengthens the triceps, chest, and shoulders, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. This exercise has a big carryover to the transition component of the muscle-up.
You will perform the lowering component in 3-5 seconds.
Coaching Tips:
- Weight yourself however you prefer (weight belt, hold weight between feet, loop KBs over feet, etc).
- Adopt your preferred hand width.
- Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. Fully extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps. With bar dips, keep your feet slightly ahead of your torso and hips. This is specific to muscle-ups as well.
- Before each rep (when you are in the top position), take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).
- Now lean forward a slight amount/lean over the bar, and take 3-5 seconds and bend your elbows and lower your chest to the bar.
- In the bottom position, do not allow your elbows to flare out. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Then perform the reverse movements and extend your elbows and press your body away from the bar and to the top position. Gain a moment of control in the top position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears, shoulder blades to elevate, or shoulders to roll forward.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position, legs fully extended, and feet slightly ahead of your torso. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Russian Dips
This advanced dip has a fantastic carryover to muscle-ups, particularly the transition. In order to do these you should be proficient at both exercises 4 and 6.
While this exercise is not in my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program as many people do not have access to parallel bars, it is a great option!
Coaching Tips:
- Put your forearms on parallel bars. I’m using B-Bars from Base Blocks. You can use my code MEGHAN1 for a discount. You can also use VERY stable boxes, or benches.
- In the starting position, your shoulders should be above your elbows.
- Set your body so your head, torso, and hips are in a stacked position. Fully extend your knees, and contract your glutes and quadriceps. Your legs and feet should be ahead of your torso.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).
- Now press your weight backwards so your shoulders and torso travel well behind your elbows.
- Then pull your body forward, and lean forward so your elbows are positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Then extend your elbows and press up.
- Gain a moment of control, then lower with control to the starting position so your forearms are on the bars. Don’t just drop down. This will be challenging!
- 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, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and contract your glutes and quadriceps.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#6) Russian Push-Ups
This advanced push-up has a huge carryover to muscle-ups, particularly the transition!
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a plank position from your hands and feet. Set your body so it is in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels, tuck your chin, and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Adopt your preferred foot width. Unlike regular push-ups where you are on your forefeet, the tops of your feet (laces) should be in contact with the floor.
- Position your hands so they are slightly closer together than during regular push-ups. In the bottom position, your elbows and upper arms should remain tight to your sides. Figure out what hand width and positioning works and feels best for you.
- At the top of the push-up, your shoulders, elbows and wrists should be in a relatively stacked position.
- During the push-up components, your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your full hands and fingers, not just at the base of your hands/wrists. Pretend you are trying to spread your full hands and fingers to the floor.
- 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 squeeze your glutes.
- Descend into the push-up and retract your shoulder blades. Think about lightly drawing your shoulder blades together and towards your spine as you are performing the eccentric component, but do not overdo this movement. Imagine you are pulling or “rowing” your body down to the floor. Do not just drop down.
- In the bottom position, your elbows should be positioned over your wrists, and forearms in a vertical position. Do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Once your upper arms are approximately parallel (or slightly closer) to the floor, press your body backwards and touch your forearms to the floor. Your feet should glide along the floor during this component.
- Once you hit your end range, pull your body forward and perform the reverse movements so your elbows are directly over your wrists and forearms are in a vertical position.
- Then press back up to the top/starting position.
- As you are performing these movements, do not sink into your shoulders, and do not allow your body to collapse towards the floor. This is extremely important.
- When you are pressing your body away from the floor and are returning to the top position, protract your shoulder blades. Think about spreading your shoulder blades apart and moving them away from your spine and around your ribcage. Do not keep them pinned.
- 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 body should remain in a straight line from the top/back of your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or neck to collapse.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core braced (360 degree brace), and squeeze your glutes.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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