Muscle-ups are probably my favourite exercise. My muscle-up training journey has been incredibly gratifying and joyful.
Like pull-ups, muscle-ups are really fun and empowering to do, and there are many components of the muscle-up you can train for even if you aren’t yet able to do unassisted muscle-ups.
Unlike pull-ups where it is purely a pulling movement to get to the bar, muscle-ups are a combination of a pull and push, so both your pulling and pushing need to be fundamentally sound.
To note, with these muscle-ups I am using a false grip. This is my preferred way to do muscle-ups as I like to keep my form 100% strict versus swinging and using momentum. With the regular grip, most people need to “cheat” to some extent.
Many people have a very tough time getting used to, and strengthening their false grip. With the false grip, the bar (or rings) is sitting on the wrists/on the base of the hands, versus resting on the hands (palms) and fingers.
While some people keep all fingers over the bar/resting on the bar, I prefer to have my thumbs wrapped under the bar. I was originally taught the false grip with all fingers over the bar, but the second I changed to having my thumbs under the bar my pull power dramatically improved as did the control of my elbows, and the false grip became much less aggressive on my wrists. Do what works and feels best for you.
My muscle-up journey was not all smooth sailing. Here is one of the first times I did band assisted muscle-ups. As you can tell, I’ve come a long way :). If you master the fundamentals, and I worked really hard to, the possibilities are endless!
Here are 6 of my go-to exercises for learning muscle-ups. I am doing bar muscle-ups as they are my preferred type of muscle-up, but you can also do these exercises using rings. Most of the key points in form apply.
#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.”
- Hold for the target amount of time.
- 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.
#2) Pull-Ups (High False Grip Pull-Ups, And Band Resisted 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.
While I am using a false grip in the first video, focus on making your regular pull-ups as high as possible before you incorporate the false grip.
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.
- 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 ground.
- 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.
In this next video I am performing pull-ups using band resistance. These are great for improving your pull-up height, and the band also really forces you to generate full body tension, including in the glutes and legs.
#3) Eccentric-Only Muscle-Up
This exercise teaches you to perform the lowering portion of the muscle-up.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt your preferred hand width. Jump up to the bar, and set your false grip.
- When you are in the top position (or as you are jumping up if you are required to jump), set your body position as quickly as you can.
- 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).
- Now take 3-5 seconds and lower to the starting position with control.
- When you are lowering your shoulder blades should spread apart and move away from your spine, and away from the opposite hip (protract, elevate, and upwardly rotate). Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned.
- Lower in a single fluid movement. The lowering shouldn’t be jerky.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug, shoulder blades to excessively elevate towards your ears, or shoulders to roll forward. Maintain control of your shoulder blades.
- 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.
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#4) False Grip Concentric Muscle-Up Hang
This exercise is great for improving your false grip, and helping you gain strength right before the transition of the muscle-up.
Coaching Tips:
- Adopt your preferred hand width. Jump up to the bar, and set your false grip.
- When you are in the top position (or as you are jumping up if you are required to jump), set your body position as quickly as you can.
- Right before you jump up (or get into position if you aren’t jumping), 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).
- 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.
- Hold for the target length of time.
- The entire time you are holding, 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 ground.
- 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.
#5) Straight Bar Triceps Dips
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.
Coaching Tips:
- 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, 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.
- Exhale after you have initiated the “press,” and as your body is traveling towards 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.
#6) Band Assisted Muscle-Ups
This exercise strengthens the upper body, improves false grip, shoulder and scapular stability, and lumbo-pelvic stability. Band assisted muscle-ups allow you to work on your muscle-up technique, and build up your volume, but do not make the mistake of relying purely on these and neglecting your pull-ups. This is a huge mistake many make!
Use as little assistance from the band as you can (use the thinnest band possible), but enough where you can maintain proper form for 100% of the exercise. Aim to use as little “bounce” from the band as possible.
Coaching Tips:
- Securely attach a band over the bar, and rest the band underneath your feet (or hips/under your upper thighs if you are in an l-sit).
- 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.
- 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 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.
- Be patient as you are approaching the bar. If you attempt to transition too early the bar will block you, or you will have to chicken wing your elbows. Avoid this sloppy form! Pull as high as you can, and do not become so fixated on the transition that you forget to pull high and hard. MANY make this mistake!
- If your “push” is strong you’ll likely be able to get away with transitioning a little earlier, but when your mid to lower chest is around bar height, lean forward a slight amount, get into a triceps dips position, and extend your elbows and press your body into the top position of the muscle-up.
- As you are transitioning, do not allow your elbows to flare out.
- Gain a moment of control, then re-establish your false grip.
- Then perform the reverse movements and return your body to the bottom position with complete control. Treat this like the lowering component of the pull-up. The same key points in form apply.
- Do not allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears or shoulder blades to elevate during the “pulling” component and during the transition. For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to roll forward.
- 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, 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.
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