The Ultimate MUSCLE-up Program
Build The Strength, Skill And Confidence To Master Muscle-Ups. Even If You’ve Tried And Failed Before.
A Top Program For Learning Muscle-Ups! Do Your First Rep Ever! Set A New PR! Improve Your Form!
I Have ZERO Gymnastics Background Yet Learned Strict Muscle-Ups in My 40s. You Can As Well!
Muscle-ups are my favorite exercise. Challenging, empowering, and fun. But I didn’t grow up doing them. I started right before I turned 40, and like many of you, I struggled at first.
By 42, I hit huge milestones:
10 consecutive strict muscle-ups
20 lb weighted strict muscle-up
Super slow muscle-up
All of this felt impossible when I started. But I learned what works, and what holds most people back.
Why Most People Struggle To Learn Muscle-Ups (I Did Too)
Most people fixate on the end result, rush the process, and skip the key fundamentals that are needed to perform at a high level, AND feel good while doing so.
I made ALL these mistakes myself in the early days. Once I committed to mastering the fundamentals, being consistent, and training with intention, EVERYTHING changed.
That’s Why I Created The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program.
I wasn’t planning to launch a muscle-up program. But after COUNTLESS requests, I knew I had something valuable to offer.
And this has been one of my top selling programs!
I’ve taken everything I’ve learned through my own journey and coaching thousands of clients, and built The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program to solve the gaps other programs (and coaches) miss.
Virtually all of the muscle-up programs I have seen have been incredibly disappointing and have fallen short in many areas. When I created The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program I took all of these short-comings and glaring flaws into account.
This program is a game-changer!
The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is based on real training, real progress, and real results.
You Don’t Need a Gymnastics Background. Just the Right Plan!
If I can build elite-level muscle-up strength and skill in my 40s, so can YOU.
This program will help you train smarter, master technique, and get stronger than ever!
Let’s go!
My programs are being followed by THOUSANDS of people in over 100 countries worldwide! My Ultimate Pull-Up Program was featured in The New York Times!
The Ultimate Muscle-Up/Pistol Squat Package (SAVE $37)
Do You ALSO Want To Learn Pistol Squats?
If so, get The Ultimate Muscle-Up/Pistol Squat Program Package today! This package includes The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program and The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program. The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program is currently being followed by THOUSANDS of happy customers in over 50 countries.
Normally both of these programs would cost $194. But, you can invest in both today for only $157. So you save $37!
What is The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program?
(SAVE $37) - GET The ultimate MUSCLE-UP/PISTOL SQUAT Package for only $157!
Build The Strength, Skill, Mobility, And Confidence To Master Pistol Squats. Even If You’ve Tried And Failed Before.
This Pistol Squat Program Is For YOU If…
You’ve dreamed of doing pistol squats but don’t know where to start.
You’re strong but still cannot do pistol squats due to a lack of single leg or glute strength, mobility, stability, or a combo.
You want a proven, progressive system with real coaching, not random exercises that are mindlessly thrown together.
You’re ready to feel powerful, capable, and athletic at any age.
What You’ll Achieve With This Pistol Squat Program
You will learn step-by-step pistol squat progressions that actually work.
You will get your first pistol squat, and then progress to doing multiple reps. Then you’ll learn a variety of pistol squat variations!
You will dramatically improve your lower body, glute, hip flexor, adductor (inner thigh), lower leg and foot strength.
You will improve pistol squat technique, body control, coordination, lower body and lower leg/foot strength and stability, hip and ankle mobility, and much more!
What You Get With This Pistol Squat Program (a LOT) Expert Guidance: Benefit from my professional coaching tips and form cues to maximize your results. You will feel like I’m there coaching you while you do the workouts. You will also soak up my 21+ years of coaching experience and close to 30 years of my own training experience.
Minimal Equipment Required: The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program is very user friendly as it only requires your bodyweight, dumbbells (or kettlebells), bands, and a foam roller (sliders or towels can be used in place of a roller).
Structured Workouts: This is a four-phase program with incredibly well-planned workouts designed to bring you optimal pistol squat results. While this will absolutely vary from person to person, a general guideline for each phase is 4-12 weeks. Even if pistol squats aren't a goal, you will get SO much out of this program!
2 Workouts Per Week: In each phase in The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program, you are given two different workouts. Do each workout once a week for a total of two workouts per week. But you can do these workouts more frequently if you like!
Time Efficient AND Effective Workouts: Each workout typically takes around 45-60 minutes to do. The overall workout length will depend on how many sets you do, if you have a customized warm-up or cool-down protocol you follow (in addition to what you get in this program), or take longer rest between supersets.
Comprehensive Exercise Library: Each exercise comes with VERY detailed written exercise form and coaching instructions, and a video to ensure proper form and technique.
Progressive Training: The workouts in each phase are designed to become more challenging over time, ensuring continuous improvement.
Clear Modifications And Progressions: In each exercise description, I let you know how you can make the exercise easier, and also how you can make the exercise more challenging. This program is smartly structured with my guidance so you are always challenged but never overwhelmed.
Fundamentally Sound Program That Covers EVERYTHING You’ll Need/Want: Pistol squat technique, lower body and glute strength, hip flexor, adductor, lower leg and foot strength, hip and ankle mobility, and much more!
Flexible Scheduling: Adapt the program to fit YOUR lifestyle and training preferences.
Easy To Follow Program: While you get workout charts in the main program PDF (the program comes with two PDFs), I am also giving you a separate PDF that is the workout charts ONLY, plus 10 additional mobility exercises, AND 10 advanced pistol squat variations. The workout charts in this PDF include the exercise name, sets, reps, tempo, and a video link. This PDF is much smaller and easier to navigate while training.
Lifetime Access! No App Or Subscription Required: Access the program through two downloadable PDFs. You have FOREVER access to this program! You do not need any annoying and expensive subscription, nor do you need to use an app! Many apps are super confusing to use, or often bring tech issue hassles!
This Muscle-Up Program Is For YOU If…
You’ve dreamed of doing strict muscle-ups but don’t know where to start. You’ve hit a plateau or feel stuck with pull-ups, dips, or transitions.
You’re strong but can’t quite make the leap to muscle-ups.
You want a proven, progressive system with real coaching, not random exercises that are mindlessly thrown together.
You’re ready to feel powerful, capable, and athletic at any age.
What You’ll Achieve With This Muscle-Up Program
You will get your first muscle-up, or multiple reps.
You will build total-body strength, especially upper body and core.
You will improve muscle-up technique, body control, coordination, and power (even though you’ll be learning STRICT muscle-ups).
You will learn step-by-step muscle-up progressions that actually work.
You will gain confidence in your body and abilities.
What You Get With This Muscle-Up Program
Expert Guidance: Benefit from my professional coaching tips and form cues to maximize your results. You will feel like I’m there coaching you while you do the workouts. You will also soak up my 21+ years of coaching experience and close to 30 years of my own training experience.
Structured Workouts: This is a four-phase program with incredibly well-planned workouts designed to bring you optimal muscle-up results. While this will absolutely vary from person to person, a general guideline for each phase is 4-12 weeks.
3 Workouts Per Week: In each phase in The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program, you are given three different workouts. Do each workout once a week for a total of three workouts per week.
Time Efficient AND Effective Workouts: Each workout typically takes around 45-60 minutes to do. The overall workout length will depend on how many sets you do, if you have a customized warm-up or cool-down protocol you follow (in addition to what you get in this program), or take longer rest between supersets.
Comprehensive Exercise Library: Each exercise comes with VERY detailed written exercise form and coaching instructions, and a video to ensure proper form and technique.
Progressive Training: The workouts in each phase are designed to become more challenging over time, ensuring continuous improvement.
Clear Modifications And Progressions: In each exercise description, I let you know how you can make the exercise easier, and also how you can make the exercise more challenging. This program is smartly structured with my guidance so you are always challenged but never overwhelmed.
Fundamentally Sound Program That Covers EVERYTHING You’ll Need/Want: Muscle-up technique, muscle-up specific strength, pull-up strength/technique, false grip strength/durability, core stability, shoulder and scapular stability and controlled mobility, and wrist mobility.
Easy To Follow Program: While you get workout charts in the main program PDF (the program comes with two PDFs), I am also giving you a separate PDF that is the workout charts ONLY. These workout charts include the exercise name, sets, reps, tempo, and a video link. This PDF is much smaller and easier to navigate while training.
Lifetime Access! No App Or Subscription Required: Access the program through two downloadable PDFs. You have FOREVER access to this program! You do not need any annoying and expensive subscription, nor do you need to use an app! Many apps are super confusing to use, or often bring tech issue hassles!
What Makes This Muscle-Up Program Stand Out From The Others
Virtually all of the muscle-up programs I have seen have been incredibly disappointing and have fallen short in many areas.
When I created The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program I took all of these short-comings and glaring flaws into account.
You can use this program for both bar and ring muscle-ups as most of the teachings in this program apply to both.
I’ve taken everything I’ve learned through my own journey and coaching thousands of clients, and built The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program to solve the gaps other programs (and coaches) miss.
In each phase of The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program, I’m including an abundance of exercises, and my coaching tips, cues, and feedback, that will progressively help you improve the following:
Muscle-up technique - When it comes to excelling at muscle-ups, technique will play a massive role! It is not just about being strong. In each phase of this program, you will keep improving your overall technique and competency.
Pull-up height and power - Being able to do a high pull-up is the top factor for excelling at muscle-ups! Countless people overlook this and wonder why they struggle with muscle-ups! I’m sure this program will give you many “lightbulb” or “aha” moments!
Muscle-up specific strength - You will build strength in all three components of the muscle-up (pull, transition, and press).
False grip - Developing a strong and durable false grip will help you get from the pull to push in one fluid movement, so you’ll get over the bar with ease!
Core stability/strength - As I talk about ALL the time, particularly when it comes to pull-ups, and this is equally true with muscle-ups, it is significantly easier to move a stable/rigid object than it is to move a floppy/unstable object. Core stability/strength (and being able to keep your body intentionally rigid) will be a game-changer in your muscle-up success!
Shoulder and scapular stability (and controlled mobility) - In order to excel at pull-ups, muscle-ups, and many of the other exercises in this program, and to feel good in the process, being able to control the movement of your shoulders and shoulder blades is a must!
Wrist mobility - With muscle-ups, particularly during the transition (both on the way up and down), having adequate wrist mobility will help you perform at a higher level, and feel better!
About Meghan Callaway: The Creator Of The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program
I have been a certified personal trainer/coach for over 21 years (the first 14+ years was full time in-person), an online coach for over eight years, and an avid multi-sport athlete for most of my life.
I have helped thousands of people worldwide reach their goals, and achieve a level of strength and empowerment they didn’t even know existed.
I have also helped countless people fall in love with working out. I use a combination of very fundamental and innovative exercises, and really hammer home the importance of using proper form. I also strongly believe working out should be empowering and fun.
When it comes to my coaching, my content, and my own training, I use a “3 E” approach. I always want my clients (or people who follow my work) to feel EDUCATED, EMPOWERED, and EXCITED. The “3 E’s” have been a total game-changer for me as a coach, and as an educator.
What Some Of The Top Coaches And Customers Have Said About My Programs
Brian Hunter
"56 Year Old CRUSHES Muscle-Ups!"
‘’I just wanted to drop a note and say thanks for a great program. I’m 56 and consider myself ‘fit’ (whatever that means but muscle-ups dropped off my programming during covid when I stopped using a gym.
Just finished last week and the results have exceeded my expectations.
I don’t often use someone else’s programming but I think what you’ve done is amazing. Just really top notch in every way!
Just a really great program and EXACTLY what I was looking for.
In the past I kind of just ‘brute forced’ my way through muscle-ups. It worked okay but when I came back to the exercise, I really wanted to LEARN the movement and your program provided all the fine details and nuance I had missed (ignored?) the first time around.
I can happily state these reps are the best looking ones I have ever done and I feel like I am still improving!
Not bad for an old man, lol! At any rate, video below is from the same day as the weighted rep-I did 22 reps in 4 sets, before the weighted sets!
Just insane!
Thanks again, this was a major goal and test for me this year and I couldn’t be happier!’’
Travis Pollen, PhD - Rehabilitation Scientist & Personal Trainer
"As I’m Sure You Could Tell, I Love The Program. Might Just Be Your Best One Yet!"
"Meghan Callaway raises the bar yet again with the highly-anticipated Ultimate Muscle-Up Program. Her knack for delivering high-quality, thorough programs is unparalleled, and this one is no exception.
Many muscle-up resources focus primarily on brute upper body strength. In contrast, Meghan offers a more complete and nuanced roadmap to the muscle-up. The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program recognizes the importance of core strength, grip training, mobility, and body control. This holistic approach presents a well-rounded path to muscle-up mastery.
The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program doesn’t just deliver a list of exercises. It immerses you in four meticulously designed training phases — each constructed to bring you one step closer to a perfect muscle-up. The level of detailed instruction Meghan brings to each exercise is extraordinary. And alongside the meticulous text descriptions, Meghan provides video links showcasing her flawless execution of each exercise.
With The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program, Meghan Callaway has without a doubt created another game-changer. I wholeheartedly endorse this exceptional resource and wish I had it when I was first embarking on my own muscle-up journey. Whether you're aspiring to achieve your first muscle-up, looking to refine your existing technique, or seeking to expand your muscle-up strength or endurance, this program has you covered!"
Joe Gilfedder - Senior Associate Athletic Director For Sports Performance at Fordham University
"I’ve Used The Ultimate Pull-Up Program With HUNDREDS Of My University Athletes!"
‘’Meghan Callaway is an incredibly valuable resource for me in my development as a strength and conditioning coach to over 550 student athletes. She is one of the few coaches on social media I religiously follow to make sure I never miss a post!
Her ingenuity, attention to detail in exercise execution, and mastery of basic human movement prompted me to invest in her Ultimate Pull-up Program. As a coach to a wide array of collegiate athletes, I truly value the pull-up as a foundational movement. Controlling our body weight in space is a critical part of developing strong, injury resilient athletes.
Meghan has included numerous progressions/regressions and assistance exercises to build mastery of the pull-up no matter where you currently stand on your pull-up journey. In fact, the programs are so comprehensive, I’ve seen huge carryover to exercises outside of just pull-ups.
This book truly is the gold standard when it comes to mastering the pull-up by giving athletes the blueprint to go from Zero to Hero on Pull-ups!’’
Emily Fauser - Athlete
“I did it! Ten overhand grip strict pull-ups!!"
"It’s taken me 8 months of consistent hard work, sweat, and some tears to get from zero to ten. Some of you have followed this little journey of mine on my Instagram stories. I began posting as a way to keep track of my progress and keep myself accountable, but in the process, gained a ton of encouragement from those who took time to cheer me on with kind words and messages. Thank you so much!
Pull-Ups are an incredible total body exercise involving so much more than your back. There were many different exercises I needed to do to improve my core and lumbo-pelvic stability as well as grip strength and scapular mobility.
A few months into my training, I was fortunate to find Meghan Callaway and her Ultimate Pull-up Program. I don’t mean to sound like an ad, but, I honestly don’t think I could have achieved my 10 without this program and her specific guidance. She is the real deal and I’m so grateful.“
Kerry Kittles- Former professional NBA player
**Photo from NBA.com
I played professional basketball for many years. After my career ended, I dealt with a lot of discomfort and movement issues in my stubborn hips as basketball is a hard sport on the body!
After following Meghan on social media for some time, I began using her comprehensive Ultimate Hip Flexor And Core Guide. After using this program for several months, I have noticed a tremendous difference in how my hips feel, and in my ability to move.
This program of Meghan’s covers the important fundamentals that people need to move and feel better, while also offering a lot of variety and challenges. Not only does Meghan’s program systematically address the hip flexors, she targets the core muscles, and many other often-overlooked parts of the body.
Using The Ultimate Hip Flexor And Core Guide post-basketball has played a key part in helping me remain active, and live a healthy lifestyle, both of which are important to me.
Dr. Tim DiFrancesco - The Basketball Strong Podcast | Former Los Angeles Lakers Strength And Conditioning Coach (2011-2017)
“The pull-up is one of the more challenging and complex movements in the gym. I rarely see it done correctly and I never see it prepared for properly. Poor form and faulty planning leads to a lack of results with this movement. I’ve only come across one resource that has laid out a program and plan that will help you to develop results in your efforts to build a better pull-up.
Don’t waste your time looking at other programs, the Ultimate Pull-Up Program is it, game over. You will learn how to build your body for the pull-up movement in a comprehensive way that takes into account far more than just your upper body. You won’t be disappointed and you will be doing the pull-ups you’ve wanted to do thanks to Meghan and this program.”
Leigh Peele, NASM, CPT, Coach, Author, Researcher, Podcast Host
"Ever since I've known Meghan, she has excelled with remarkable efficiency in nearly every athletic pursuit she's undertaken. Watching her master muscle-ups was expected, yet no less impressive.
I have personally urged her to create programming on this topic for others because she has an innate ability to simplify complex physical tasks, making them incredibly easy to understand. It's without a hint of surprise that I state she has once again delivered an exceptional program that should enable anyone to excel at their muscle-up goals.
With her continuous dedication and effort, these programming guides almost feel like a series. If you own the "Meghan Callaway" collection, there's hardly any physical fitness goal you can't achieve."
Sam Spinelli - DPT & CSCS, Cofounder of Citizen Athletics
"Innovation With Purpose"
"When someone is looking for bodyweight based exercises, Meghan is my go to resource. Not only does she understand how to properly build a good foundational base for these movements, she also knows quality progressions to take someone from beginner to badass. When you add on her innovative exercises that help take great movements and make them even greater, Meghan is kind of the whole package."
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you start The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program, you should be very proficient at doing regular pull-ups. While I hesitate to give a “one size fits all” answer in terms of the number of pull-ups you should be able to do in a row, and many people arbitrarily give a 8-10 consecutive rep range (I have NO idea where this number came from), you should be able to do at least 5 perfectly executed collarbone to bar pull-ups. This will serve as your most basic foundation.
If you are not yet at this level of pull-up proficiency, I recommend you complete my Ultimate Pull-Up Program first as this program will give you the pull-up competency you need in order to move on to doing muscle-ups.
Muscle-ups are a fairly advanced exercise, so this program is not for beginners. If you are a beginner, my Ultimate Pull-Up Program would be a much better option and starting point for your muscle-up journey. If you have the long-term goal of being able to do muscle-ups, my Ultimate Pull-Up Program would be very beneficial and empowering to do.
Yes. The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program addresses many different components that will help you improve your current muscle-up PR for reps (either in a single set, or the total number of reps in a workout), use more weight (if you do weighted muscle-ups), and perhaps most importantly, improve your muscle-up form.
This program also includes a bonus phase where I give you 8 of my favourite advanced muscle-up variations you can learn.
Yes! The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is very home-workout friendly. I designed this program so it can be done from both home and the gym. You can also follow this program in outdoor calisthenics parks and playgrounds.
The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program requires a fairly minimal amount of equipment. The one mandatory piece of equipment is somewhere you can do muscle-ups, pull-ups, dips, and other muscle-up specific exercises I’m giving you. This can be done using a pull-up bar (should be stable, and should have the overhead clearance for you to do muscle-ups), rings, or an outdoor calisthenics park or playground.
You should also have some long bands (bands that are used for pull-ups). These can be purchased fairly inexpensively on Amazon (look for a five-star review) or elsewhere. And several exercises in each phase require dumbbells or a kettlebell.
Absolutely! This program is for both home and gym workouts.
While this will absolutely vary from person to person, a general guideline for each phase is 4-12 weeks.
Now for some tough love. Do not be impatient, and do not skip key steps. So many people fail to achieve optimal results and fulfill their peak potential as they are impatient and focus purely on the end goal.
In order to learn muscle-ups, and to do them well, it is vital you follow this program as prescribed. If you do, you will master the fundamental skills I am teaching you, you will also get stronger, and you will make doing muscle-ups a part of your life!
Learning muscle-ups is a journey and process. Be patient, be consistent, focus on the process, and you will reap the rewards!
This largely boils down to the muscle-up specific exercises I’m giving you in each phase. If you can perform the target number of reps with good form, you can move on to the next phase. If you are unsure, this likely means you should stay in the current phase for a while longer.
To reiterate, do not be impatient, and do not skip key steps. This is one of the biggest reasons why many people fail to achieve their muscle-up goal! In order to learn muscle-ups, and to do them well, it is vital you follow this program as prescribed.
Each workout will likely take between 45-60 minutes (excluding mobility work, additional warm-up exercises, or cool-down). The top objective of this training program is to help you excel at doing muscle-ups. Whether you are striving for your first muscle-up ever, or you can already do muscle-ups and want to improve your form, or current PR (for reps or weight), this program is designed to make you better, not exhausted.
In terms of rest, you want to rest for as long as needed. You should feel fresh/well recovered for each set (or superset) in this program. Your top priority should be making sure that you are performing 100% of your reps with your best current form, and that your body feels good while doing so. Do not rush, and be present both physically and mentally. While I recommend a certain amount of rest, you can rest for longer between supersets (or in the middle of each superset) if needed!
For each phase in The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program, you are being given three different workouts. Do each workout once a week for a total of three workouts per week, and leave at least one day between workouts.
As an example, you could do workout #1 on Monday, workout #2 on Wednesday, and workout #3 on Friday. Or you could do Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, etc.
Your recovery is extremely important as the purpose of The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is to help you get better and achieve your muscle-up goals, NOT make you exhausted and run down! I definitely recommend leaving at least one day between workouts as you want to be fresh and recovered. If you ever feel like you aren’t sufficiently recovered, take two days off between workouts so you can really make each workout count. This is totally okay! Do what works and feels best for you.
In order to provide you with a bigger bang for your buck, and to make the workouts more time efficient, many of the exercises in each workout are to be done in supersets. Some of the more advanced/technically and strength demanding exercises are to be done alone, and not as part of a superset.
If you are unaware, a superset is two exercises that are performed back-to--back. After each set of the superset, you will rest for the prescribed amount of time. That being said, if you need to take more rest after each superset, or even between the exercises in the supersets, please feel free to do so! I want you to feel fresh and recovered for each exercise! This program is designed to make you better, not exhausted!
For each exercise, I provide you with a target rep range (or total time held). For instance, I might recommend 3 sets of 8-10 reps, or a 10-20 second hold. No matter what form of resistance you are using (bodyweight, band, dumbbell, kettlebell, etc), you should select an amount of resistance that allows you to hit the target number of reps using good form. As I talk about all the time, form matters!
The resistance you select should feel challenging, particularly for your final few reps, but not so challenging that you can’t hit the target number of reps. Also, the resistance shouldn’t be so challenging that you aren’t able to perform 100% of your reps using good form.
As a general rule, select a resistance (or amount of band assistance) where at the end of the set you feel like you could have performed 1-2 more high quality reps. Remember, it is better to be conservative when you are choosing a resistance (or amount of band assistance) versus using too much resistance (or too little band assistance), and not being able to perform the exercise correctly. Quality trumps quantity!
Like with ANY exercise and goal, the individual timeline will vary a lot! But this is especially true with muscle-ups! As you progress through each phase of this program, your overall rate of improvement and progress will vary a lot! Also, your progress will likely not be linear. All of the above is TOTALLY normal! This was my path on my muscle-up journey, and will likely be yours as well!
Muscle-ups are a very advanced exercise that requires a lot of strength, technical competency, mobility, and stability. Generally, people who already possess enough muscle-up specific strength but lack muscle-up technique will improve more quickly than people who need to develop both muscle-up specific strength and technique.
No matter where you currently are in your muscle-up journey, do not expect massive progress and results overnight. This mindset will hold you back and will rob you of the empowerment and joy you will feel if you focus on the process and journey.
No. Using a false grip is not a requirement for any of the exercises in this program. That said, I prefer using a false grip (I use a hybrid false grip) as doing so generally allows you to do muscle-ups that are more strict. Do what works and feels best for you. You can use a regular pull-up grip in any exercise in this program where I call for a false grip (and when I say false grip, I’m always using a hybrid false grip).
In this program, many of the muscle-up specific exercises I’m giving you call for a false grip (or a hybrid false grip), and this program focuses on teaching a hybrid false grip, but you can also use a regular pull-up grip and can “spin” your hands and wrists around the bar as you transition. This style feels more natural and comfortable for some people.
If you prefer, you can also use both a false (or hybrid false) grip, and a regular pull-up grip. There is no “one size fits all” prescription. Do what works and feels best for you. I address the different muscle-up grips in much greater detail in the introduction/background section of this program, so keep reading!
The amount of time it takes to develop a good false grip (or hybrid false grip) will hugely vary on an individual basis, and due to different factors including forearm and wrist strength, wrist mobility, and general comfort/tolerance.
More often than not, developing a false grip is a fundamental skill that takes quite a bit of time and practice to feel comfortable, “normal,” and strong. Do not expect this grip to feel good overnight! If you do, you will be very disappointed! In each phase of this program, I include exercises that will help improve your false grip.
When you are starting out, if using a false grip feels weird, very uncomfortable, and even “impossible,” this is TOTALLY normal. I remember when I was at the beginning of my muscle-up journey, I was barely able to hang from the bar using a false grip, and this was when I was elite at doing regular pull-ups.
As I’ll be preaching throughout this entire program, be patient and do not expect instant success! Do what you are currently able to do, focus on using your best current form, be consistent, listen to your body, follow this program as prescribed, and embrace the journey!
I recommend getting some liquid chalk (or regular chalk but it is messier) as this will help with both comfort and ease. You can find liquid and regular chalk on Amazon.
To be VERY clear, even if the false grip feels uncomfortable while you are becoming proficient, you should NEVER feel like you are hurting yourself.
Absolutely! If you prefer, you can use rings in place of a bar. That being said, as rings are significantly more unstable than a bar, you should possess an even higher degree of shoulder/scapular stability. You should ONLY use rings if you feel safe and comfortable doing so.
No, this program teaches you how to do strict muscle-ups. When you are learning how to do unassisted muscle-ups you can use some leg drive (but as little as possible), and a slightly bigger swing, but the goal of this program is for you to learn how to do strict muscle-ups.
To be clear, I’m not hating on kipping muscle-ups, or kipping in general. Kipping is an entirely different skill, and kipping muscle-ups are an entirely different exercise.
My preference is to keep my muscle-ups and pull-ups strict, and this is also how I coach them/how this program is designed, but I have a massive amount of respect for ANY kind of muscle-up.
While The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program provides so many benefits, I do not recommend using this program if you are currently dealing with any shoulder, wrist, or elbow issues (or any injury/issue that is giving you trouble). As I always like to be extremely cautious, please consult your physician before beginning this or any other exercise program.
Yes. You can make The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program your main program and can complement it with another program. However, I recommend not doing any intense upper body training on days you are not following The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program as you need to be fresh for each workout to experience the best results.
Or, you can follow your program and can incorporate some exercises from The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program into your current program.
Or, as The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is to be followed three days per week, you can also perform your program on the “off days.” That being said, it’s important to take one day off per week, and to listen to your body.
Yes! While my Ultimate Lower Body And Core Program and Ultimate Pistol Squat Program would be great to do concurrently with The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program as these programs focus on the lower body and core areas, I don’t recommend following The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program concurrently with my Ultimate Pull-Up Program or Ultimate Push-Up Program. You could do my Ultimate Landmine Program, but some adaptations would need to be made. And you could absolutely follow my Ultimate Hip Flexor And Core Guide at the same time as my Ultimate Muscle-Up Program!
A sample training plan could be:
Monday: The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program
Tuesday: The Ultimate Lower Body And Core Program or The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program
Friday: The Ultimate Lower Body And Core Program or The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program
Saturday: The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program
Sunday: Off
Or you can follow The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program 2/week, and The Ultimate Lower Body And Core Program or The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program 3/week.
You can also follow each program 2/week, for a total of 4 workouts per week. Again, do what works and feels best for you.
Yes! Like with all of my programs, The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is a fantastic resource for coaches! I intentionally designed this program to serve as a very comprehensive manual coaches will have at their disposal. Whether you want to add some new exercises to your arsenal, improve your coaching and cueing, or programming, The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program will help you accomplish that!
With my pull-up, push-up, lower body and core, pistol squat, and landmine program, and hip flexor and core guide, I have received THOUSANDS of amazing messages and testimonials from coaches who have purchased my programs to use as a learning tool, and they (and their clients) have reaped the benefits. I expect the same trend to occur with The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program.
This should go without saying, YES! The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program IS for people of all genders.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
I take my work and ability to help people extremely seriously. With all of my products, I truly left no stone unturned. Due to the overall detail and effectiveness of my programs, and the amount of education, excitement, and empowerment that my programs produce, the money back guarantee is virtually never used.
BUT, I wanted to make sure you know that you are fully protected with my 60-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. If you are unhappy with any of my programs in any way, for up to 60 days after the date of purchase, you will get a FULL refund because I care about your happiness.
Meghan Callaway
NOTE: The Ultimate Muscle-Up Program is an eBook. No physical products will be shipped. After you order, you will receive an email with the book ready for you to download.
ClickBank is the retailer of products on this site. CLICKBANK® is a registered trademark of Click Sales Inc., a Delaware corporation located at 1444 S. Entertainment Ave., Suite 410 Boise, ID 83709, USA and used by permission. ClickBank’s role as retailer does not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in promotion of these products.
Obligatory disclaimer: The FTC requires us to specify what “typical” results are. The truth: most people never do anything with the products they buy, so most of the time, their typical results are zero. The biggest factor is you. BUT, for those who actually USE the program, all of the success stories featured above are very typical in terms of results.
Meghan Callaway is not a physician. The contents of this product or website should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health. By participating in this workout program, you agree that Meghan Callaway shall not be liable or responsible for any injuries to you resulting from your participation in this workout program (whether at home, at a health club, or anywhere else).