Ring Muscle Up Progressions

Progressions

1. 01

   Ring Muscle Up Transition Rows

   • Set rings at roughly chest height — low enough that your arms are almost straight when leaning back

   • Grip the rings with a false grip — wrists hooked over the top, heel of palm pressing into the ring

   • Lean back with a straight body line, arms fully extended, feet on the ground for support

   • Pull your chest to the rings by driving elbows down and back, keeping them close to the body

   • At the top of the pull, lean your chest forward over the rings and rotate your hands into the support position — this mimics the full muscle up transition

   • Push through to a brief support hold with arms extended, then lean back to return to the start

   • Keep rings close together throughout — do not let them flare outward during the transition

2. 02

   Self-Supported Muscle Up Transition

   • Start in a false grip hang from the rings with arms fully extended — use a box or elevated surface to assist as needed

   • Pull up by driving elbows down and back, keeping them close to the body — avoid flaring outward

   • As the chest reaches ring height, lean forward aggressively and press the rings down and behind you

   • Use your feet on a box or the ground to help with the transition — reduce assistance gradually as you get stronger

   • Finish in a full support position above the rings with arms locked out

   • Lower back through the transition slowly to build strength in both directions

   • Keep the rings close together and close to the body throughout — fight to maintain this even with foot assistance

3. 03

   Band-Assisted Muscle Up

   

   Bands

   • Loop a resistance band between the rings and place one or both feet in it for assistance

   • Start in a false grip dead hang with arms fully extended — the band should support some of your body weight

   • Pull up by driving elbows down and close to the body — the band helps most at the bottom and reduces assistance at the top

   • As your chest reaches the rings, lean forward aggressively while pressing the rings down and behind you

   • Push through the transition into a full support position with locked arms — use progressively lighter bands over time

   • Lower with control back to the dead hang, maintaining false grip throughout the entire movement

   • Keep the rings close together — the band can cause instability, so focus on keeping the movement path tight

4. 04

   Negative Muscle Up

   • Start in the support position above the rings with arms locked out — jump or use a box to get into position if needed

   • Establish your false grip before beginning the descent — wrists hooked firmly over the rings

   • Lower slowly through the dip portion first, bending the arms with control

   • As you reach the transition point (rings at chest level), lean back gradually while keeping the rings close to your body

   • Continue lowering through the transition with control — this is the hardest part and where you build the most strength

   • Keep elbows close to the body throughout — do not let them flare outward as you descend

   • Finish in a full false grip dead hang with arms extended — aim for a 3-5 second descent total

5. 05

   Paused Negative Muscle Up

   • Start in the support position above the rings with arms locked out — establish false grip before descending

   • Lower slowly through the dip until your arms are at roughly 90 degrees — pause and hold for 2-3 seconds

   • Continue lowering to the transition point where the rings are at chest level — pause again and hold for 2-3 seconds, fighting to maintain position

   • Lower through the transition into the pull-up range — pause once more at the mid-pull position with elbows bent at 90 degrees

   • Continue to full dead hang with arms extended, maintaining false grip throughout

   • Each pause builds isometric strength at the weakest points of the muscle up — fight to hold steady without dropping

   • Keep the rings close together and elbows close to the body — the pauses make it harder to maintain proper position

6. 06

   Ring Muscle Up Transition

   • Start in a dead hang with false grip — wrists hooked over the rings, full arm extension, shoulders engaged

   • Pull explosively by driving elbows down and back, keeping them tight to the body throughout

   • Pull high enough that the rings reach your lower chest or sternum — insufficient pull height is the most common reason for failed muscle ups

   • As the chest reaches ring height, lean forward aggressively and press the rings down and behind you in one fluid motion

   • Rotate the wrists and push through into the support position with arms locked out — the transition should be fast and decisive

   • At the top, turn rings slightly outward for stability and hold briefly before lowering

   • Lower with control back to the dead hang — the full movement should be smooth without kipping or swinging

Common mistakes

• Losing false grip during transition
• Not pulling high enough before transition
• Elbows flaring outward
• Not leaning forward enough during transition
• One arm transitioning before the other (chicken wing)
• Using kipping or swinging to complete the movement
• Rings drifting apart during the movement
• Not fully locking out at the top