Muscle Up Progressions

Progressions

1. 01

   Band-Assisted Muscle Up

   

   Bandes de résistance

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

   • Use a semi false grip — thumbs over the bar, not wrapped underneath

   • Swing forward slightly, then as you swing back, pull explosively at an angle backward and upward — not straight up

   • As the bar reaches your chest, lean your shoulders forward over the bar while loosening your grip to allow wrist rotation

   • Push through to full arm extension above the bar — the band reduces the load but the technique should match the full muscle up

   • Lower with control, swinging slightly forward at the bottom to set up the next rep

   • Use progressively lighter bands as your technique and strength improve — focus on the correct pulling path over raw power

2. 02

   Tucking Muscle Up

   • Hang from the bar with a semi false grip — swing forward slightly into an arched position

   • As you start swinging backward, pull with your arms while explosively tucking your knees toward your chest — the tuck generates the extra upward momentum

   • Time the tuck to coincide with the start of your pull — the core contraction and arm pull should happen simultaneously

   • Pull in a C-shape path, not straight up — think about pulling the bar behind and below you with nearly straight arms

   • As the bar reaches chest height, lean your shoulders forward over the bar and loosen your grip to allow wrist rotation

   • Push through to full arm extension above the bar like a straight bar dip

   • Lower with control, reversing the motion so you swing forward at the bottom for the next rep

3. 03

   Kipping Muscle Up

   • Hang from the bar with a semi false grip — start by swinging forward into an arched back position

   • As you swing backward, use the momentum: explosively flex your core from arched into a hollow body position and extend your legs forward

   • The hip drive combined with the backward swing creates the upward momentum — this is where most of the power comes from, not the arms

   • Pull with nearly straight arms in a C-shape path backward and upward — think about pulling the bar down behind you

   • As the bar reaches your head height, pull yourself into the bar while rotating your shoulders internally to get them over

   • Loosen your grip to allow wrist rotation during the transition — a tight grip will block you from getting over

   • Push to full arm extension above the bar, then lower with control, reversing the swing to set up the next rep

4. 04

   Muscle Up

   • Hang from the bar with a semi false grip — use a small forward swing to start the backward momentum

   • As you begin swinging back, pull explosively in a C-shape path — drive the bar backward and downward with nearly straight arms

   • Use core momentum by transitioning from a slight arch to a hollow body as you pull — keep leg swing minimal but use the hip drive

   • As the bar reaches chest height, lean your shoulders aggressively forward over the bar and loosen your grip for wrist rotation

   • Transition both hands simultaneously — if one side goes over first (chicken wing), you need more pull height or better timing

   • Push through to full arm extension above the bar like a straight bar dip — do not rest your chest on the bar

   • Lower with control, reversing the motion and swinging forward at the bottom to maintain the rhythm for multiple reps

5. 05

   Paused Muscle Up

   • Hang from the bar with a semi false grip — use the standard muscle up technique to initiate the movement

   • Pull explosively using the C-shape path and core momentum — bring the bar to at least lower chest height

   • Pause briefly at the top of the pull phase with the bar at chest level — fight to hold this position for 1-2 seconds before transitioning

   • Lean shoulders forward and transition over the bar — pause again in the bottom of the dip position for 1-2 seconds

   • Push to full arm extension above the bar — the pauses build isometric strength at the two weakest points of the muscle up

   • Lower with control back through the same positions

   • Each pause should be deliberate — if you cannot hold the pause, the movement is too advanced and you should work on easier progressions

6. 06

   Strict Muscle Up

   • Hang from the bar with a semi false grip — the strict muscle up uses minimal to no swing, relying almost entirely on explosive pulling strength

   • Pull explosively in a C-shape path, driving the bar backward and downward — use a small amount of core engagement (arched to hollow) but keep the legs still

   • Pull high enough that the bar reaches your lower chest before attempting the transition — this requires significantly more strength than the kipping version

   • Lean shoulders aggressively forward over the bar while loosening the grip — the transition should be smooth and simultaneous on both sides

   • Push to full arm extension above the bar — do not rest on the bar between the pull and the push

   • Lower with control, maintaining the same body position — the strict negative is extremely valuable for building strength

   • This is the most advanced bar muscle up progression — if you need to kip or swing, go back to the kipping version

Erreurs fréquentes

• Pulling straight up like a pull-up
• Getting over the bar one arm at a time (chicken wing)
• Pulling too early before using backward swing momentum
• Not using core momentum (arched to hollow)
• Gripping the bar too tightly during transition
• Resting chest on the bar between pull and push
• Excessive kipping with uncontrolled back arch
• Dropping straight down instead of reversing the swing