Muscle Up Guide

Muscle Up Guide P a g e | 2

Max Shank


Max Shank

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Max Shank

Muscle Up Guide:

by

Max Shank


Max Shank

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................... 6

First things first! ................................................................................... 7

Set-Up: ................................................................................................. 7

Pull-ups First: ....................................................................................... 9

Dips: ................................................................................................... 11

Some key points: ............................................................................... 14

A quick word about kipping: ........................................................... 14

Back Ups: ........................................................................................ 15

Pullup isometric holds: ................................................................... 16

Weighted pullups and dips: ............................................................ 16

Supported Muscle up: .................................................................... 16

Flexibility: ....................................................................................... 17


Max Shank

Introduction

he muscle up is the king of upper body training. It combines

the Pullup and the Dip through a challenging transition. If you

had to choose one exercise for your upper body for absolute

freaky strength and muscle balance, it would be the muscle up.

Specifically, the ring muscle up.

Unfortunately, you don't see a lot of muscle ups used in training

these days. People just simply don't know how to do them, or they

aren't strong enough. Usually it is the former.

I have seen this move butchered, attempted, and utterly failed. It

pains me to see, because it doesn't have to be that way.

T


Max Shank

Not only will the muscle up build killer strength if done properly, but

it will definitely reward you with some serious beach muscles.

First things first!

Equipment: Rings, obviously. There are many good options of rings

available out there with different feels. I have really taken to a

wooden ring but there are lots of plastic versions out there that work

just fine. Be sure to get a pair that is adjustable.

You may find the surface of your rings too slick for the high grip

demand of the muscle up. You will, of course, be using chalk, but I

would also recommend athletic tape for the ring itself. Putting a layer

of athletic tape on the bottom half of the ring will give you a nice feel

and superior grip friction--this is what I have personally done with my

rings.

Set-Up: Anchor the rings apart from each other using your arm (Elbow to

fingertips) as a measure--this puts you in a good position relative to

your body type but won't vary too much from person to person.


Max Shank

The height of the rings is going to depend entirely on which

movement you are trying to work. If you are working muscle ups, the

rings should allow you to hang completely with your feet off the floor

and require you to jump up or step up to the rings with a box.

If you are simply working dips, the rings should be set at about chest

level.

"How many pullups and dips do I have to be able to do in order to get

a muscle up?"

I get this question almost daily at this point.

The answer is, at least one.

A muscle up is, one pullup with one dip at the top.

Obviously more would be better but you should be training pullups

and dips anyway.

I have often found that the key to the muscle up lies more in the

technique, mobility of the shoulders, and the completeness of the

pullup and dip than of absolute strength.


Max Shank

Pull-ups First:

Before we get into the pullup we have to address what is the most

common error of the muscle up--the false grip.

When performing the muscle up, you won't have a chance during the

transition of the pullup phase to move your hand position for the dip

portion of the movement. This means that your grip at the bottom of

the pullup, has to be the same as your grip at the top of the dip.

The pinky side heel of your hand/wrist is going to rest on top of the

ring (All the way on top!) while the rest of your hand grips the top.

Your hand won't be directly at the bottom of the ring but slightly

towards the thumb side of the ring.


Max Shank

If you are doing this correctly, you will notice some callous

development just below above the hand on the pinky side.

Once you have your false grip locked in, work a few transitions with

the rings below chest level, assisting with your legs as much as

possible by squatting up and down. This is going to give you a good

idea of where your hands need to be, and stay during the movement.

Feeling confident? Bring the rings up and try some pullups. Attempt

to bring the pinky fingers to draw a line through the middle of your

chest reaching toward your navel. Lower back down to a full hang

with your palms facing outward. Do not let the rings move outward

toward your shoulders, keep them in tight. Stop and reset if you lose

your false grip at any time.


Max Shank

Dips: The first step of mastering a ring dip is nailing down a support

position.

If you can't stabilize yourself at the top of the rings, it's going to make

it very difficult to use your strength to get there. Set up with your

hands on top of the rings with hands facing each other (not

backward) and attempt to have your elbow pits facing forward. This

may be very difficult at first, but don't worry it will improve quickly.

It should go without saying that if you have major shoulder issues,

muscle ups should be out of the picture. The dip portion of a muscle

up requires you to perform an extreme range of motion dip. You

need to have a great deal of strength and mobility to move through

that position back to the top.


Max Shank

While doing dips with the intention of achieving a muscle up, you

need to bring your hands all the way in to your arm pits--as deep as

possible. This is where your pullup transition will finish during the

muscle up. Your legs should hang straight down and slightly angled

forward rather than the traditional dip with legs crossed behind you.

This is also important for the transition.

As I mentioned before there is no upper or lower limit of pullups and

dips to do for a muscle up, but I think that 5 good ones of each is a

nice starting point. Remember though, it's more about how well you

do them--how high you pull up, and how deep you dip--than how

many you do.

Go back and work a few transitions using your legs as much as you

need to just to get the feel again.

Next set the rings up around shoulder height and jump up to a

support position. Now we are going to work the full negative.

Descend into a full ROM dip and slowly bring your pinkies together in

front of your chest. Finish by lowering down into a pullup. Jump back

to the top and repeat. Go as slow as possible; going fast is just

highlighting a gap in your strength in a given range of motion.


Max Shank

Do no more than 3 reps. Just focus on going slow and smooth.

Maintain your false grip at all times.

The full muscle up: Now that you have nailed down false grip pullups,

dips, and the full negative, you are well prepared to attempt the full

muscle up.


Max Shank

Some key points:

Maintain your false grip

Lift your chest up toward the ceiling with legs in front of you during

the pullup.

Once you reach the apex of the pullup, bring your legs upward

(toward parallel to the floor) as you drive your head and chest

forward placing you at the bottom position of a dip. Think of a

jackknife motion where your chest and legs come closer together.

This is necessary to move your center of gravity directly over the

rings.

Keep the rings close to you and your hands close together.

Imagine you are drawing a line with your pinky fingers through your

sternum (breast bone) down and back through your bottom rib.

A quick word about kipping:

Don't do it. These are called muscle ups, not kip ups. You look like a

fish out of water. Use your strength.

After the false grip, the hand positioning during the transition is the

second most common mistake.


Max Shank

If you bring your hands out to the side to early, you have no leverage.

In fact, performing a muscle up on rings with a wide grip is called a

Bulgarian muscle up--this variation is used by high level gymnasts as

an accessory exercise for the iron cross. If you can already do an iron

cross, it is safe to say that you don't need any help with your ring

muscle ups.

Once you get the that bottom position of a dip, with hands close

together, simply press out and you are done. Move slowly back down

through the transition and try for a second rep without losing your

false grip.

"I'm still not getting it."

No problem if you don't get it right away, it can take practice. Here

are some things you can try to fix your muscle up if you are still

having trouble.

Back Ups:

Start at the top and lower down into a negative moving only slightly

into the transitional phase and then reverse the motion before you

lose control. Try to increase your range of motion until you are doing

a full muscle up.


Max Shank

Pullup isometric holds:

With a false grip loop a band or belt around your foot anchored to

the floor and pull hard upward at the top of a pullup. This will build

strength in this top end range of motion making the transition easier.

Just remember, the higher you pull, the easier the transition.

Weighted pullups and dips:

Add some weight. Maintain a false grip on pullups. This will build up

some extra strength which will make things easier--including your

life. Yes being strong makes life better.

Supported Muscle up:

Set the rings at a height where you can assume a false grip while

seated with legs out in front of you at an "L." Perform a muscle up

leaving your legs on the floor. This will significantly lighten the load

but allow you to work on your transition.


Max Shank

Flexibility:

If your shoulders are too tight to get a solid range of motion pullup

and dip, you are going to need to be extremely explosive and strong

to compensate , or work on your mobility. Just work on your

mobility--stretch the pecs out and own that top end range of motion

of your pullup.

If you've made it this far, chances are you are crushing muscle ups on

the rings, great job.

Once you can do 6-8 muscle ups you have a couple options for

progression.

Add weight via a weight belt.

Hold an "L" position with legs extended in front of you parallel to the

floor the whole time. Go super slow and own each portion of the

movement. I wouldn't advise moving toward a wide grip muscle up

as a progression, it's a very specific drill for gymnasts and can be

murder on the shoulders.

So there you have it, a full zero to hero guide to take your ring

muscle up as far as your dedication will allow. Be sure to use your

newly acquired strength for good and don't let those beach muscles

go to your head.


Max Shank

If you have any more questions or comments, I would love

to hear from you;

Please visit www.totalbodyweightstrength.com

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Muscle Up Guide