The muscle-up is another popular exercise in any CrossFit box. Like many others, it comes from the world of calisthenics and is often included in a large number of WODs. Today we are going to see what muscle-ups are, what types exist and, of course, how to do this exercise.
What are muscle-ups?
If you've ever seen people doing a routine on a bar outside, they were probably doing muscle-ups, among many other exercises.
This exercise consists of starting by hanging from the bar or the rings until you end up above them with your arms extended. It includes a pull-up at the start to get over the bar and then a dip to finish with your arms extended over the bar or rings.
It is an advanced movement in which, apart from strength for the different moves, good technique is also necessary. Thus, it is not recommended for beginners. Ask your coach in the box and they will help you do your first muscle-up without the risk of injury.
How to do bar muscle-ups step by step
Let's see the steps involved to perform a strict bar muscle-up. First, it is important to know the different steps in the exercise:
- Pull-up: a pull-up must be done in order to position the body behind the bar in preparation for the next step.
- Transition: this consists of placing the body on top of the bar.
- Dips: extension of the arms to raise and align the body.
Steps to follow:
- Hang from the bar with your hands, keeping them shoulder width apart. The arms must be extended.
- Lean backwards while trying to bring the bar as close to your chest as possible (pull-up).
- Lean forward and turn your elbows back as the bar makes contact with your body (transition).
- Fully extend the arms in the support position (dip).
Doing muscle-ups can be a challenge, but with the right preparation you’ll get closer every day to your first muscle-up and improve your maximum number of repetitions.
You're bound to come across this exercise sooner or later in any WOD, so it is best to be prepared and know how to do it. To improve your grip on the bar and keep your hands free during training, take a look at 👉 our hand grips. They won't finish the muscle-up for you, but they’ll at least help you get there.
