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Apr / 11

Muscle Up Progressions & Resources

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Ruth learning the muscle up with Coach Tucker

Today the fourth CF Open WOD was announced and the muscle up is one of the movements along with a burpee variation and overhead squats.  After talking with some Intrepids today about the workout a look of fear and defeat came over them when muscle ups were discussed.  I understand that we may not get everyone muscle ups by Friday, but we can at least start along that path.  Today I’ll introduce some helpful resources I’ve found and ones that you can reference along your journey to perfecting your muscle up.

One of the most complete break downs and explanations of the muscle up was given by Coach Carl Paoli of CrossFit San Francisco and from GymnasticsWOD.com in these CrossFit Journal videos. If you haven’t already subscribed to the CrossFit Journal I encourage you to check it out as it has tons of great info and resources that we coaches constantly reference and learn from.

Just in case you don’t have a CrossFit Journal account and are too cheap to splurge for one, I’ll run you through the progression as best I can that we have used with a number of athletes and that we demonstrated at last week’s Gymnastics Class.

First, learn and get acquainted with the false grip. It is possible to perform a muscle up without a false grip but we consider it a more advanced movement, and one that we can perfect once an athlete understands and has the capacity to perform muscle up with a false grip. Coach Carl Paoli has a few progressions and drills below to improve your false grip:

And don’t forget to work on false grip pullups and even holds as Coach Dusty Hyland from DogTown CrossFit demonstrates below:

Next, make sure you have the capacity and ability to press out of the deepest ring dip you could achieve. There’s nothing worse than being able to pull yourself through the transition of the muscle up and not having the strength to press yourself up and finish. Some drills and ring dip variations we utilize are ring dips with assistance bands, ring dip negatives, ring dips beginning at the bottom position, and ring dips with a pause at the bottom.

Next it’s time to work the toughest part of the muscle-up, the transition and turn over that takes you from under the ring to on top of the rings. There are few drills that have had success with athletes in the past. The first is beginning in ring support and lowering yourself, almost a negative, controlling your descent into a hanging position.

Another helpful drill is to utilize the bands and set them up like Carl shows in the video below. He also highlights the importance of maintaining a hollow position throughout the pull, keeping the toes up as you pull your nose through to toes (nose to toes). Check it out below:

Here’s a different video from Coach Jon Gilson and Again Faster that breaks down the muscle up as well. Sometime it helps to hear different coaches explain movements as each approaches it slightly differently in their explanation and the cues they provide to athletes. Check it out.

Achieving the Muscle-up from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.

Do you learn better by reading?  Then check out the progression offered up at BeastSkills.com.  My goal is not to inundate you with information, but to offer different resources for you to reference as each of you are likely struggling with a different piece and each of you are different levels.  Pick and choose drills and cues that work for you and put them to practice during your skill work.

WOD 04.13.11

Weighted Pullups 2-2-2 or Pullup Skillwork

Deadlift 1×5 or Wendler

10 Tabata (20s on/10s rest) Sets of:
Box Jumps/Kettlebell Swings
Rest 1 min
10 Tabata sets of:
Wallball Shots/Pullups

7 Responses to “Muscle Up Progressions & Resources”

Becky
April 13, 2011 at 11:28 AM

i heart ruth!

ruth
April 13, 2011 at 2:26 PM

Awww! Heart u back, Becks! We’re gonna be in your area Sunday! U in town?

Brian
April 13, 2011 at 3:18 PM

Please keep the comment section on topic (ie muscle up related) :)

Alia
April 13, 2011 at 3:29 PM

Brian: I heart Becky hearting Ruth doing a muscle up?

ruth
April 13, 2011 at 4:21 PM

I heart Alia’s smart assery.

I also heart Brian self-promoting to moderator, which means he’s now liable for a minimum of one post per week. May I suggest Tuesdays and Fridays?

Becky
April 13, 2011 at 4:31 PM

Thanks Alia!

Brian, congrats on your promotion to writing posts!! so awesome.

Ruth: not in town this weekend :( going to ATL for a wedding.
sad i’m going to miss you’s.

MichelleV
April 15, 2011 at 9:11 PM

Ruth, i’m jealous of your pic and you know why! haha
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