The muscle up on a bar is a challenging bodyweight exercise that combines a pullup with a dip, requiring significant upper body strength, coordination, and technique. It primarily targets the lats, with secondary emphasis on the bicep, tricep, and forearms.
Also Works
BicepsTricepsForearms
How to Perform
1
Start by hanging from a bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
2
Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
3
As you pull yourself up, lean back slightly and bring your elbows towards your sides.
4
Continue pulling until your chest reaches the bar and your elbows are fully bent.
5
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
6
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Use a strong kipping or swinging motion to generate momentum for the transition phase until you build the strict pulling strength.
•Practice the transition (getting from below the bar to above it) separately by starting from a high Pullup position on a low bar.
•Lean slightly over the bar during the transition by pulling it toward your hips rather than your chin.
Common Mistakes
•Trying to pull the chin over the bar and then Pushup, instead of pulling the bar to the waist in one fluid arc.
•Keeping the body vertical during the pull instead of leaning back slightly to create the arc needed for the transition.
•Attempting Muscle Ups without sufficient Pullup and dip strength (you need roughly 15 strict Pullups before attempting).