Muscle Up Assistance

Im trying to get a Muscleups, so Which Pullups and Dip Progressions should I be using?

For Pullups, I am considering, Archer, Wtd, False Grip, Explosive (clap), High Bar

For Dips I am considering, Russian, RTO, Wtd

Thanks

Russian dips on PBars is going to help the most.

If you can do Russian dips on pbars and regular dips on and pull-ups to your chest on rings, the next step is to try muscle-up negatives. Take care to go especially slowly through the transition.

If you can't hang in a false grip, you're going to need to work on your wrist and grip strength, too.

I just got my first (strict) muscle up two days ago. It was because I was on an actual ring tower, rather than my basement setup with an 8 ft ceiling. However, on my past times going to that ring tower I could do nothing near a muscle up. What got me to the point of being able to knock out three straight on my first serious attempt was this method: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/841-got-my-first-muscle-up-credit-to-makey98/

 

If you don't have access to resistance bands, you can use your toes for assistance or a pulley system. In order to prevent using too much assitance I curled my toes over like a balet dancer, although if you have feet problems you shouldn't do that. Just make sure to watch your assistance and muscle ups will come.

 

Also, do ring dips (regular) and pull ups. Those other variations may help, but I got it without them. I can do 10 ring dips with solid form and about 15 pull ups with good form as well. 

I dont have a false grip, I slide right our of it. I tried using a hook grip and it helped me get higher but its not helping the false grip at all.

My pullups are pretty strong, I can do Archer pullups (not the best form) with one arm pulling down vertically and the other out laterally (not the cheesy kind where you use both arms to pull up and then just stick one out to the side), Yet I still dont feel like I can get high enough on the pullups.

I recently started Russian Dips. They are hard on the elbows and they are incredibly difficult. I have to use some momentum or a kip to get from forearm support to fwd. I can usually manage around 3-6 of those, its incredible how hard they are.

I feel like I should be able to do them!! ARRGH! Im soo frustrated

Also I have been using an assited Dip Machine, I stand on it, take FG and do a Muscle up. I am using 50lbs and lowering the weight to work through the transition. I am around 30. The only issue is its not that relative to gravity as oppossed to bands but Ill stick with it for now.

You need to focus on getting proper ROM in both pull up & dipping exercises.

 

Pull ups: Focus on bringing the bar/ rings up parallel with the chest in a controlled movement. Aim for two seconds up, two seconds down (negative) You can take this slower initially to get a feel for  it.

 

Dips: The russian type will definitely help as it's a close replication of the transition. Just take it slow & focus on controlling the movement. If you keep having pain in these areas it's best you strip things back further & perhaps start introducing some rehab work alongside this.

 

False grip: It feels incredibly foreign initially, but just keep at it & you'll soon feel like you could hang there all day. I learnt my muscle up on the rings & initially I just dead hung in a false grip position before each of my muscle up workouts. It's ok for this to feel strange, it's an alien position that you're simply just not use to. Once you're comfortable with it you can then start introducing your full ROM pull ups in this position & then you'll start to see what all the fuss is about. It makes a huge difference.

 

Once you're making progess you can then start practicing muscle up negatives as suggested above.

 

In essence, I learnt five full ROM pull ups (rings to chest with false grip, two seconds up, two seconds down) & five standard dips on rings with rings to sides of chest (wasn't aware of russian style at this point). Once I felt I was proficient at these, I then went on to practice negatives. I was fortunate to not have any prior injuries & I did have a background of training in pull up & dippings movements, but that's my story.

 

Just take it slow, listen to your body & choose a dance you'd like to perform when you finally get your MU!

If you aren't doing false grip pull ups and Russian dips, you are making your life harder and more frustrating than it needs to be.

 

Step 1) False grip. Learn it with wrist hangs on a bar, and then start wrapping the fingers around. Do this with bent arms at first, at the top of the pull up, and slowly build into a lower hang.

 

Step 2) False grip pull ups. Once you can do around the top 2/3 of a false grip pull up, they need to be in your routine replacing a substantial portion of regular pull ups. Try to get as high as you can, SAFELY, without kipping AT ALL!!!

 

Step 3) Russian dips. Go slow with these, and do concurrently with steps 1 and 2.

 

Step 4) Stick with it, work these 3-4 days per week.

 

That's all I've got, other than my video called "Quest for the Muscle Up" which you can find on my youtube channel, which is linked in my signature.

Of course, if you hop on the Foundation program, you can just follow that and get those muscle ups (and much harder variations) without so much specific work.

 

You'll also build up a lot of other cool skills and useful gymnastic strength at the same time, which is why this is what I am doing.