There are few things more frustrating in Crossfit than trying to learn a muscle up. It is my opinion that not having a muscle up and/or struggling with MUs* is one of the main "excuses" that otherwise capable athletes use when they opt out of entering competitions. So here is the solution...Get A Muscle Up. Make this your Crossfit New Year resolution. Set this goal for yourself and tackle it. I have four* "Go To's" that I use when trying to help someone accomplish this goal. Work these into your week, think about them while you brush your teeth, when you shower, on your drive to work, when you "make toilet". Think about and learn about MUs when you can. If you are serious about wanting to be a competitor , MUs are a MUst...See what I did there?
*MUs stands for Muscle Ups (important for understanding poor humor attempt later in paragraph)
** It was three "Go To's" before I found This Carl Paoli video.
1. Jumping Muscle ups
These are a valuable training tool. They help your body "feel the transition" from being under the rings to being on top of the rings. When I am first teaching a person, the rings are relatively low. As they progress the height of the rings moves upward. This requires them to "pull" more and feel themselves roll on top of the rings. When doing these remember:
A. Keep the rings tight to your body and press to your hips
B. Your shoulders do not move between the rings, they move around them
C. A and B means you pull to your xiphoid and press through your ribs
2. Strength/Skill work
If you can't do a Dip or a "Chest to Bar" Pull Up, you can't do a Muscle Up. If you struggle with a Dip or a "Chest to Bar" Pull Up, you will struggle to do a Muscle Up. They are both a part of the movement. If you are weak in these areas practice them. Practice "Xiphoid to Bar" or "Belly Button to Bar" Pull ups. Work on Bar Dips, Bar Dip holds, Bar Dip holds with slow press out, Ring dips, and tempo Ring/Bar dips (slow to the bottom, hold, slow to the top). Attack those strength elements and MU will be attainable/easier.
3. Transition Work
I was going to type a transition tutorial out. Then I found this video:
You can do this with or without the band and with or without your feet on the ground.
4.And finally...This video.
This is a great way to conceptualize your movement as you progress through the muscle up. He teaches it very well. Watch it. Watch again. Then watch it a lot. Feeling the hip drive and then preparing your torso/shoulders for the transition to the top of the rings are, in my opinion, the hardest things to master when learning the muscle up. He explains it so well. Jumping muscle ups are to force you to feel that transition,his instruction should help you conceptualize that transition. . Ignore what he says about grip...for now.
Muscle Up work suggestions
My recommendation is that you do each of these at least once or twice a week. A good way of doing this is by using Mini Wods. Here is how i would recommend breaking it down:
1. Transition work
Spend 5 minutes working transition
2. Swing/Hip Drive practice
From time 1:06 to 2:06 in the second video. Spend another few minutes practicing these two elements
3. Mini WOD
I have programmed a number of these over the past few months. Here are a few of them:
3 RFT
4 Jumping Muscle ups
4 Bar Dips with 2 second pause in bottom
4 Xiphoid Process to Bar Pull ups
4 Xiphoid Process to Bar Pull ups
4 RFT
3 Jumping Muscle ups
5 Bar Dips
3 RFT
5 Jumping Muscle ups
7 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
Choose one of these or make up your own, keep them short and focus on form.
If you have trouble viewing the videos, do this:
On Youtube, search "Muscle Up Transition Progression Pt.2" and "Muscle Up Progression with Carl Paoli". There are multiple part to the Muscle Up Transition Progression series of videos, find these and watch them as well. Good luck
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