BEST MUSCLE UP WORKOUTS

Hey there! Did you just finish reading my previous article and are now looking for a muscle up routine that matches your level? And on top of that… for free? Don’t worry, you’re in the right place at the right time. But before we dive straight in, I’d like to mention a few things. These routines are based on my personal experience and that of the many athletes I’ve had the pleasure of training with. That is why you must use them with sound judgment and learn how to individualize them, adapting and updating them to your own needs to reach all your goals. They are not the only way to achieve this exercise, nor do they claim to be. I felt it was necessary to clarify that, but enough talk… let’s get started!
*Note: Rest time should always be taken between sets and exercises, not between reps.

#1 YOUR FIRST MUSCLE UP!

I know that for beginners, the muscle up is very tempting. Even so, I want to emphasize that we are dealing with an advanced exercise. That’s why I’m not going to be the typical guy who gives you four “easy steps” for the muscle up and promises you the world. If you don’t have a solid foundation, you’re not going to get it. If you need that foundation, I have many routines that can provide it. Alright, I’ll assume you have it then.

The first thing to understand is that this exercise can fail for many reasons: lack of explosiveness, strength, transition to the dip, coordination, kipping… and I’m sure I’m missing a few. That’s why you have to put a lot of care into it and mind your form from day one. My best advice is to forget about swinging your legs, as that assistance reduces the effectiveness of the exercise by decreasing its difficulty. If you’ve already picked up that bad habit, you can try crossing your feet slightly while doing it, using resistance bands while focusing on not helping with your legs, or even holding something between your legs and keeping it there throughout the entire movement. Either way, your legs should move as little as possible (they aren’t wooden planks either; some swaying is inevitable).

With that clear, we can move on to the beginner muscle up routine that will help you achieve your first rep. It is impossible to create a truly individualized routine without knowing you and your specific traits, so you will have to adapt the repetitions to your level and situation. I’ll set a limit of 2 to 4 fewer reps if you want to decrease them; if, on the contrary, you want to increase them, you are free to do so, but first check if you’re ready to move to the next section, where I explain the steps to achieve three muscle ups. What you must not change is the total number of sets and, obviously, the exercises themselves.

#2 MULTIPLE MUSCLE UPS?

Now you know how to perform a solid muscle up. The goal here is to refine your technique and increase your rep count, aiming for 3 to 5 repetitions. It is very common to see people nail their first or even second rep, only to hit a plateau or start using awkward movements to get back over the bar. If your goal is to master this exercise and incorporate it into your training sessions, it is essential that you follow the exercises provided below. This routine will help you break through that initial barrier and take your performance to the next level.

#3 MASTERING THE MUSCLE UP

I see you have reached the point where you truly want to get to the heart of the matter. It is no longer just about how to do a muscle up or how to improve it; it is about becoming an absolute machine. To achieve that, you need to train like the best do.

In my experience, weighted training is the absolute best option. Now, you might be losing your mind, thinking “What happened to training with just your bodyweight and the fundamentals of calisthenics?” But let me tell you something: Street Workout is not strictly limited to your muscles and your willpower. You can easily use accessories, just like the resistance bands in the previous routines.

So, let’s cut the nonsense. Get yourself some good ankle weights (2 kg / 4.5 lbs per foot), a dip belt, or a weight vest. I don’t care about the format; the point is to increase resistance and avoid plateauing at the previous level. Regarding the load, this routine is designed for an extra 4 kg (approx. 9 lbs), though it is your responsibility to individualize and adapt it to your level. Simply put: if you can pull more weight, go for it.

If you cannot afford the “extras” I mentioned, don’t worry, it is not the end of the world. You can still follow the muscle up routine below, but you will need to add the extra reps (which I will list in parentheses) to the standard weighted volume. However, keep in mind that without added resistance, you might eventually hit a wall. Try to get some gear as soon as you have the chance.

ORGANIZING YOUR ROUTINES

ORGANIZING YOUR ROUTINES

All the muscle up routines I’ve shared are designed to last about an hour, or an hour and fifteen minutes at most. I did this on purpose so you can still add accessory exercises to your session, such as specific core and/or leg work, like any responsible calisthenics athlete would ;).

As for the frequency, I recommend performing these routines a maximum of twice a week to avoid overtaxing your body with the same repetitive movements. If you are unsure which routine to pair it with, you can choose one from my “routines by level” section. Naturally, pick one that either doesn’t include muscle ups or has very few repetitions.

Alright, at this point, you have the resources to know how to perform a muscle up, improve it until you hit three reps, and finally master it until you are knocking out sets of five or more. I’d also like to recommend another one of my articles on the most common muscle up mistakes. I truly believe it’s vital to read it so you can avoid the bad habits that are, unfortunately, so common with this exercise. See you in the next tutorial, and good luck with your training! See you next time!