Skill Hub

Muscle-Up

The muscle-up is the gateway to bar skills, combining explosive pulling strength with transition mechanics to get you from below to above the bar in one fluid movement.

Intermediate-AdvancedPull + PushExplosive

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Full Training Guide

Detailed training walkthrough

Key Muscles Used

Latissimus Dorsi

Primary pulling power

Chest / Pectorals

Transition and press-out

Triceps

Lockout strength

Core

Hip drive and control

Progression Stages

Full guide
1

Pull-Up Foundation

Strong pulling base with full ROM

10-12 strict

target

2

Chest-to-Bar

High pull capability

8-10 reps

target

3

Explosive Pull-Ups

Generate upward momentum

6-8 reps

target

4

Muscle-Up Negatives

Learn the transition path

5-8 negatives

target

5

Full Muscle-Up

Complete the movement

1+ clean

target

Common Training Mistakes

Weak Explosive Pull

Insufficient height on the pull phase, making transition impossible.

Skipping Negatives

Not learning the transition path through controlled eccentric work.

Insufficient Dip Strength

Weak straight bar dip making the press-out phase difficult.

Poor Timing

Not coordinating the hip drive with the pull for maximum height.

Training Resources

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SpartanLab creates adaptive programs that target your specific limiting factors and integrate muscle-up training with your other goals.

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