Muscle Up

Latissimus DorsiAbdominalsDeltoidsTricepsPectoralis MajorBody WeightIntermediate
Step 1: Hang from the pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Step 2: Engage your core and pull yourself up towards the bar using your arms. Step 3: As you approach the top of the pull-up, quickly shift your grip to an underhand position while simultaneously pushing your chest forward and extending your hips. Step 4: Continue pulling your upper body towards the bar until your elbows are fully bent and your chest is above the bar. Step 5: Transition your body by quickly flipping your wrists so that your palms are facing away from you. Step 6: Push down on the bar and push your hips forward to transition your body from below the bar to above it. Step 7: Once your arms are fully extended, lower yourself back down to the starting position. Step 8: Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Muscle Up

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Muscle Up using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Muscle Up

Bodyweight Muscle-up (VERSION 2)

Latissimus DorsiBody WeightAdvanced

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