Muscle-Up (On Vertical Bar)

BicepsPectoralis MajorLatissimus DorsiBody WeightIntermediate
1. Grab the vertical bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 2. Jump or pull yourself up while leaning forward, using your arms and shoulders to pull your chest towards the bar. 3. As you reach the top of the pull-up position, quickly tuck your knees towards your chest. 4. Simultaneously, continue pulling yourself up while pushing the bar away from you with your hands. 5. As you reach the peak of your pull-up, shift your bodyweight forward and drive your elbows down towards your sides. 6. Push down on the bar and continue to lift your body while pushing your chest up and through the bar. 7. Perform the movement with controlled momentum until your arms are locked out and your chest is over the bar. 8. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.

How to perform the Muscle-Up (On Vertical Bar)

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Muscle-Up (On Vertical Bar) 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 biceps.
  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 biceps 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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