Muscle Up: How-to, Tips & More
The Muscle Up is a advanced compound exercise for your lats. You do it with pull up bar. It is a good fit when your goal is both strength and muscle growth.
Besides the lats, it also works your chest, triceps and biceps, so it fits well in a session that trains those muscles together.
Muscles worked
Lats
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Triceps
Secondary
Biceps
Secondary
How to do the Muscle Up
- Hang from the bar with a grip just outside shoulder width.
- Pull explosively toward your hips, not your chin.
- Roll your wrists over the bar and lean your chest forward.
- Press up to straight arms above the bar, then lower with control.
Muscle Up tips
- You need about 10 chest-to-bar pull-ups and 15 dips first.
Sets and reps
Most lifters do well with 1 to 5 reps per set, and 1 to 5 reps is where this exercise tends to work best. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve on every set, and add weight once you can complete all your sets at the top of the range. It also works well in a superset with an exercise for the opposite muscles.
Equipment
Pull up bar
Type
Compound
Muscle Up alternatives
More lats exercises
Assisted Chin Up
Assisted pull up machine
Assisted Pull-Up
Assisted pull up machine
Back Lever
Pull up bar
Band Bent Over Row
Resistance band
Cable Pullover
Cable machine
Child Pose
Bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Muscle Up work?
The Muscle Up mainly works your lats, with help from your chest, triceps and biceps.
How many sets and reps should I do?
A good starting point is 1 to 5 reps per set, and many lifters get the best results between 1 to 5 reps. Use a weight that leaves one or two reps in reserve.
Is the Muscle Up good for beginners?
It is rated advanced, so it is better to build a base with simpler movements first and add it when your technique is solid.
What equipment do I need for the Muscle Up?
You need pull up bar.
Add Muscle Up to your program
Bite fills in your weights, tracks your progress and tells you when to go heavier.
Coming soon