Ring Muscle-up Workshop
When all of our movement patterns link back to and through our posture, the squat, the push-up, and the jump, we create a compounding snowball effect of skill. We don’t want to just learn exercises in silos independent of each other, they all build off of one another and when training is done right, everything is accessory work for everything else. The kipping muscle-up is one of the more complicated and advanced movements we perform in the CrossFit and you need to be sure you have your foundation in place as you learn the ring muscle-up. I have worked with many advanced athletes on improving their ring muscle-up and it ALWAYS goes back to foundations. To put into context what really matters, if you haven’t already, it is completely worth taking the time to see how MovementLink coaches the movements foundation to the ring muscle-up.
At the very least, you should watch Foundations: Strict Ring Muscle-up and Foundations: Kipping Ring Muscle-up before jumping into the progression and practice videos to put into context why the progressions exist and how to tie it all in together.
If you are interested in developing the Kipping Ring Muscle-up, you should perfect your Kipping Pull-up and Kipping Ring Dip FIRST. We see so many technique issues in the Ring Muscle-up occur because these foundational movements have not yet been developed properly. It is so hard to be patient, but don’t be in a hurry and rush past things. There are so many mediocre CrossFitters who are mediocre simply because they didn’t take the time to develop their foundation and now they feel, incorrectly, that they are too far along to go back.
Check out our Kipping Pull-up and Kipping Ring Dip Online Workshop Here
Below, you’ll find progressions for developing the False Grip and the Muscle-up Transition. From there we’ll help you put it all together into the Ring Muscle-up and then we’ll discuss linking Ring Muscle-ups. As a general rule, to make sure you have the positional strength and stability, we HIGHLY recommend that you be able to perform 10 Strict Ring Dips and 10 Strict Pull-ups before attempting Kipping Ring Muscle-ups. If you do not meet these prerequisites, then I want you to think of attempting your first Kipping Ring Muscle-up like attempting a max Snatch, but with only being able to do snatch pulls and snatch balances before attempting your first ever full snatch at max weight. That would be the craziest thing someone would ever do, yet, it’s what people do with their kipping muscle-up attempts all the time. By the time you are attempting unassisted ring muscle-ups, you should be capable to 3+ so you are not making max attempts as you try and learn technique. So, the 10 Ring Dips and 10 Strict Pull-ups or 1 STRICT Ring Muscle-up pre-requisite should be followed. Remember, as coaches we are on your team. We are not holding you back because we like to see you frustrated, but you must EARN your skills. Taking the time to develop your strength and stability alongside learning the skills required for the Kipping Ring Muscle-up is how you get, really, really good.
Your Ring Muscle-up Technique Training should consist of practice from the different areas discussed below. A typical training session would be organized as:
False Grip Training
Transition Training
Strict Ring Muscle-up Attempt(s)
False Grip Pull-up and Ring Dip Accessory Work
Want Coach Kyle to take a look at your technique and provide you actionable feedback? Check out the Video Analysis options at the bottom of the page!
False Grip Training
The false grip is your biggest weapon in getting your first ring muscle-up, but also making that big jump from 10 to 20+ ring muscle-ups. After bracing proper body positions, developing a really solid false grip will supercharge your muscle-up practice because of the leverage it provides. It is ANNOYING to learn, but a MUST if you’re serious about getting good. Most don’t have the patience and so are destine for mediocrity in the ring muscle-up. Take the time to learn and prioritize the basics in your training and become elite!
False Grip
As you incorporate False Grip Training into your practice sessions, you can use the progressions below to develop the necessary false grip. Start with False Grip Ring Rows and False Grip Banded Pull-ups and once you can get consistent sets of 5 in with full range of motion and without losing the grip, it’s time to continue on through the progressions. We recommend continuing to use some of the easier progression in your warm-up even when you have graduated past them.
False Grip Ring Rows
False Grip Banded Pull-ups
Box-assisted False Grip Hang
False Grip Ring Pull-up
False Grip Kip Swings
The Transition
Transitioning from below the rings to above the rings for most people is the hardest part of the ring muscle-up. The false grip will provide you tremendous leverage and positioning making the transition as easy as possible, but there is still a lot of technique that can be applied. Keeping external torque through your shoulders and the rings in close will assist in making the transition as efficient as possible. A commonly overlooked aspect of the transition is just the difference in body positions from under the rings to above the rings, mainly the positioning of the hips relative to the rings. When done properly, in both the strict ring muscle-up and the kipping ring muscle-up, the hips will be in front of the rings through the pull-up phase. Then, after the transition, the hips will be behind the rings in the ring dip phase. So, it’s clear that a major part of the transition should be shifting our hips backwards as we pull the rings through our transition. Stay focused on your false grip, keeping external torque through your shoulders, keeping the rings in close, and on your hip shift backwards. Those combined will make your muscle-ups extremely efficient.
Kneeling Ring Muscle-up Transitions
Banded Ring Muscle Up Transitions
Seated Band Ring Muscle-ups
Starting to Put It Together
Now, hopefully you’ve taken the time to practice with intent. You’ve gotten great at the progressions that lead up to taking our muscle-ups and it’s time to start considering taking it to the high rings.
Start with attempting Strict Ring Muscle-ups. If you can get one, then it’s time. To limit your injury risk, it is vital that you complete some jumping ring muscle-ups before you go for a kipping ring muscle-up. Have fun!!!
Banded Ring Muscle-up
Jumping Kip Ring Muscle Ups
Linking Ring Muscle-Ups
Positioning yourself for the next rep, maintaining the False Grip, or re-gripping the False Grip is how to make that number go from 1-3 to 10+. Check-out and actually practice these techniques. We recommend sets of 2-3 when practicing linking, so you get as much fresh practice as possible.
Linking Ring Muscle-ups and Maintaining the False Grip
Linking Ring Muscle-ups and Maintaining False Grip Practice
I would LOVE to help you further with Video Analysis!
It’s really simple on your end:
Purchase a video analysis package through the PayPal button below.
Using your phone or a camera, record short clips of your practice or workouts showing 1-5 reps.
I’ll show you how to easily send your videos to me.
I’ll use one my favorite software to provide you video and audio analysis and guide you on what to work on next.