#024: Developing Bar & Ring Muscle-Ups

Show Notes

Part 1: Developing Strength
Part 2: Developing Technique
Part 3: Developing Capacity

Part 1: Developing Strength

How strong is strong enough?“

Minimum Strength Levels
-2-Minute Dead Hang
-5 Strict Pull-Ups
-5 Strict Dips

This means you are strong enough to start a progression that can later yield a Muscle-Up.

Ideal Strength Levels

1 Strict Pull-Up with 140% of your bodyweight
1 Strict Parallel Dip with 140% of your bodyweight

Stronger is better. But also, lighter is better.

Strength qualities that aren’t accounted for in the requirements…

Straight Arm Pulling Strength

Strength Speed

Lifting moderate percentages AFAP (As Fast As Possible)
SkiErg Sprints on low damper

Turnover Strength

Strict Chest-to-Bar (versus standard pull-ups)
Deep Ring Dips
Ring Row Hold to Chest
Low Ring Transition Drill
Russian Dips

Ring Instability

Dip & Support Holds on Rings
FLR Holds (Front Lever Ring)

Part 2: Developing Technique

Common Issues with Technique that I see…

The Mount / Starting Place (Rings = under) (Bar = behind)

This screws up the trajectory of the entire movement
Fixes: Mount Drill for BMU, cast swing for RMU

Arms bend too soon: not straight arm pull

Ring Muscle-Up: it’s actually almost a horizontal row
Bar Muscle-Up: push back behind the bar + pump the knees

Ring Muscle-Up: turnover is non-existent, slow or imprecise

Watch people cycle a bunch of RMU, and begin emulating that technique

Don’t know how to make rep 2 look like rep 1

RMU: push back and close off their hip, resulting in forward & backward momentum
BMU: push themselves too bar back again, go too far in and momentum and timing feels off

My Advice

#1: Clean Up your Movement before putting it into MetCons

#2: Don’t stop working strength and technical progressions

Are you an advanced CrossFit athlete who is serious about building your gymnastics capacity?

Put an end to cherry picking workouts and guesswork in your training.

This program is designed with the sole purpose of getting you better at producing dense work the way gymnastics are tested in the sport of fitness.

Are you ready?

Let’s Do It.

Part 3: Developing Capacity

#1: Unfatigued Skill Practice
#2: Build Volume
#3: Build Density
#4: Mixed Work Intervals
#5: MetCons Testers

Unfatigued Skill Practice

A. Warm-Up Progressions:
Move Through…
–Scap Pull-Ups
–Beat Kips
–Lat Activations
–Mount Drill
–Hips-to-Bar

B. BMU (8 x 2) full rest b/w

C. Strict Chest-to-Bar (3 Sets x 2 FF)

Volume Progression

Week 1: EMOM 8: 3 BMU (24 reps)

Week 2: EMOM 10: 3 BMU (30 reps)

Week 3: EMOM 12: 3 BMU (36 reps)

Week 4: EMOM 14: 3 BMU (42 reps)

*stop this at functional volume | Open 20.5, 40 RMU

Density Progression

Week 1 | EMOM 14: 3 BMU

Week 2 | EMOM 11: 4 BMU

Week 3 | EMOM 8: 5 BMU

Interval Work (non-interfering movements)

Every 90s x 8 Sets
-40 Double Unders
-4 BMU

E2M x 5 Sets
-6 RMU
-12 BJO

Interval Work (interfering movements)

E90s x 7 Sets
-4 HPC @65%
-4 sHSPU
-4 RMU

4 Rounds (Rest 1:00 b/w)
-25ft HSW
-15 Cal Ski
-7 RMU

MetCon Testers

AMRAP 10
-10 Power Snatch 75/55lbs
-3 BMU