Band-assisted muscle-up

A bar muscle-up with a resistance band taking some of your weight, so you can practice the full pull, transition and press before you can do it alone.

How to do it

1. 01Use a fixed bar; check the band, loop it securely around the middle of the bar, stand on a box and put your knees or feet in the middle of the loop.
2. 02Grip the bar overhand about shoulder-width with your wrists slightly over the bar, and hang with straight arms in a slight hollow.
3. 03Pull explosively, driving the bar toward your lower chest and hips rather than your chin, leaning back slightly.
4. 04As the bar reaches your lower chest, quickly bring your wrists and elbows over it and lean your chest forward — both arms together.
5. 05Press to straight arms like a dip, then lower under control to a hang; after the set, step onto the box before taking your feet out of the band.

Common mistakes

• Getting one arm over before the other (the “chicken wing”) — move both arms together, and use a thicker band if you need more help.
• Pulling the bar to your chin like a regular pull-up — pull higher and faster, bringing the bar toward your lower chest and hips.
• Feet slipping out of the band — keep them in the middle of the loop and move under control.

In the Muscle-up progression

1. 1Chest-to-bar pull-up
2. 2Straight-bar dip
3. 3Muscle-up negative
4. 4Band-assisted muscle-up
5. 5Muscle-up

Standard to move on: 3 sets × 3, two sessions in a row.