Bodyweight Muscle up - am I even close? (Video)

[JimThyme]

Learning the MU rarely crossed my mind until recently. Problem is my gym has no straight bars, just the pull-up handles. But I found a pull-up bar of adequate height at a local park the other day and started messing around on it.

I used to train martial arts and train lot for strength and explosiveness but for the past 1.5 years have adhered to nothing more than a half-hearted, pump-chasing bro split. I do a couple sets of pullups each week on back day but no explosive chest to bars or anything.

The only explosive movements I do are double unders and jumps to touch the bball rim before my workout to prime nervous system.

I can do a set of upwards of 15 pullups and can string together multiple chest to bars from a dead hang if I feel like it.

So I found this bar and tried to do muscle ups using what seemed like consensus proper technique after watching a few YouTube vids.

Here's the vid:.



Any tips? Am I even remotely close? Does my timing/technique look ok? Am I simply too weak/not explosive enough? I'm determined to get this now and don't want it to be a long drawn out process. I feel like I should already be able to do it.

I appreciate any comments/critiques

 

[Bret S.]

I'm no expert in bodyweight movements so take with the proverbial grain of salt.
In the attempted transition to the bar dip portion I would need the hands closer together to recruit enough different muscle action for success.
Perhaps try a few dips first to find your strength/balance groove, then try to hit that position at the top of the pull-up portion..?..?

 

[Neuro-Bob]

You may consider trying it with a false grip.

You are holding the bar in what would be a normal Pullup grip. A false grip is basically making a goose head with your hands and actually “grabbing” the bar with your wrist. Then when you transition to the dip/push-up part of a muscle up, the hand actually naturally slides to the correct position.

YouTube false grip muscle up for better info.

I bet you’re not far off at all....maybe more of a technique thing.

 

[JimThyme]

Ok so grip width is something I had wondered about. Perhaps I'll try narrower. And also now that you mention false grip, I just realized I'm using a thumb over grip.. I don't know whether that's actually detrimental though.

 

[Bret S.]

Ok so grip width is something I had wondered about. Perhaps I'll try narrower. And also now that you mention false grip, I just realized I'm using a thumb over grip.. I don't know whether that's actually detrimental though.

Play with different widths and I believe hooking the wrist is the method, there are progressions I've seen on YT. If you cheat up to the dip position on the same bar as in the video and figure out where you need to land your pull-up then you have a planned position to shoot for.
Be careful with shoulders, don't take this lightly and get some expert advice on it. I've read Pavel T somewhere warning about shoulder health with this movement especially using rings, though I assume the same applies to bar MU's.

 

[offwidth]

@JimThyme
@Neuro-Bob and @Bret S. have given you good advice.
Muscle-ups certainly cool. I question their practically (but that could be said about a bunch of the stuff we do). But then I am looking at them from the perspective of an old guy with dodgy shoulders...

 

[pet']

Hello,

@JimThyme
Below are some great tips regarding MU, using rings though.
https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/category/muscle-up/
https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/properly-build-muscle-up/
https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/secret-muscle-strength/

@offwidth
As always, you are quite wise and I like your sentence ! I practice it on a regular basis because it mimicks more or less getting over a fence or a wall. It can also help when you climb a tree - to a certain extent.

Nonetheless, if I remember well, Steve Maxwell once said that MU does not have a "real life" application, so I guess he must be right

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Marc]

To me, it looks like you are close.
I'd suggest using a resistance band.
"Sit" in the resistance band (in a l-sit) and do slow controlled reps.
I would say switch to the ring muscle up (fals grip is a must here) and try the regression with the resistance band.
You probably will only need a light band.
Speaking of the controlled l-sit muscle up I would say it is an outstanding exercise worth mastering/practising. You work your abs along with all of the upper body pushing and pulling muscles.