Muscle-up progression: every step to a full muscle-up

Stuck guessing which step comes next? See every move, the reps that mark you ready, and how to get over the bar clean.

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The steps, from easiest to hardest

1
High pull-ups
8 reps
Explosive — the bar hits the bottom of the chest.
2
Jumping muscle-up
8 reps
Low bar, jump through the transition to learn its shape.
3
Kipping muscle-up
6 reps
On bar or rings, use the swing to carry you over the bar.
4
Banded muscle-up
6 reps
Loop a band under your feet so the whole movement slows down.
5
Strict chest-to-bar pull-up
6 reps
Pull until your chest touches the bar, then pause for a moment.
6
Muscle-up negatives
3 reps
Lower yourself as slowly as you can from above the bar to below it.
7
False grip hang
5 s
From this step on, practice the false grip on rings, not the bar.
8
Strict ring muscle-up
4 reps
Rings punish every asymmetry the bar hid.
9
L-sit muscle-up
4 reps
Start in the L-sit and get over without breaking the L.
10
Slow muscle-up
4 reps
Absolute false grip, no explosiveness anywhere in it.
11
Transition isometric
2 s
Locked between the pull and the dip — the position everyone fails in.
One-arm muscle-up
4 reps
Do it with one arm, or let the second hand help as little as you need.

How to know you are ready for the next step

Hit the target reps or hold time on the step you are on, not just one lucky rep.
Every rep should look clean and controlled, with no swinging or rushing.
Feel fine the next day. If your shoulders or elbows ache, stay on the step.

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Find out which step you are on

Answer a few questions and get a week built for your level.

Your week, built from your level and the equipment you have
Apollo tells you which step to train today
A rank that only moves when you do

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How to train it

Train the muscle-up two to three times a week. On the days between, do regular pull-ups, dips and rows so the muscles you need keep getting stronger without the hard skill work. Keep every session short and stop while your form is still good.

Use the reps target as your green light. When you can hit the target clean, move up. When a step is stuck, drop back one step for a week, or add one slow rep each session. Small steps forward beat one big jump.

Mistakes to avoid

Pulling with your arms only leaves your chest below the bar, so learn to pull fast and high first. Skipping the jumping step means you never feel the change from pull to press, so spend time there. Chasing a swinging rep makes the move look done, but it teaches your body the wrong shape, so slow it down with a band instead.

Rushing to the next step before you hit the target builds bad habits, so stay until the reps are clean. Training through sore elbows or shoulders turns a small ache into a long break, so rest and come back when it feels normal.