Did you heed my warning and go through the level 1 cycle at least twice? No? Go back. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
By now you should be familiar with the transition and false grip. In level 2 we are going to get you your first kipping ring muscle-up!
The main tool in our arsenal to do this will be jumping muscle-ups. You can see those in the muscle-up progression movement library.
Once you get your first muscle-up I want you to send me an email! I love getting those. It’s an exciting moment in your Cross-Training progressions to be apart of the MU club.
With that said, you won’t move to level 3 the second you get a MU. It’s very common for someone to get a MU and then not be able to replicate it the same day or for a few days. Don’t worry. That’s normal.
If that does happen to you all you need to do is continue through the programming in level 2. It will click. Trust me. Once it does you’ll be able to knock one out any day of the week. That’s when you move to level 3.
Prerequisite: Feel comfortable with false grip and the transition from the pull to the bottom of the dip. Be sure you did the level 1 muscle-up cycle 3-6 times.
- Current ability: 0 ring kipping muscle-ups. Comfortable with the transition and false grip
- Move to Level 3 Muscle-Up when: 1 ring muscle-up any day of the week. Do not move to phase 3 when you get your first muscle-up! Wait till you can do it with 100% certainty all the time. I’ve seen many people over the years who get a muscle-up and cannot replicate it for weeks.
- Notes: When you get your first muscle-up try to get as many as possible within the next 30 minutes, later on, that day if possible, and each time you go into the gym for the next week. Your goal is to get the movement down by practicing as much as possible.
- Suggested scale during WOD’s: Jumping muscle-ups.
| WHEN | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLUME | SPECIFIC | VOLUME | |
| BEFORE WOD | 10 minutes of jumping muscle-up practice with the farthest reach you can manage. | 5 minutes of negative practice. This is done by starting on top of the rings – lowering down to the bottom of a dip – transitioning (with false grip) into the top of a ring pull-up – and then lowering all the way down till your arms are straight. The goal is to move as slowly as you can in the transitional phase. | 10 minutes of muscle-up attempts. This is your time to try to get a muscle-up. |
| BEFORE WOD | 20-30 reps of proximal ring wrist rotations with as little leg assistance as possible. If you are able to do it on 1 leg. | 5×5 muscle-up transitions from toes on the box behind you. |