How to perform Bodyweight Muscle Up with proper form
Setup
- Equipment: Use a sturdy pull-up bar or gymnastic rings.
- Grip: Overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Steps
-
Start Position:
- Hang from the bar/rings with arms fully extended and feet off the ground. Engage your shoulders.
-
Pull Up:
- Initiate the movement by pulling your chest towards the bar. Focus on driving your elbows down and back.
-
Transition:
- As your chin passes the bar, lean your torso forward. Shift your wrists over the bar/rings.
-
Push Up:
- Transition into a dip by pressing down with your arms, keeping your elbows close to your body. Extend your arms fully at the top.
-
Finish:
- Lock out your arms while keeping your body straight. Hold the top position briefly before lowering yourself back down.
Key Points
- Engagement: Keep core tight throughout to maintain stability.
- Angles: Lean forward during the transition phase to enable the push-up part.
- Practice: Start with pull-ups and dips to build strength before attempting the muscle-up.
Safety Tips
- Warm Up: Ensure shoulder and wrist mobility before training.
- Progress Gradually: Use assisted variations if needed before attempting the full movement.
Always prioritize form to prevent injury.
Exercises

Around The World, Dumbbell
Type: Core
Target: Shoulders, Chest
Synergist: Back

Bench Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press Wide Grip, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Bench Press Wide Grip, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Cable Crossover, Cable
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders

Chest Dip, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Back, Triceps

Chest Fly, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Chest Fly, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Chest Fly, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Chest Fly, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Chest Press, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Chest Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders

Decline Bench Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Decline Bench Press, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps

Incline Bench Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Bench Press Wide Grip, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Chest Fly, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders
Incline Chest Fly, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Biceps, Shoulders
Incline Chest Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Chest Press, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Incline Chest Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Legs Up Bench Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Muscle Up, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Back, Chest, Triceps
Pec Deck, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Push Up, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Push Up, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Chest
Synergist: Shoulders, Triceps
Ab Wheel, Bodyweight
Type: Core
Target: Abs
Synergist: Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Shoulders, Back, Chest
Arnold Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Arnold Press, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Ball Slams, Medicine Ball
Type: Core, Upper
Target: Shoulders, Back
Synergist: Chest, Abs
Bench Dip, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Shoulders, Back, Chest
Bench Press Close Grip, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Shoulders, Chest
Bench Press Close Grip, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Shoulders, Chest
Bench Press Close Grip, EZ Bar
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Shoulders, Chest
Bent Over One Arm Row, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Chin Up, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Chest
Chin Up, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Chest
Clean, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Back, Shoulders
Synergist: Calves, Biceps, Chest, Forearms
Clean and Jerk, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Back, Shoulders
Synergist: Calves, Biceps, Chest, Forearms
Elliptical Machine, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Glutes, Hamstrings, Back, Chest, Quadriceps
Front Raise, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Front Raise, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Front Raise, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Front Raise, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Front Raise, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Handstand Push Up, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Shoulders, Chest
Hang Clean, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Biceps, Forearms
Synergist: Shoulders, Chest
Incline Row, Barbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Incline Row, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Inverted Row, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Kettlebell Swing, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Core
Target: Shoulders, Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves
Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Lower, Core
Target: Shoulders, Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves
Lat Pulldown, Cable
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Abs, Chest
Lat Pulldown, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Shoulders, Abs, Chest
Lateral Raise, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Lateral Raise, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Lateral Raise, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Lateral Raise, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Lateral Raise, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Overhead Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Overhead Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Overhead Press, EZ Bar
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Pullover, Barbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Pullover, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Push Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Chest
Push Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Chest
Push Press, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Chest
Push Press, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Chest
Seated Front Raise, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Seated Front Raise, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest
Seated Overhead Press, Barbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Seated Row, Cable
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Seated Row, Band
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Seated Row, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Shoulder Press, Cable
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Shoulder Press, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Shoulder Press, Smith Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Shoulder Press, Band
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Shoulder Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Shoulder Press Parallel Grip, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Chest, Triceps
Single Leg Bridge, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Abs
Synergist: Shoulders, Hamstrings, Chest
Snatch, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Shoulders, Back, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Chest, Triceps
Squat Row, Band
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Hamstrings, Chest, Quadriceps, Calves
Standing Row V-Bar, Cable
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
T Bar Row, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Biceps, Forearms, Chest
Thruster, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Shoulders, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves, Triceps
Triceps Dip, Bodyweight
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Back, Chest, Shoulders
Triceps Dip, Leverage Machine
Type: Upper, Push
Target: Triceps
Synergist: Back, Chest, Shoulders
Upright Row, Barbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Chest, Back
Upright Row, Cable
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Chest, Back
Upright Row, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Chest, Back
Upright Row, Band
Type: Upper, Pull
Target: Shoulders
Synergist: Biceps, Forearms, Chest, Back