First muscle up

James Evans · 05-23-2008, 06:44 AM

I usually train pull ups on a door frame bar which obviously has some limitations - but that's the whole thing, I take what I can from it rather than moaning that I need the latest gismo or the expensive monthly gym membership.

Anyway, a few months ago out of interest I tried a few really explosive pulls and a couple of claps. I don't really have room to kip (I have to curl my legs up to do dead hangs) and I had to be pretty quick with my hands to avoid slamming them into the top of the door. Nonetheless I was getting some pretty comfortable lift and it suddenly struck me that a straight bar muscle up wasn't that out of the question. I resolved to give it ago next time I had access to a suitable bar.

Went out for a walk at lunchtime with a mate and stumbled across an empty park with dip and pullup bars. So, in my suit, grabbed the bar, first attempt:

Didn't quite get my kip right and though I got some power I couldn't transition into the dip (the eight or so beers I had last night didn't help).

Second attempt:

Bang, straight up. Tricky but not monstrously hard but I really noticed the shakey-tension in my whole upper body afterwards (could have been the beers though).

I then repeated that cycle of a near miss and then a success before we mucked around with some one arm chin progressions.

Ok - yes, straight bar not rings, not from a deadhang but I'm damn pleased with that as I have never tried to do them before in my life. Good times.

Derek Simonds · 05-23-2008, 07:20 AM

Congratulations! That is an awesome feeling when you hit something like that.

I am envious. I haven't been training them at all. When I hear about someone nailing their first one I always get stoked about going back and trying myself.

Once again congrats.

James Evans · 05-23-2008, 08:17 AM

Thanks Derek.

I really had that self belief when I first tried the clap pullups that I could do it with out much fuss but I have to admit I walked past some bars a couple of Sundays ago and though I was itching to try I also didn't want to look like an arse in front of the kids and parents in the adjoining playground!

Steven Low · 05-23-2008, 09:45 AM

Not too shabby.

The deadhangers are where the real fun starts though. Rings is not significantly harder than a bar.. but they do require a bit more work if you haven't been on rings a lot.

Allen Yeh · 05-23-2008, 10:54 AM

Sweet!

Derek Weaver · 05-23-2008, 11:30 AM

Nice going. I actually think the bar is harder than the rings. Not sure why, but I got a muscle up early on in my quest for one on the rings. Bar muscle up took me a couple of months though.

congrats. I think this is one of the bigger milestones out there for body weight movements.

Steven Low · 05-23-2008, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek Weaver

Nice going. I actually think the bar is harder than the rings. Not sure why, but I got a muscle up early on in my quest for one on the rings. Bar muscle up took me a couple of months though.

congrats. I think this is one of the bigger milestones out there for body weight movements.

Well, it's harder if you don't know the technique. On a bar you can get a bigger kip and you don't have to stabilize which is why the order goes:

kip bar, kip rings, dead rings, dead bar.

Garrett Smith · 05-23-2008, 03:24 PM

I'm inspired to try the bar muscle-up at the park workout tomorrow (I believe we'll be doing "Barbara").

James Evans · 05-28-2008, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Low

Not too shabby.

The deadhangers are where the real fun starts though. Rings is not significantly harder than a bar.. but they do require a bit more work if you haven't been on rings a lot.

I've arrived!

Kevin Perry · 05-28-2008, 10:41 AM

Good job, rings FTW