What's the best way to get the most out of a workout with ring muscle ups when you don't have them? Make lot's of attempts? Do twice as many pull ups and push ups? In this post we'll take a look at some of the common CrossFit workouts with ring muscle ups and potential scaling options.
I wrote a post almost a year ago regarding how to scale muscle ups in a workout if you don't have muscle ups. In that post, I outlined three basic exercises a beginner, intermediate or advanced level athlete could use to scale muscle ups in a workout if they didn’t have them.
In this post I want to show some ways we’ve scaled muscle ups for our own athletes in class with great success. I hope you’ll try them out and let us know what you think!
Workout #1
30 ring muscle ups for time
Workout type/stimulus:
This is a short duration singlet. The skill focus is on the ring muscle up. Its intended stimulus should be to test the skill of the ring muscle up while fatigued in a 4-8 minute time range.
Scaling goal:
Get as close to the muscle up movement pattern as the athlete can tolerate while under fatigue along with taxing the same muscles (e.g., grip, upper body pulling and pressing muscles and core) and keeping within the intended time range.
Intermediate scaling options:
1. 30 jumping muscle ups for time
2. 30 band-assisted muscle ups for time
3. 30 toe-assisted muscle ups for time
Notes:
Whether you choose band, toe or jumping assistance, all of these options offer nearly the entire range of motion of the muscle up to include the pull, transition and press while using a false grip. You'll want it challenging enough to allow for 1-3 reps to be completed consecutively at a time with moderate to high level of difficulty. Reps should be done quickly, but with good control. Rest between sets should be minimal and allow for the workout to be completed within the 4-8 minute time range.
Beginner scaling options:
1. AMRAP 8-10 minutes of: 1-3 strict pull ups*, 1-3 strict dips*, 1-3 toe assisted transitions.
2. AMRAP 8-10 minutes of: 3-5 ring rows, 3-5 push ups, 1-3 toe assisted transitions.
*Use band or other assistance if needed.
Notes:
A beginner level athlete should first focus on strengthening the individual components of the muscle up. The pulling and pressing are obvious portions of the muscle up, but don't forget the transition. If you can do the pull ups or dips, even with a slight band or toe assistance, that is recommended. If we're not ready to get on the bar or rings, then ring rows and push ups can be done as well. However, it is still fine to do toe-assisted transition work as it will start building muscle memory from the get go!
Workout #2
“Amanda”
9-7-5 reps for time of:
- Ring muscle ups
- Squat snatch
Workout type/stimulus:
This is a short to medium duration couplet. The skill focus is on both the ring muscle up and squat snatch. Intended stimulus should be to test the skill of the muscle up and squat snatch under fatigue.
Scaling goal:
Get as close to the muscle up and squat snatch movement patterns as you can tolerate while under fatigue of each. Due to two movements being tested, the athlete’s ability in both movements must be considered and may alter the performance of the other. It is possible to scale one and not the other in order to ease the difficulty on the other.
Intermediate scaling options:
- 9-7-5 band, toe or jumping assisted muscle ups
- 9-7-5 power snatch or lighter weight squat snatch
Similar to the 30 muscle ups for time workout described above, band, toe and jumping assisted muscle ups are a great way to perform the movement in a workout while still getting very close to the movement pattern and receiving the benefits. Again, the squat snatch ability should be considered and modified to a lower difficulty if it creates too much difficulty on the muscle up or if the athlete’s goals are to increase performance of the muscle up. For example, substituting the squat snatch with a power snatch or lighter weight squat snatch would allow you to increase the difficulty and get more work on the ring muscle up.
Beginner scaling options:
- 9-7-5 strict pull ups
- 9-7-5 strict dips
- 9-7-5 power snatch or lighter weight squat snatch
Or
- 18-14-10 ring row
- 18-14-10 push ups
- 9-7-5 power snatch or lighter weight squat snatch
Different than the 30 muscle ups for time workout, since there is the addition of the squat snatch, we removed the reps of the transition because the amount of transitioning between movements would create too many 'resting' points in the workout and reduce the overall stimulus. For lower-level athletes, ring rows and push ups are an option, but reps should be increased to increase future capacity.
Workout #3
“Nate”
As many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:
- 2 Ring muscle ups
- 4 Handstand push ups
- 8 Kettlebell swings
Workout type/stimulus:
In CrossFit, 20 minutes is considered a 'long' workout. The skill focus is on ring muscle ups, handstand push ups and kettlebell swings. Intended stimulus is a full body workout that allows you to rotate between all three movements with minimal stoppage in any movement.
Scaling goal:
The movements should be scaled to allow for each movement to be completed within 1-2 sets, preferably 1 so that the rotation can continue and the only rest would be in the transition between exercises.
Intermediate scaling options:
AMRAP 20:
- 1 Attempt ring muscle up + 1-2 band, toe or jumping assisted ring muscle ups
- 4 Handstand push ups (possibly to 1-3 head mats)
- 8 Kettlebell swings (possibly with lighter weight)
The small reps and long duration of this workout gives you an opportunity, if you are close to getting your first muscle up, to get some legitimate attempts of a muscle up in a workout. By attempting a muscle up at the top of each round (or every other round), you will have a chance to see where your limit is. I recommend this only if you have the ability to call it quits (on the attempts) if there is any sign of pain or reduction in chances of success to actually get one.
Beginner scaling options:
AMRAP 20:
- Even rounds: 2 pull-ups + 2 dips, Odd rounds: 2 toe-assisted transitions
- 4 Handstand push ups (possibly to 1-3 head mats)
- 8 Kettlebell swings (possibly with lighter weight)
Since this workout is an “as many rounds as possible” format, we can play with alternating rounds on the pull up and dip strength and the transitions. This is actually a REALLY good workout for building muscle memory and strength for all levels in the muscle up.
Conclusion
There is actually a lot of thought that should go into scaling muscle ups in your workouts and if you’re not active in your thought process of trying to improve, you’re likely to not be making the progress that you’d like. I hope these examples can help you in future muscle up workouts that you do.
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