Strict Muscle-Up

Technique

How to perform Strict Muscle-Up

1. Stand beneath a straight bar, jump up, and secure a false grip so your wrists rest on top of the bar, thumbs over and knuckles facing down. Your arms should be fully extended, shoulders depressed, core tight, and legs together in a hollow body.
2. Begin the slow pull‑up by smoothly drawing your elbows down and in toward your ribs, keeping your body rigid and the bar close to your chest. Avoid any kipping or leg drive - move only as fast as you can maintain full control. As your sternum nears the bar, hinge slightly and lean your torso forward while letting your elbows glide in front of the bar.
3. Maintain constant tension so the transition is seamless rather than explosive.
4. Continue the transition by rolling your wrists over and pressing your chest above the bar, shifting from a pull to a dip position with elbows still tucked close to your body.
5. Finish the rep by slowly pressing down into a straight‑arm support, shoulders depressed, core and glutes tight, and bar at your lower chest.
6. Hold briefly before reversing the motion under full control back to the dead hang for the next repetition.

Programming relevance

Muscles involved

Primary targets: Pectoralis Major Sternocostal Head, Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head, Latissimus Dorsi, Triceps Long Head.

Calisthenics graph

Progression relationships

These relationships describe graph position, not personal readiness.