​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Legal disclaimer 
 
Before starting any exercise program you should consider consulting with a qualified 
fitness or sports adviser to ensure the program is suitable for you. Do not undertake 
training with False Grips without professional or qualified instruction on proper uses 
and appropriate techniques.   
 
Use common sense when training and understand your personal limitations. Any 
program involving resistance training, gymnastics training, and/or activities at height is 
potentially dangerous and could lead to severe injury or death. The user assumes all 
risks and responsibilities for injuries or death which may occur during or following use 
of this equipment in any manner whatsoever.   
 
False Grips cannot be held responsible for any injuries which may occur as a result of 
training with the apparatus. False Grips and buyer disclaim any express or implied 
warranty, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability or fitness for a 
particular purpose. Buyer assumes all liability in use of the equipment, and False Grips 
bears no liability beyond the replacement value of the equipment. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
***STRICT ONLY. NO KIPPING*** 
False Grips are designed for strict muscle ups on 
rings and are ​not to be used for kipping​ or 
swinging movements on the rings, which may 
result in serious injury or death. 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
INTRODUCTION 4 
False Grips inception 4 
The muscle up guide 6 
SECTION I - THE RING MUSCLE UP 7 
Why the ring muscle up? 8 
The strict ring muscle up 10 
Kipping muscle ups 11 
SECTION II - FOUR PHASES OF THE MUSCLE UP 13 
Breaking down the muscle up 13 
Phase one - “Grip” 14 
Phase two - “Pull” 24 
Phase three - “Transition” 30 
Phase four - “Dip” 37 
SECTION III - BEFORE YOU BEGIN 41 
Equipment you will need 41 
Training principles 43 
SECTION III - MUSCLE UP PROGRAM 46 
Program overview 46 
4-Week Muscle Up Program (12 Sessions) 49 
Instructions 49 
Warm Up Routine 49 
Activation Routine 49 
Videos 49 

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INTRODUCTION 

It wasn’t long ago that I was attempting to get my muscle up and just kept hitting a wall 
trying to get on top of the rings. I remember the awkward feeling I had as I was trying 
to pull my body over the rings and it just wouldn’t go. It’s a similar feeling to trying to 
wiggle your ears - you know there’s a muscle somewhere that’s responsible for doing it, 
yet you don’t know how to use it, so you just end up squeezing all the muscles in your 
face like a weirdo. Do you know that feeling? Once I figured out that I needed to hold a 
false grip in order to transition over the rings, I found myself tearing the crap out of my 
wrists while doing all the drills I found on YouTube. After weeks, if not months of 
drilling and tearing, I got my first one and what an amazing feeling it was to have finally 
conquered the rings!  
 
Let’s fast forward 10 years. After having competed at the CrossFit Games multiple 
years and coached hundreds of athletes in the muscle up, I believe there is a better way 
to getting your muscle up, and that is with False Grips. False Grips give you a 
step-by-step practical solution for getting your muscle up without the awful tearing of 
skin. 

False Grips inception 

 
The idea for False Grips happened at our box in early 2016 as I was spotting one of our 
athletes performing the kipping ring muscle up. I was in the same boat I had been in so 
many times before - standing there with puckered butt cheeks every time the athlete 
attempted to kip their body over the rings, and the athlete getting more frustrated after 
each attempt. Let’s just stop. There is a better way. 

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As a coach, I believe the answer lies within helping athletes develop their strict muscle 
up versus the kipping muscle up. It actually makes a lot of sense. The strict muscle up 
requires the athlete to demonstrate the appropriate strength and stability on the rings 
by pulling their body over them without the assistance of a kip. In a way, they are 
“earning” their right to be on the rings. This is very different from a kipping muscle up, 
where an athlete without the necessary strength or stability to be on the rings could 
potentially get on top of the rings, but they are placing themselves at a much higher 
risk of failing and injuring themselves. Also, my experience has shown me that athletes 
that develop the strength to do a strict ring muscle up first can quickly progress to 
kipping muscle ups and have a stronger and more consistent muscle up than those 
that learned the kipping first.  

The strict muscle up has its drawbacks though. First, the strict muscle up requires a 
false grip technique, which is often uncomfortable and difficult to maintain for 
beginners. Also, it tends to tear up your wrist skin if you’re doing a lot of drills, which is 
what beginners will be doing in order to achieve their muscle up. Second, the strict 
muscle up requires a significant amount of upper body strength, which many athletes 
don’t have immediately, so they need to use modified movements or scale with bands, 
static holds, negatives or feet assistance while they build strength. With those 
positives and negatives in mind, I set out in finding a way to help make the false grip on 
the rings more comfortable and a way to make the set up and scaling of muscle up 
drills simple. I wanted to make muscle ups simplified!
 
False Grips creation 
 
After a year of testing different designs and prototypes, we created False Grips, which 
are molded grips that quickly and easily fit over standard-sized wood, plastic or metal  

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gymnastics rings and provide a platform for your hands. The platform improves the 
grip and feel while using the false grip technique and eliminates torn wrist skin. 
Grooved undercuts on False Grips allow bands to be easily connected to the rings for 
assistance with dips and muscle up drills. 
 
Since launching False Grips, we have had amazing success. Not only did we have 
nearly a dozen athletes in our gym get their first strict muscle ups within the first few 
months, but we’ve had athletes across the globe sharing success stories with us on 
their first strict muscle ups. 

The muscle up guide 

 
I wrote this guide to accompany our product, False Grips. In it I break down the muscle 
up - what it is, why you should do it, how to train for it and how False Grips can help. 
You’ll find video links throughout which will provide explanations and demos of 
different things I think are important. At the end of the guide, I provide a simple, but 
efficient program that can be incorporated into your current fitness routine that will 
help get you your first strict muscle up.  
 
As much as I felt I’ve done with False Grips and this guide however, it is ultimately up to 
you. It is on your shoulders to decide what work you will get the work done and reap 
the reward. There are 60 blank squares on the program at the end of this guide, and if 
you want your muscle up, I suggest you put a check in each of those boxes. ​Make a 
goal of 2-3 times per week and get it done​. Like I always tell my athletes, one plus one 
equals two. Always. Similarly, effort plus motivation equals results. Always. ​Do the 
work and enjoy the results! 

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“The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” 
- Amelia Earhart 

SECTION I - THE RING MUSCLE UP 

Before we get started, let’s discuss the ring muscle up. 

 
Let’s take a look at: 
 
1. The four reasons why I think nearly everyone should want to have a muscle up! 
2. What is the strict ring muscle up anyway? 
3. What about kipping muscle ups? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Why the ring muscle up? 

 
Learning the ring muscle up has a lot to offer. Not only is it the next movement in line 
after the completion of the pull-up and dip, but it is probably the best exercise you can 
do to build strength in your back, chest and arms all at once. Training it will benefit your 
tree climbing and pool exiting ability, and having the ability to do one will give you a 
whole new set of possibilities for workouts in the park because you’ll be able to hang 
your rings from a tree! 
 
Here are the reasons I think everyone should get their ring muscle up: 
 
Reason #1. The ring muscle up is the natural progression from the pull-up and dip. 
 
I once had a gymnastics coach tell me that if you could do five reps of something, it 
was time to add a variation to make it more difficult. That wasn’t to say that you’ve 
mastered the movement and that you wouldn’t go back to train it at all ever again. 
Instead, it was just to provide a measure of when it was time to challenge yourself 
again. I think one of the reasons CrossFit is so addictive, is because there is always 
something to work towards. Once you get your single under, you move to the double 
under, right? 
 
The muscle up learning progression (roughly): 
 
learn pull-up ➕ learn dip ➕ learn false grip ➕ learn transition ＝ 
strict muscle up 
 

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Reason #2. The muscle up builds unparalleled shoulder strength. 
 
If you want a way to measure and develop your upper body strength, the strict ring 
muscle up is one of the best exercises you can do. There is a significant strength 
requirement for you to get one, and to get five or more, it may take several years or 
more of practice. 
 
In every single repetition of the muscle up, you are getting a pull-up, a sit-up, a dip and 
activating a whole symphony of upper body and core muscles. It is one of the few 
movements, that even when done as the single exercise for the whole workout, will 
allow you to leave the gym completely satisfied with your workout! 
 
“In every single repetition of the muscle up, you are getting a pull-up, a sit-up, a dip and 
activating a whole symphony of upper body and core muscles.” 

Reason #3. The muscle up is “functional”. 

 
CrossFit’s definition of a functional movement is that it involves moving a large load, a 
​ ery similar ​to the 
large distance and quickly. The muscle up is exactly that! It is v
movement of a burpee in which we move our entire body from one point all the way to 
another. We all know how much burpees suck, but they are good for you, right?! 
 
 
 
 
 

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Reason #4. You can do muscle ups anywhere! 

Finally, one of the really cool things about the 

muscle up is that you can do them nearly 
anywhere and get a great workout. Any place you 
can find a ledge to put your hands over and pull 
yourself up to, you can likely do a muscle up. In 
this guide, we are talking about muscle ups on 
rings, which can be hung over tree branches, 
soccer and football field goals, or whatever else 
you can find that’s a bit higher than your head and 
can support your bodyweight. Nearly any park or 
field is fair game for a full-body workout of 
running, squats and muscle ups! 

“Nearly any park or field is fair game for a full-body workout of running, squats and 
muscle ups!” 

The strict ring muscle up 

The movement we will be focusing on is the strict ring muscle up. To be clear, here are 
some characteristics of the strict ring muscle up: 
 
● It is done best using a false grip on the rings.* 
● It begins with the individual hanging from below the rings with elbows completely 
locked out and finishes with the individual on top of the rings with elbows locked 
out and rings turned out. 
 

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● The term “strict” implies that it is done without a swing, kip of the legs or hips or 
any other motion that could constitute as being of assistance during the lift. 
 
*It is possible to do a strict muscle up on rings without using a false grip technique, but 
it’s incredibly difficult and we’ll leave that for our next guide! 
 
As I mentioned earlier, strict muscle ups are where I recommend folks begin training 
their muscle up. I believe there is much more value for the athlete to begin there before 
moving to kipping. 

Kipping muscle ups 

 
You may be familiar with the kipping ring muscle up. There might be some folks at your 
CrossFit box that has some, or maybe you’ve watched the CrossFit Games and you’ve 
seen the athletes swinging from the rings with ​amazing ​power, control and finesse 
while being able to link as many as 10-15 together at one time. Don’t get me wrong, I 
love the kipping muscle up and I think it’s a great movement that offers a lot of 
benefits toward improved fitness. However, I believe kipping muscle ups should be 
seen as something that you progress to only after you’ve developed the strength and 
competence with the strict movement first. It’s a common sense principle if you think 
about it. You teach the slower version of the movement first and demonstrate strength 
and stability, then you add speed. It’s the same thing we do on the barbell where we 
learn the deadlift and squat before we learn to clean and jerk! 
 
In this guide, we will be focusing on developing our strength with the strict ring muscle 
up. We will be building as wide and sturdy of a foundation as possible in each of the 
four phases of the muscle up - the grip, the pull, the transition and the dip. Only after we  
 

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are confident in the strict muscle up and can get 2-3 strict in a row, will we look to add 
kipping. 
 
Before we move on, let’s take a look at what we’ve covered: 
 
Section Takeaways 
 
❖ The ring muscle up is the natural progression from achieving your pull-up and 
ring dip and all athletes (not only the elite ones), should strive toward developing 
their muscle up. 
❖ The strict ring muscle up is an excellent exercise and tool for developing upper 
body strength. 
❖ The muscle up is a functional movement and can be seen in many places outside 
the box! 
❖ You can do muscle ups anywhere you can hang a pair of rings! 
❖ Developing your strict ring muscle up will help you get better at kipping muscle 
ups and all your other ring and bar gymnastics. 
❖ Strict muscle ups should be developed before kipping muscle ups to build a 
better foundation of the movement. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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SECTION II - FOUR PHASES OF THE MUSCLE UP 

Okay, here’s where we will begin digging into the muscle up and getting an 
understanding of how to train for it! 

Breaking down the muscle up 

If this guide could serve one purpose, it would be the perspective of being able to see 
the muscle up as four separate phases - grip, pull, transition and dip. This allows the 
opportunity to break it down and identify which parts need more attention (training). 
Each phase is important and the task of getting a muscle up will only be performed to 
the level of the weakest component. 
 
For example, if you can do 20 strict pull-ups, but can only do 3 dips, you're likely to be 
limited to no more than 3 muscle ups! Or, if you have 5 pull-ups and 5 dips, but can’t 
hold the false grip, you likely won’t be able to do a strict ring muscle up at all. Y
​ ou are 
only as strong as your weakest link!

The four phases of the muscle up are: 

1. Grip:​ This refers to holding the false grip technique. 
2. Pull:​ This refers to pulling your body toward the rings high enough to be able 
transition over the top. 
3. Transition:​ This refers to transitioning your body from the top of the pull to the 
bottom of the dip. 
4. Dip:​ This refers to pressing out of the bottom of the dip. 
 
Let’s dive in to each of the four phases of the strict ring muscle up! 

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Phase one - “Grip” 

 
The false grip technique is what must be 
used in a strict ring muscle up and you do it 
by flexing the heel of your hand over the top 
of the rings, approximately 90 degrees, 
while holding your bodyweight. Your ability 
to maintain your wrist flexed in this position 
will be a determining factor in your ability to 
do a strict ring muscle up.

The advantage of the false grip 

 
By placing the heel of your hand on the object you are 
trying to get on top of, as close to the wrist as possible, 
you are reducing the distance between your body and 
the object, which will give you more leverage to pull 
yourself onto it.  
 
This picture of me holding a medicine ball far away 
from my body describes it well. The further away the 
ball is from my body, the heavier it feels. The closer it is, 
the lighter it feels. In the case of the muscle up, my body is the weight, and I want it to 
be as near to the rings as possible for maximum leverage. 
 
 

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Additionally, using the false grip technique allows us to have our hands already in place 
when we transition from below to on top of the rings and we will not have to adjust the 
grip in the middle of the movement. 
 
Muscles used for grip 
 
The primary muscles used in the false grip technique are in your forearms, which flex 
your palms toward the underside of your arm. Similar to other muscles in your body, 
they are only strong in the range of motion that you consistently train them in. 
Unfortunately, while CrossFitters are very good about grabbing heavy barbells and 
pull-up bars, they are not as good about doing specific forearm exercises that will 
improve their false grip and thus suffer on the rings. 
 
Using False Grips 
 
I developed False Grips to help my athletes with the false grip technique. However, I’ve 
found them to be helpful in many more ways. Here are some of the other benefits 
we’ve found from using False Grips with our athletes: 
 
#1. Wider platform is more comfortable and provides more 
stability 
The wider platform area on False Grips distributes the load across 
more of the hand and increases the comfort and stability of holding 
the false grip. The increased surface area also reduces the “hot 
spot” on the wrist so you won’t tear your wrist skin.  
 

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#2.​ M
​ ore muscle activation 
Due to the increased comfort and stability, you will be 
notice more muscle activation and engagement in 
your arms and shoulders. I like to use the example of 
having a thumbtack underneath your hand while 
pulling on the rings and the coach saying, "Pull hard!" 
You're not likely to pull very hard if the pain increases the harder you pull, would you? 
While a thumbtack under the hand is an extreme example, it demonstrates the fact that 
even if the grip is slightly uncomfortable or feels like it is slipping, you are not as likely 
to be engaging the muscles as well you could be if it were comfortable and stable.  
 
Better, more comfortable grip = more muscle activation and stronger pull!  
 
#3. More confidence in your training 
The net effect of a more comfortable grip, no skin tearing and more 
muscle activation during your drills is that you get more out of your 
training - including confidence! False Grips is a “tool” that will help 
keep you engaged in your training, which leads to better results than 
you would see otherwise.  
 
“I like torn wrist skin.” - Nobody 
 
#4. Great in group workouts! 
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had at our box is finding a way to improve the way 
the dip and muscle up are done in group workouts. Specifically, how athletes without 
these two movements can do appropriate modifications so they can 1) build the  

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muscles and movement patterns safely, and 2) still feel like they are included in the 
class workout by doing very similar movements and rep schemes. False Grips simplify 
the set up and increase the effectiveness of drills which will improve the strength and 
understanding of the movements while allowing athletes to feel like they are still doing 
the same workout. 
 
How to get into a proper false grip on False Grips 
 
Getting into a false grip on False Grips is similar to the way that it would be on the rings 
alone:
 
On low rings​:  
Get into the bottom of a ring dip position, 
which is where you will be “catching” yourself 
once you come over the top of the rings. 
Keeping your hands in place, rotate your 
elbows and body underneath the rings. The 
palms will rotate inward to the front of the 
body and be facing each other. Make sure you 
don’t have any uncomfortable skin folds 
before you begin the exercise.  
 
● Left photo: Get into the bottom of the dip.  
● Right photo: Keep your hands in place and lower body underneath the rings.

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On high rings​: 
On a box if needed, reach up to the rings with the wrists flexed to 90 degrees. Put the 
corner of your hand and wrist onto the outside corner of the False Grips platform. 
Make sure the grip feels comfortable before settling your bodyweight onto the rings. 
Jumping to the rings to get into a false grip is NOT preferred. You will be forced to 
waste precious energy situating your grip and will likely tear wrist skin in the process.  
 
Whether you are working on low or high rings with False Grips, always feel free to adjust 
your grip to make sure there are no skin folds or discomfort in your grip before beginning 
the movement. A more confident grip will make for more confident movement. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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CORRECT false grip technique 

Correct false grip is where the heel of the hand is 

placed over the top of the center of the False Grips 
platform. The crook of the wrist, where the arm and 
hand meet, is firmly placed against the outside corner 
of False Grips. 
 

INCORRECT false grip technique (too high) 

Oftentimes, athletes will crank their wrist too high over 

False Grips, causing the corner of the platform to press 
into the arm when they hang below the rings. This will 
be very uncomfortable and is not recommended. 
 

INCORRECT false grip technique (too low) 

Most frequently, I see athletes letting their wrist slip 

down off the side of the rings into a normal grip, thus 
losing the leverage of the false grip.  
 
 

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Maintaining your false grip 
When linking multiple muscle ups (assisted or not), you’ll need to continue to adjust 
your grip as you go, especially when returning back to below the rings after a 
completed muscle up. If your false grip loosens and fails, it is very difficult to get it 
again in the middle of a repetition, so it’s best to get a good grip first! 
 
Common problems with the grip 
 
#1. Generally weak due to lack of training 
It's very common to see athletes with their primary deficit being grip strength. As I 
mentioned, the reason is primarily because it’s not trained frequently enough.  
 
Let’s take you for example. Can you give me an example in 
your training where you hold a flexed wrist under a heavy 
load equal to your bodyweight? Probably not often...if ever, 
right?! The only example I can think of where this is done 
even remotely is with heavy sandbags or atlas stones, 
where you have to flex your wrist under the bag/stone to 
either carry it or toss it over your shoulder. 
 
Without training, there is no adaptation. Your body will NOT be strong in an area that 
you don’t train. Of course, there is a small amount of grip strength carryover from 
grabbing heavy barbells and pull-up bars, but the carryover often isn’t sufficient enough 
to assist with the level of grip needed to hold one’s body weight with the false grip  
technique during the strict muscle up. 
 

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#2. Lack of wrist mobility 
Less commonly seen, but still important to mention is wrist mobility. 
Specifically, the ability to flex your wrist comfortably to roughly a 90 
degree flexion while holding the false grip. Previous wrist or elbow 
injuries can sometimes be the culprit here and, if possible, we'd want 
to do appropriate mobility work to see if the range of motion can be 
restored. When doing wrist mobility work, take your time and be 
patient as the tendons and ligaments can get irritated if you give them too much all at 
once.

Drills to develop grip strength 

I typically prescribe this being the first thing done in your training, after the warm up 
and activation.  
 

#1. False grip lean (in ring row position)  

The false grip hold in a ring row position is where you 

should begin strengthening your grip. O
​ ptional - 
Straighten fingers off False Grips to emphasize flexing 
the wrists vs. grabbing the back of the grips with your 
fingers. 
 
 
 
 
 

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#2. False grip toe-assisted hang  

A toe-assisted hang allows you to progressively add 

more weight to your grip. 

#3. False grip bent and straight arm hang 

Full body hangs in bent and straight arm versions are 

where we can begin feeling our entire body weight 
under the rings. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Before we move on, here’s what we covered in the “Grip” phase: 
 
❖ False grip technique gives you more leverage and strength by shortening the 
distance between your body and the rings. 
❖ False Grips offer improved comfort and stability while doing your muscle up 
training. 
❖ Practice getting into your false grip on low and high rings and make sure you 
adjust your grip so it’s comfortable. 
❖ Just because you grab heavy barbells, it doesn’t mean you have strong enough 
forearm strength to hold the false grip. Train your false grip by doing holds and 
hangs. 

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Phase two - “Pull” 

 
The “pull” phase is where your grip is set, and 
beginning with straight or nearly straight arms, you 
pull the rings down in front of your body to a point 
where you will then be able to press into your 
transition. 
 
It is common for athletes to have a strong pull, 
while lacking in other phases of the muscle up. 
The likely reason is that pull-ups are done quite a 
bit more frequently in workouts than ring dips, 
false grip holds or transition drills. That being said, 
there are some important things to point out in the 
pull phase. 

How to pull properly 

 
A good place to start is to ensure you are pulling in the proper sequence. A proper 
pulling sequence should follow a core to extremity pattern, which means to begin the 
movement by engaging/contracting the muscles closest to the core, then working out 
toward the extremities. In the case of a pull-up or muscle up, it will look like this: 

Step #1. Retract your shoulder blades 

From a full hang, squeeze your shoulders down and back. Doing this will increase the 
distance between your shoulders and ears and it will also increase the engagement of  

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the lats, which is seen in step 2. This is worth practicing a few times if you’ve never 
done it before. You can also think of lifting your chest toward the rings as you do it to 
emphasize getting the shoulders back. This movement is often called “shoulder 
depressions” or “shoulder shrugs”. They are important enough that I’ve included them 
in my daily warm up of the sample program and you can see a demo video ​here​.  
 
Step #2. Pull your elbows down 
With your shoulders squeezed back, pull your elbows down toward your hips. The 
orientation of your elbows will vary depending if you have pronated versus supinated 
grip (hands facing forward versus toward each other or towards your body). The 
important part here is that you “think” about pulling your elbows toward your hips, as 
you will get better lat engagement that way. Once you feel confident with step 1, I 
recommend practicing steps 1 and 2 together to make sure you are doing them in the 
right sequence.  
 
Step #3. Pull hands down 
The final step is to pull the bar or rings as far down the body as possible specifically to 
the chest. Again, I recommend practicing these steps regularly in order to pull in the 
proper sequence, which will increase the power of your pull.
 
The top of the pull phase 
The top of the pull is when the the bottom of the rings reach chest height. Anything 
after that is considered the “transition” phase and is much more like a “push” than a 
“pull”, which is to say that you are “pressing” the rings away from your body versus 
pulling them to you. 
 

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At the top of the pull, the rings should be in front of your body. 
As seen in the photo, my shoulders are behind the rings and 
not directly underneath them. This will allow my shoulder to 
travel behind and then on top in the transition. As you begin 
your pull, you will drive your elbows forward (palms facing) as 
you pull them toward your hips. 
 
Common problems with the pull 
 
#1. Not pulling high enough 
The height of the pull needs to be to the chest. Specifically, the bottom of the rings 
need to make it to the bottom of the shoulders in order for them to get over. All too 
often, I see athletes missing muscle ups because they are pulling their chins to the 
rings, and that just isn't going to be high enough.  
 
Here's a drill to do: Stand in front of a mirror and act as if you are pulling the rings down 
the front of your body with an imaginary false grip. Lower your elbows and hands until 
your wrists are below the front of the shoulders. This is where you need to pull the 
rings to!
 
#2. Improper pulling sequence 
One of my favorite verbal cues in weightlifting is “when the elbows bend, the power 
ends." In weightlifting, it means that when you bend your elbows before you’ve fully 
used your hips, you are reducing your strength to the limit that you can maintain an 
elbow bend. This isn’t going to be very much.  
 

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In the case of the muscle up, if you bend your elbows before pulling your shoulders 
down, you will not load the lats to their best potential and will miss out on a powerful 
pull. Practice the pulling sequence daily - retract and depress shoulders, then pull 
elbows and then hands. Do it until it’s smooth and flawless! 
 
#3. Lack of grip strength 
Being that a false grip is required to be maintained during the pull phase of the strict 
muscle up, it is common for this to be the weak link in the pull. You are only as strong 
as your weakest link! I have seen it too many times where an athlete will have 10 
powerful looking strict pull-ups, but when they attempt a strict muscle up, they lose all 
of their power and speed in their pull and it is 100% because their grip is weak and 
cannot support a strong pull. You will not be able to pull any harder than you can 
maintain your false grip, so please do not overlook your grip strength! 
 
Drills to develop pulling strength 
The muscles used in the pull are in the back, shoulders and arms - the lats being the 
largest. For simplicity purposes, we can just think of them as the “back muscles” and 
their main function is to pull your arms toward your body.  
 
Here are my favorite exercises for developing the back muscles. Rep and time ranges 
can vary on these movements, but I typically recommend keeping reps low enough to 
support proper form (including proper pulling sequence) and NOT going to complete 
failure.  
 
 
 

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#1. Ring rows 

Ring rows are not only a great place to start for 

beginners, but can be used by advanced athletes 
in higher rep schemes to add volume to your back 
training. 

#2. Chin over holds and negatives 

Timed holds with your chin over the rings (left), 

and slowly lowering yourself from the top to the 
bottom position (right), known as “negatives”, are 
both great ways to improve strength and the 
position of your pull. Palms can be rotated toward 
the body, each other or away to engage different 
areas of the back. 
 

#3. Feet elevated ring rows 

A “feet elevated” ring row is an advanced version 

of the standard ring row with your feet elevated on 
a box or mat. What might seem like a minimal 
adjustment makes a dramatic difference in the 
difficulty to the movement. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

#4. Ring pull-ups and false grip pull-ups 

Doing full pull-ups on rings with a normal 

grip or false grip is the most challenging 
exercise to work on your pull. 

 
Before we move on, here’s what we covered in the “Pull” phase: 
 
❖ Ensure you are pulling in the proper sequence by pulling your shoulders back 
first, then pulling your elbows and then rings down. 
❖ The top of the pull in a muscle up is to the height of the chest. If you want a 
muscle up, you should practice pulling the bar or rings to your chest.  
❖ Your pull in a strict ring muscle up may be limited by your ability to hold a false 
grip. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Phase three - “Transition” 

 
The transition is the part where you get from 
below the rings to on top of them. This consists 
of going from the top of your pull to the bottom of 
your dip. Easy, right? Not so much! 
 
The transition is an area that many athletes 
struggle with despite having adequate pulling and 
pushing strength. The reason is that there is a coordination and speed element that 
must be perfected in order for the linking to occur. 
 
The best way to think about the transition is a rapid changing of body position; from 
that of a “pulling” position to a “pressing” position on the rings. Did you catch that? 
Let’s unpack what I just said there. 
 
First, it is a “rapid” change of body position, and yes, we are still talking about a “strict” 
muscle up. I am always reminding my athletes that speed is your friend when you are 
trying to be strong. Whether or not you “actually” move fast, the intent to be fast will 
give you more power through the transition. 
  
Next, we are changing our body position from one that is “pulling” to one that is 
“pressing”. I like to make the comparison to the way we get a barbell from below the 
hips to the shoulders in a power clean (a muscle clean is probably more akin to a strict 
muscle up, while a power clean demonstrates the kipping muscle up more, but not as 
many people are familiar with muscle cleans!) 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
The clean and muscle up comparison 
In the muscle up, we are taking our center of mass (think of the center of your body or 
your belly button) from below an object to above it. In the clean, we are moving the 
object from below our center of mass to above it. We are the resistance in one. We are 
moving the resistance in the other.  
 
In order to transition our body or the bar, we need to change the orientation of the body 
and transfer from the type of movement being done. I believe this piece can be very 
helpful for a lot of you, so I’m going to break this down: 
 
In a clean​: We begin pulling from behind the bar. Once the bar gets past the knees and 
we become more vertical, we sweep the bar toward the hip and we then “jump” the bar 
to our shoulders. We go from a pull behind the bar, to a jump from under the bar - from 
“pulling” to “jumping”. 
 
In a muscle up​: We begin pulling from under and behind the rings (since you pull the 
rings down the front of your body, your body is technically “behind” the rings along with 
being under them). Once the bottom of the rings pass ​the height of the shoulders, ​we 
will begin pressing - from “pulling” to “pressing”. 
 
Getting the timing right 
In both movements, there is an element of timing that is crucial to getting the desired 
result, and if one gets caught doing too much thinking while it’s happening, you'll likely 
miss your opportunity to jump or press ​on time ​while you end up ramming the bar into 
your hips or rings into shoulders and botching the entire movement. The perfectly 
timed “jump” gets the barbell from the hips to the shoulders in the clean and the  

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
perfectly timed “press” gets the shoulders from below the rings to on top of them in the 
muscle up.

Step #1. Pull the rings down to the front of your shoulders 

The beginning of the transition is when the bottom of the 

rings reach the front of the shoulders. This is when we can 
begin “pressing” the rings down to start rolling the shoulders 
over the top. This will also initiate the torso rolling forward. 
 
 
 

Step #2. Press the rings down and drive your torso forward over the rings 

The middle of the transition is when you are continuing to 

press down on the rings and driving your shoulders forward 
over the rings. 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Step #3. Support position 

At the end of the transition, our shoulders are on top of the 

rings, our elbows are fully behind the body and our body is 
being supported on the rings by squeezing our chest muscles 
and core. This finish of the transition is called the “catch”, the 
“bottom support position” or simply the bottom of the dip.  

 
Common problems with the transition 
 
#1. Grip is not secure 
As I mentioned in the pulling phase, since the false grip technique is required for the 
strict muscle up, it is a very common culprit for having a bad transition. The transition 
will require a powerful pull and pressing action on the rings and if your grip is not 
secure you will not be able to do it as strongly and quickly as you need to. 
 
#2. Not a high enough pull 
Being that the transition begins when the pull ends, I see many athletes not getting 
their pull high enough, which forces them to try and “squeeze” their shoulders through 
the rings, versus over the rings, which is much more difficult. I am frequently 
encouraging athletes to practice better form on their chest to bar pull-ups and focusing 
on pulling the bar to their chest versus arching their chest up to the bar. That “top-end” 
of the pull-up must be strong enough in order for us to properly transition. 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
#3. Not pressing soon or hard enough 
If you fail to begin pressing the rings downward soon and/or aggressively enough, you 
will end up with the rings ramming into your shoulders versus sliding underneath them. 
You must begin pressing the rings down as soon as they reach the front of the 
shoulders or else you won’t keep the momentum going and you won’t end up on top of 
them. 

#4. Lack of core strength 

Whether you think of it as tucking your core, driving your nose through the rings or 
simply doing a fast sit-up, you must contract your core to get over the top of the rings. 
You need to do it strong, fast and right when you begin pressing. One way to know if 
you’re training your transition right is to feel like you’ve been doing a bunch of sit ups. 
Transition is a lot of core! 
 
Drills to develop the transition phase 
Start slowly with these drills at first and make sure you are maintaining smooth 
movement. Rep ranges are usually best in the 3-5 range, which allows you to feel 
fatigue, but not do reps under too much fatigue. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

#1. Toe assisted transitions on False Grips 

 
The toe assisted transition is where you place your toes underneath the rings and use 
them for assistance as you navigate from below the rings to on top of them. The goal 
in this drill is to maintain as much tension on the rings as you can while you go from 
below to on top, to simulate the way it will feel without feet support. 

#2. Band assisted transitions on False Grips 

 
The band-assisted “basket drill” works fantastic with a heavier ¾” band in order to 
practice the transition over the top of the rings. 

 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

#3. Negative transitions on False Grips 

 
The “negative” is the action of resisting gravity and slowly lowering yourself through 
the movement. You can begin with toe-assisted and eventually use no feet. 

 
 
Before we move on, here’s what we covered in the “Transition” phase: 
 
❖ The transition requires timing and coordination which many athletes struggle 
with. 
❖ The transition is the change of the body from a “pulling” position to a “pressing” 
position quickly. 
❖ Your transition may be affected by your ability to hold a false grip. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Phase four - “Dip” 

 
The dip is the press from the “catch” 
position to locked out position above 
the rings. Dips, in my opinion, are a 
severely underrated portion of the 
muscle up.  
 
Significance of the dip 
The dip is a required phase of the 
muscle up. Its development is crucial 
to building strength for the transition. The importance of building a stronger dip is 
glaringly obvious, yet I see it continuously under trained and/or trained with poor form. 
Training the dip with proper form will give you the strength to press out when you 
finally land over the top of the rings and it will likely be the reason you got there in the 
first place!  
 
Shoulders, chest and elbows 
The shoulders, chest and elbows are all significant in helping you build a stronger dip. 
Here’s how to do them correctly: 
 
Shoulders:​ Press your shoulders down and back and away from your ears. This will 
keep your shoulders back in their sockets to more optimally use the chest (similar to 
the “pull” sequence earlier). Keep the shoulders “down and back” as you perform the 
dip. 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Chest:​ As you descend or ascend in the dip, squeeze your arms together to get more 
engagement from your chest. 
 
Elbows:​ Hold your elbows back. You have more leverage in pressing out of your dip if 
your elbows and rings are closer to your body versus further away. 
 
Top and bottom support positions 
One of my favorite ways of teaching the dip is to teach the top and bottom support 
positions of the dip first which is essentially your beginning and ending positions. 
Then, you’ll learn how to connect the two. You will see the support positions in the 
sample program and I highly recommend doing these holds in your training to keep 
your dip sharp. 
 
Common problems with the dip 
 
#1. Catching too deep 
"Too deep" refers to the shoulders being in between the rings versus on top of them. 
Catching too deep is the result of either the pull not being high enough, or the press of 
the transition not being strong enough. Unfortunately, it makes it very difficult to press 
out of your dip if you catch this low. 
 
#2. Not strong enough 
It is the most frustrating thing to see an athlete get stuck in the bottom of the dip after 
successfully getting on top of the rings. Assuming they didn't land in a terribly low 
position and still can't press out, they likely just don't have the chest strength yet and 
need to work on their dip strength. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Drills to develop “dip” strength 
The best way to get strong with the dip is to strengthen the chest and arms. I think the 
rings offer a lot of advantages to building the chest, especially done with very strict 
form. Use the drills on the next page to develop your dip strength. Use bands and toe 
assistance to ensure quality movement. 

#1. Ring push ups on False Grips 

Ring pushups are a great place to start 

when building chest and “pressing” 
strength on the rings. 

#2. Top and bottom support position holds on False Grips 

Top (left) support position and bottom 

(right) support position holds are an 
excellent way to begin building dip 
strength. Squeeze hard and hold these 
positions tightly for 10-20 seconds max. 
 
   

 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

#3. Banded ring dips on False Grips 

Once we’ve developed an understanding 

of the top and bottom positions, we can 
begin practicing connecting them via band 
assistance. Strive to get 5-8 reps of 
banded dips comfortably before taking 
them away. 
 

#4. Ring dips on False Grips 

  Once an athlete can do 8-10 banded dips 

with good form, they can move on to dips 
with no band in small sets. Eventually, 
dips can be practiced on high rings and 
long straps as well. 

 
Before we move on, here’s what we covered in the “Dip” phase: 
 
❖ The significance of training your dip. Not only is it required to do a good rep on a 
muscle up, but it is also the best strength exercise to get you there. 
❖ Make sure you are properly engaging your back, shoulders and chest while 
dipping. 
❖ Start training your dip by practicing the “top” and “bottom” ring support positions. 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

SECTION III - BEFORE YOU BEGIN 

Wow! We covered a lot of material. We are almost ready to go train. Before you do, 
make sure you have everything you’ll need. 
 
Let’s take a look at: 
 
1. The equipment you will need to be more successful in your training. 
2. Training principles that I’ve picked up over the years and am sharing with you. 

Equipment you will need 

 
Gymnastics rings 
Somewhat obviously, gymnastics rings are a must. Rings come in 
wood, plastic, metal and in various sizes and thicknesses with the 
most common sizes being 1.1” or 1.25” diameter. My 
recommendation is the thicker 1.25” wood rings as they fit best 
with False Grips. Straps come in 15’ to 20’ sizes, which will allow 
you to hang your rings​ ​over a tree branch, rafters at the gym or 
wherever your heart desires!  
 
Bands 
Pull-up bands are an essential tool to help you build better form 
and strength on dips and transition drills. False Grips have an 
undercut that allows you to put ¼”, ½” or 1” bands between the 
grips and the rings. I personally think the ½” bands are the easiest 
to use and provide enough assistance for most folks.  

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Make sure to place the band ends side by side on the rings (versus over the top of one 
another) and in between the “Band Indicator” lines on the side of False Grips, so that 
the grips fit fully at the bottom seated position over the rings. 
 
False Grips 
Of course, let’s not forget our False Grips! Whether 
you store them at your gym, or have them in your gym 
bag, make sure you always have them for your 
training. The best place to buy False Grips is 
www.falsegrips.com​!  
 
Hand chalk 
Chalk, with ring training, is a necessity. Chalk will keep your 
hands dry and make your grip comfortable, sturdy and reduce 
your chances of ripping. Chalk should be applied to the heel of 
the hand, where the majority of pressure is applied, before 
each set of False Grips usage. Personally, I prefer using chalk 
blocks. Chalk will not damage False Grips and can be easily 
cleaned off with soap and water if needed. 
 
Video camera and tripod 
Having a way to record your technique for yourself or a coach is great. A camera on a 
smartphone works perfect. Try and record all of your movements and see what you 
look like. You will be very surprised how much you can learn. Oftentimes, what you 
“think” is smooth and efficient technique isn’t all that pretty as you think it is! Compare 
your movement against the athletes in our ​demo videos​.  

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Also, a video camera will be necessary if you’re working with a remote coach. They will 
want to see several reps of your movement to evaluate and provide feedback and 
instruction. A tripod allows you to easily and quickly set up your camera to video your 
ring work. 
 
A coach 
This might come as a surprise to you, but I believe in having a coach! Seriously though, 
being able to record yourself and try to make your own improvements is great, but 
having a gymnastics coach to give you feedback can greatly reduce frustration, error 
and likely prevent injury. I offer remote coaching and programming, where I can provide 
individualized feedback and programming to help you get your muscle up. Email 
patrick@falsegrips.com​ for more info. 

Training principles 
 
Over the years, I have gathered some training principles that I I believe are as relevant 
for a competitive athlete as they are to an “everyday” athlete. You might think of them 
as rules to abide by with very little exception. 
 
#1. If you don't have time to warm up, you don't have time to workout 
I am a big warm up’er myself and I’m notorious with our athletes for taking them 
through very thorough warm ups. My thought is that it’s better to be safe than sorry. I 
also believe that it’s helpful when you’re learning a new movement to have your central 
nervous system as “turned on” as possible before training. That’s why I’ll recommend 
that doing your False Grip training after your class workout is not a bad option 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

(assuming it’s not too intense of a workout that you’re too fatigued to maintain good 
form).  

Before training, you need to ensure your muscles are properly warmed up and 
“activated” for the training ahead. Otherwise, you are risking injury and not going to be 
getting as much out of your training. I provide a daily “Warm Up & Activation” guide in 
the program. 
 
#2. Always use good form 
Reps done are reps learned. The movement patterns that you 
create when you are beginning are hard to break down the 
road. So, it is essential to try and work on good form from the 
start. Good form will ensure you are learning the way that will 
benefit you to do more reps down the road without injuring 
yourself. Use bands and toe assistance as needed to support 
good movement. 
 
#3. Start slow, then build speed 
When you are beginning, don’t feel afraid to move slowly through the movement. Try 
and pause in positions to get familiar with them. Feel the muscles involved, where your 
balance is at and what and where the sticking points are. None of this can be felt if 
you’re moving quickly through your reps. This applies to dips, pull-ups and transition 
work especially. Again, use bands and assistance as necessary to slow things down. 
 
#4. Believe you can 
I’m relentless about the importance of having a positive mental attitude. Whether you 
think you can or think you can’t is 100% right. If you can’t see yourself accomplishing 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

this goal in your head, there’s no way it’s going to happen in real life. The best way to 
start seeing yourself accomplish the goal is by taking action. Read the guide, print out 
the program, put the training sessions in your calendar, get a training partner to do it 
with you and start making it happen! Get up every day with your muscle up goal being 
top of mind. 
 
#5. Nutrition 
I hope you expected me to bring this up at some point. 
What you eat not only feeds your body the important 
nutrients to build muscle, but it helps with recovery 
between sessions, optimizing your power to weight ratio 
(losing unwanted body fat) and influences your overall 
well-being and mind set. If you’re eating horrible, chances 
are you will feel horrible as well. Eat well and perform well. Nuff said. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

SECTION III - MUSCLE UP PROGRAM 

Alright, I feel that we’ve covered pretty much everything about the muscle up. It’s time 
to train! 
 
Let’s take a look at: 
 
1. Muscle up program overview 
2. How often you should train 
3. Sessions overview 
4. Repeating the program 

Program overview 

Here’s the deal, I think a basic program performed well will out perform an advanced 
program performed poorly. Want proof? Look at the Wendler 5/3/1 program for 
powerlifting. That program is one of the simplest and most basic programs out there, 
but I would bet money on that program 9 times out of 10 for getting results. Why? 
Because it’s simple and you can hardly mess it up. Show up, do the work and get 
results. 
 
Similarly, our program revolves around a handful of basic exercises and rep ranges that 
are very doable. Practice these drills with the principles I mentioned earlier, and I 
guarantee you will be on your path to the muscle up.  
 
This program could be the only thing you do for the next 6-8 weeks, but I didn’t write it 
with that in mind. I assumed that you would be doing this alongside a CrossFit or  
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

similar workout where you could balance the upper body work with lower body, 
conditioning and core. 
 
Workout frequency 
This program is meant to be done 2-3 times per week. The frequency will depend on 1) 
how it fits in your schedule, and 2) how aggressive you want to be. If you have the time 
and ability to fit three sessions into your schedule, I don’t think you will hurt anything if 
you are warming up properly, using good form and paying attention to how you’re 
feeling (taking a step back if you’re not feeling 100%). I don’t think two sessions per 
week is any less effective than three, given you stay consistent. Ultimately, look at your 
schedule and identify what works best. 
 
Training sessions 
 
Supersetting 
As I mentioned above, I am assuming this program is being incorporated alongside a 
CrossFit or similar program that offers some legs, core and possibly conditioning work. 
I think that is important for recovery between sessions and will only help. That being 
said, I think it’s very possible for these training sessions to be done right after your 
workout when your body is already warm. I would only recommend that you do the 
“activation” portion of the daily warm up to ensure you prepare the shoulder girdle for 
the ring work.  
 
Set up the day’s training immediately after your workout (it can be your cool 
down/recovery), then get right to it. Stay off your phone and stay focused. Having the  
program printed out and in your gym bag would be a good idea. I put an area for notes 
on the program where you can write how the training went for future reference. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Repeating the program 
The way this program was written was to be a gradual progression of movements and 
beneficial because of the consistency and accumulation of drills. There is a chance 
that you work through the program and improve a lot of things, but don’t end up feeling 
ready for your muscle up yet. That’s fine! Take a 2-3 week break and repeat the 
program. Continue moving the needle forward.  
 
If you get 2-3 weeks through the program and life throws you a curveball and you miss 
a week or two, repeat the last week you did, then continue forward. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

4-Week Muscle Up Program (12 Sessions) 

Instructions 
Now that the foundational background has been covered, it’s time to get started! Here 
you’ll find 4-weeks or 12 sessions to prepare you for reaching the strict muscle up. 
 
We’ve also included a warm up and activation routine, demo videos and easy to print 
session sheets to check off your progress with each set. Simply get your session 
sheet, click on the session title for the demo video and mark your progress each step 
of the way. 

Warm Up Routine 
1. 3-5 minutes​: Begin with light to moderate effort on rower, bike, or jump rope to 
get the blood flowing. If doing after a workout session, allow yourself 5-10 
minutes to cool down before beginning and skip to 'Activation' portion. 
2. 1 minute​: Four direction wrist stretch (top and bottom) 
3. 1 minute each​: Lat stretch (floor, box, wall or rings) 
4. 1 minute each​: Pec stretch (floor, wall or rings) 
5. 1 minute​: Shoulder stretch (floor, box or rings) 

Activation Routine 
1. 10-15 reps​: Band pull-aparts 
2. 10-15 reps​: Hanging shoulder depressions 
 
Watch our video​ on our warm up & activation routines 

Videos 
Be sure to click the individual section titles for the applicable demo video. 
 
You can find demo videos for all of the exercises at 
www.falsegrips.com/pages/videos​. 
 
 
 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 1  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False Grip lean on False Grips       

  With a very moderate lean on the rings, straighten fingers off       

  False Grips in order to focus on flexing the wrists. You may keep 
  elbows slightly bent to maintain grip. Do 2 sets of 20 seconds 
  while varying hand positions. 
         

Pull & Press  Tempo ring rows       

  Use a standard (not false) grip on rings. Hold for 3 seconds at       
the top, lower for 3 seconds, pause for one second and pull for 1 
second. Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for ​quality​. 
         

  Tempo ring push ups on False Grips       

  Hang rings 2-4" off the ground, hold for 3 seconds at the top,       
lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and press for 1 second. 
Do 3 sets of 5-8 reps for q
​ uality​. Can sub push ups on DBs if you 
can't hang rings. 
         

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up on False Grips       

  Using a false grip on low rings, do a muscle up as SLOWLY as       

possible using toes for assistance. A rep is considered going all 
the way up AND all the way down. Do 3 sets of 3-5 reps. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps/seconds. 
         

Session Notes  This is your starting point and most basic intro to the grip, pull,       
push and transition exercises. Each of these drills will be 
progressed later on, but for now take your time and master the 
basics. You can find demo videos for all of the exercises at 
www.falsegrips.com/pages/videos​. 

 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Session 2  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

 
       

Grip  False grip lean on False Grips       

  With a very moderate lean, straighten fingers off False Grips in       
  order to focus on flexing the wrists. You may keep elbows 
  slightly bent to maintain grip. Do 2 sets of 20 seconds while 
  varying hand positions. 
 
       

Pull & Press  Chin over ring hold (palms toward body) + negative       

  Using a standard (not false) grip on high rings, hold for 3       

seconds at the top, then lower slowly for 3 seconds. Use a box 
or J-cup to get back to the top. Do 3 sets of 5 reps for q
​ uality​. 
Can sub narrow grip chins over bar if you don't have high rings. 
 
       

  Top and bottom support holds on False Grips       

  On low rings, do a 5 second hold at the top of a dip. Then, do a 5       

second hold at the bottom of a dip. A hold at each position is 
considered a rep. Do 3 sets of 3 reps. Can use bands or toes to 
maintain a more active shoulder and body position. 
 
       

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up on False Grips       

  Using a false grip on low rings, do a muscle up as SLOWLY as       

possible using toes for assistance. A rep is considered going all 
the way up AND all the way down. Do 3 sets of 3-5 reps. 

         

  Tuck sits       

  From a seated position on the ground, extend the legs forward,       

then tuck the knees to chest. Arms can be held forward or above 
head for varying resistance. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  Pulling and pushing are being done vertically today versus       
horizontally like last session. Maintain a tight hollow body 
position while doing your movements. Think pelvis tucked and 
belly tight! Quality over quantity, so continue taking your time and 
focus on controlling your movement. 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 3  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip lean on False Grips       

  With slightly more lean than previous two sessions, straighten       

  fingers off False Grips and focus on flexing the wrists. Try and 
  extend elbows to lockout. Do 2 sets of 20 seconds with varying 
  hand positions. 
         

Pull & Press  Tempo ring rows       

  Using a standard (not false) grip on rings, hold for 3 seconds at       
the top, lower for 3 seconds, pause for one second and pull for 1 
second. Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for ​quality​. 
         

  Tempo ring push ups on False Grips       

  Hang rings 2-4" off the ground, hold for 3 seconds at the top,       
lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and press for 1 second. 
Do 3 sets of 5-8 reps for q
​ uality​. Can sub push ups on DBs if you 
can't hang rings. 
         

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up on False Grips       

  Using a false grip on low rings, do a muscle up as SLOWLY as       

possible using toes for assistance. A rep is considered going all 
the way up AND all the way down. Do 3 sets of 3-5 reps. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps/seconds. 
         

Session Notes  Are you doing your warm up and activation routine? Today's       
session is a repeat of session 1. Reminder, you can always go 
back and repeat a session if you feel like it could've been done 
better. Again, quality over quantity today. The reps and sets can 
be adjusted to how you're feeling. 

 
 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

Session 4  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip lean on False Grips       

 
With similar lean as last session, straighten fingers off False       

Grips and focus on flexing the wrists. Try and extend elbows to 
lockout. Do 2 sets of 20 seconds with varying hand positions. 
         

Pull & Press  Chin over ring hold (palms neutral) + negative       

  Using a standard (not false) grip on high rings. Hold for 3       

seconds at the top, then lower for 3 seconds. Use a box or J-cup 
to get back to the top. Do 3 sets of 5 reps for ​quality​. Can sub 
narrow grip chins if you don't have high rings. 
         

  Tempo banded ring dips on False Grips       

  Using low rings with 1/2" band placed under False Grips, hold for       
3 seconds at the top, lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second 
and press for 1 second. Do 3 sets of 5-8 reps for ​quality​. Can sub 
dip negatives if bands are not available. 
         

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up on False Grips (transition only)       

  With a false grip on low rings, descend from the bottom of the       
dip to the top of the pull using light toe assistance. Then press 
back over the rings to the bottom of the dip with toe assistance. 
Do 3 sets of 5 reps. Go slightly faster going up, while attempting 
to go as slowly as possible down. 
         

  Abmat sit-ups       

  Touch both hands to the ground overhead at the bottom of the       

sit-up while keeping your hips to the ground. Then, as explosively 
as possible, sit up and touch both hands to the feet at the top. 
Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  Another vertical pulling/pushing session. Do yourself a favor and       

use the bands for ring dips. Explore the dip differently than you 
would do in a workout - slow the reps and extend the pauses at 
the top and bottom. The tempo is NOT a suggestion, it is required 
to help you build strength for your strict muscle up. Remember to 
get a good stretch of your shoulders after the session today! 

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 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 5  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip lean on False Grips       

 
Fully gripping False Grips, lean as much as you can handle while       

maintaining false grip and extending elbows to lockout. Do 2 

sets of 20 seconds with varying hand positions. 
         

Pull & Press  Feet elevated ring rows (hold + max)       

  Use a 20-24" box so that your body is parallel with the ground       
when your arms are straight under the rings. Using a standard 
(not false) grip, pull your chest to the rings and hold for 20 
seconds. Then, immediately do as many ring rows as possible 
while maintaining a straight body. Do 3 sets. 
         

  Tempo banded ring dips on False Grips       

  Using low rings with 1/2" band placed under False Grips, hold for       
3 seconds at the top, lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second 
and press for 1 second. Do 3 sets of 5-8 reps for ​quality​. Can sub 
dip negatives if bands are not available. 
         

Transition & Core  Basket transitions on False Grips (no dip)       

  Using False Grips with 1/2" band, do 3 sets of 5 reps for quality.       
Exclude the dip portion. Can sub toe assisted muscle ups (no 
dip) if bands are not available. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps/seconds. 
         

Session Notes  You can try a deeper lean on the FG hold today, but don't get too       
carried away because there is quite a bit of grip in the transition 
work today. The big shocker will likely be the feet elevated ring 
rows, which you are aiming to get 5-10 reps after the hold. Don't 
be surprised if the basket transitions are difficult for you. Just use 
your feet to catch/spot yourself when you come over the top of 
the rings and use at least the 1/2" band. 

54 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 6  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip lean on False Grips       

 
Fully gripping False Grips, lean as much as you can handle while       

maintaining false grip and extending elbows to lockout. Do 2 

sets of 20 seconds with varying hand positions. 
         

Pull & Press  Top half pull-ups       

  Use a standard (not false) grip on high rings. Hold for 3 seconds       
at the top, then slowly descend to halfway and then come right 
back to the top where you will hold for another 3 seconds. 
Repeat 3 times before slowly lowering to the bottom. Do 3 sets. 
Can sub narrow grip chins over the bar if rings are not available. 
         

  Top and bottom support holds on False Grips       

  On low rings, do a 5 second hold at the top of a dip, immediately       

followed by 5 seconds at the bottom of a dip. A hold at each 
position is considered a rep. Do 3 sets of 3 reps. Can use bands 
or toes for assistance. 
         

Transition & Core  Basket transitions on False Grips (no dip)       

  Using False Grips with 1/2" band, do 3 sets of 5 reps for ​quality​.       
Exclude the dip portion. Can sub toe assisted muscle ups (no 
dip) if bands are not available. 
         

  Bicycles or dying bugs       

  Bicycles: Alternate tucking right elbow to left knee and left elbow       
to right knee. Each rotation of both sides is one rep. Do 3 sets of 
15-20 reps. Dying bugs are similar, but are done by extending 
opposite elbow/knee versus tucking. 
         

Session Notes  Completing today will put you at the halfway point - 90 of 180       
boxes checked! Keep climbing the mountain and focus on the 
finish line! Some more vertical pulling/pushing today. Move slow 
and focus on holding your hollow body position. Squeeze the butt 
and the gut! You get another chance at the basket transitions 
today. Get some extra shoulder stretching after the session if 
you're feeling tight. 

55 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 7  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip toe assisted hang       

 
With a box underneath the high rings for toe assistance, do 2       

sets of 10 seconds. You may use bent elbows for comfort. 

         

Pull & Press  Feet elevated ring rows (hold + max)       

  Use a 20-24" box so that your body is parallel with the ground       
when your arms are straight under the rings. Using a standard 
(not false) grip, pull your chest to the rings and hold for 20 
seconds. Then, immediately do as many ring rows as possible 
while maintaining a straight body. Do 3 sets. 
         

  Tempo ring push ups on False Grips       

  Hang rings 2-4" off the ground, hold for 3 seconds at the top,       
lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and press for 1 second. 
Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for ​quality​. Can sub push ups on DBs if 
you can't hang rings. 
         

Transition & Core  Band assisted muscle ups on False Grips       

  While standing in a squat rack, hang rings at chest height and a       

large band at mid-thigh height in the J-cups. Stand on the band 
for assistance while moving as controlled as possible through 
the muscle up. Do 3 sets of 5 unbroken reps. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  We're practicing holding the false grip in a hang directly under the       
rings today. Continue using your toes and get a sense of the 
strength required to hold your full body weight, but don't over do 
it. There's no use in ripping the skin off our wrists today! Give me 
some extra love by getting a few more reps on the ring pushups 
today. Our new movement is the band assisted muscle ups in the 
squat rack. Use a heavy enough band or high enough placement 
to allow you to get 5 reps unbroken. It'll feel weird at first, but 
you'll get it after some practice. 

56 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 8  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip toe assisted hang       

 
With a box underneath the high rings for toe assistance, do 2       

sets of 10 seconds. You may use bent elbows for comfort. 

         

Pull & Press  Chin over ring hold (palms toward body) + negative       

  Using a standard (not false) grip on high rings, hold for 3       

seconds at the top then lower slowly for 3 seconds. Use a box or 
J-cup to get back to the top. Do 3 sets of 5 reps for q
​ uality​. Can 
sub narrow grip chins over the bar if you don't have high rings. 
         

  Top and bottom support holds on False Grips       

  On low rings, do a 5 second hold at the top of a dip, immediately       

followed by 5 seconds at the bottom of a dip. A hold at each 
position is considered a rep. Do 3 sets of 3 reps.  
         

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up negatives on False Grips       

  Start at the top of a muscle up on low rings. Then, slowly lower       

yourself to the bottom of the dip, then to underneath the rings. 
Use toe assistance from the bottom of the dip and through the 
transition. Stand back to the top. Do 3 sets of 5 reps. 
         

  Tuck sits       

  From a seated position on the ground, extend the legs forward,       

then tuck the knees to chest. Arms can be held forward or above 
head for varying resistance. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  Consistency, NOT intensity, is the key to this whole program.       
However, if you're feeling like you need a rest day, I hope you'll 
take it because we don't need to get injured. Familiar movements 
today with the exception of the toe assisted negative muscle ups. 
Similar to how we did the toe assisted muscle ups as before, but 
we're only doing the “down” portion. Keep it easy and move slow. 

 
 
57 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 9  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip bent arm hang on False Grips       

 
Using a box to get into position, hold a false grip with elbows       

bent to roughly 90 degrees. Do 2 sets of 10 seconds. 

         

Pull & Press  Tempo ring rows       

  Use a standard (not false) grip on rings. Hold for 3 seconds at       
the top, lower for 3 seconds and pull for 1 second. Do 3 sets of 
8-10 reps for q
​ uality​. 
         

  Tempo ring push ups on False Grips       

  Hang rings 2-4" off the ground, hold for 3 seconds at the top,       
lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and press for 1 second. 
Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for ​quality​. Can sub push ups on DBs if 
you can't hang rings. 
         

Transition & Core  Band assisted muscle ups on False Grips       

  In the squat rack as before, but place the band in a lower       

position if possible. Do 3 sets of 5 unbroken reps. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps/seconds. 
         

Session Notes  Make sure you're nice and warmed up for today's session. The FG       
hang will be quite a challenge and will give you a good idea of the 
strength required to hold a false grip while pulling. We'll have an 
easier pull/push session followed by the band assisted muscle 
ups out of the squat rack again. If you can, try putting the band in 
a lower position than before while still getting 5 reps unbroken. 
Don't skip your core work! 

 
 
 

58 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 10  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip bent arm hang on False Grips       

 
Using a box to get into position, hold a false grip with elbows       

bent to roughly 90 degrees. Do 2 sets of 10 seconds. 

         

Pull & Press  Tempo strict ring pull-ups       

  Using a standard (not false) grip on rings, hold for 3 seconds at       
the top, lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and pull for 1 
second. Do 3 sets of 2-3 reps for quality. 
         

  Tempo banded ring dips on False Grips       

  Using False Grips with 1/2" band, and only using 1 side of the       
band, do 3 sets of 5-8 reps for quality (use same tempo as 
previous). Can sub dip negatives if bands are not available. 
         

Transition & Core  Toe assisted muscle up negatives on False Grips       

  Start at the top of a muscle up on low rings. Then, slowly lower       

yourself to the bottom of the dip, then to underneath the rings. 
Try to use less toe assistance than last time. Do 3 sets of 5 reps. 
         

  Weighted abmat sit-ups       

  Holding a 6-10 lb. medicine ball, touch the ball to the ground       
overhead at the bottom of the sit-up while keeping your hips to 
the ground. Then, as explosively as possible, sit up and touch 
the ball in front of the feet at the top. Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  This is a VERY heavy pulling session today. Be prepared as       
possible by getting a good warm up and stretch in before 
beginning. Strict pull-ups and banded dips, but with only one side 
of the band, will make today's pull/push a bit more challenging. 
Another session of toe assisted negatives. Weighted Abmat 
sit-ups for the finish. Eat a big dinner tonight because you earned 
it! 

 
 
59 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 11  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip straight arm hang on False Grips       

 
Using a box to get into position, hold a false grip with elbows as       

straight as possible. Do 2 sets of 5 seconds. 

         

Pull & Press  False grip strict tempo ring pull-ups on False Grips       

  Using a box to get into position on high rings with a false grip on       
False Grips. Hold for 3 seconds at the top, lower for 3 seconds 
and pull for 1 second. Do 3 sets of 2-3 reps for quality. You may 
keep a slight bend in elbow at the bottom. 
         

  Tempo ring push ups on False Grips       

  Hang rings 2-4" off the ground, hold for 3 seconds at the top,       
lower for 3 seconds, pause for 1 second and press for 1 second. 
Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps for quality. Can sub push ups on DBs if 
you can't hang rings. 
         

Transition & Core  Band assisted muscle ups on False Grips       

  In the squat rack as before, but place the band at the lowest       
possible position in order to complete 3 sets of 2-3 unbroken 
reps. 
         

  Hollow hold or rocks       

  Hold or rock in a hollow body position (or modified to a tuck as       

needed). Do 3 sets of 15-20 reps. 
         

Session Notes  If you're still hanging in at this point, you're at a minimum, feeling       
stronger in the drills. Now, it's time to start putting things 
together. Do a light set of the straight arm hang on FG. Similarly, 
keep the pull/push session fairly light - enough to get warmed up, 
but not so much that you wear yourself out. The focus is on the 
band assisted muscle ups, where we will put the band in the 
lowest position possible and try to get 2-3 reps unbroken. Make 
sure to finish with a good stretch because we'll want to be feeling 
as well as possible for our final session where we'll attempt the 
full muscle up! 

60 
 ​Get Your Muscle Up! 

 
Session 12  Sets  1  2  3 

Warm Up  Complete warm up and activation routine       

         

Grip  False grip straight arm hang on False Grips       

 
Using a box to get into position, hold a false grip with elbows as       

straight as possible. Do 2 sets of 5 seconds just to get the grip 

warmed up. 
         

Pull & Press  False grip ring pull-ups on False Grips       

  Using a box to get into position on high rings with a false grip on       
False Grips. Hold for 3 seconds at the top, lower for 3 seconds 
and pull for 1 second. Do 3 sets of 2-3 reps for q
​ uality​. You may 
keep a slight bend in elbow at the bottom. 
         

  Ring dips on False Grips       

  On low rings on False Grips, do 3 sets of 2-3 strict dips for       

quality​. Try and challenge yourself with no bands. 
         

Transition & Core  Strict muscle up       

  With or without False Grips on either low or medium height rings,       

take 3 attempts at a strict muscle up. Do one attempt every 
minute for 3 minutes. If not successful, rest 3 minutes before 
repeating. Do not attempt more than 9 reps. If successful, 
congratulations on your first muscle up! 
         

Session Notes  Keep it very light on the hang, pull-ups and dips today. Again,       
enough to warm up, but not so much to get worn out. The goal of 
today is to make some attempts at strict muscle ups. I 
recommend trying lower or medium height rings at first so you 
feel safe about putting your feet down. However, you can try 
higher rings under a mat and put boxes on either side to get up to 
the ring and apply a comfortable false grip before attempting. You 
get up to 9 attempts today. It is VERY likely that if you want it bad 
enough, you'll be able to pull yourself over the rings today! 

61