In this article we will try to guide you step by step to the correct execution of the muscle up ring; if you have already done them, but are having difficulties, this article is definitely for you because we will explain some very useful preparatory exercises.
What is a ring muscle up?
For those who are not very familiar with the CrossFit® terms, ring muscle up is a high skill gymnastic movement; to put it briefly, it is a kipping pull-ups, followed by a sit-up in the air and closed by a dip, all performed on a set of rings.
The athlete starts the movement hanging from the rings, then performs a swing to gain momentum; as he steps forward in the swing, he switches to the arched position and then to the empty position, when he starts to retreat.
When the back swing is complete, it will perform a kipping + pulling motion to launch itself upward in the direction of the rings.
The kip derives from the extension of the hips, while the traction component is obviously given by the arms. When the kip + pull ends, he should start pushing the rings down and back in a quick sit-up movement.
This part of the exercise is often considered the most crucial and is known as transition. At the end of the transition, the athlete will be in the lower position of the ring dept; at this point all that remains is to dip and lock the arms, closing the repetition.
Il ring muscle up is, without a doubt, one of the most complex movements to master in CrossFit®; requires force of pulling and pushing, a lot of body awareness and a core strong. It is important to build the necessary strength through specific exercises and strengthening exercises, in order to avoid injuries.
Progressions for the muscle up ring
The ring muscle up begins with a vacuum suspension, supported by the pinch (made with three fingers); If you can't hang from the rings, you probably don't have enough strength to perform ring muscle ups.
Let's see some useful exercises to get to the execution of the ring muscle up:
- Hang on the rings: after each workout, spend 5/10 minutes simply hanging on the rings for as long as possible, making sure your shoulders stay active
- Tight muscle ups: perform a false grip by raising the wrist on the ring; this will help the initial pull, reducing the range of motion and the final dip.
- Swing: this oscillation includes the recess and arc positions and gives the body the necessary momentum to bring the center of gravity above the rings
- Pullover: Once you feel comfortable with the swing, the next progression is to add the traction component; perform a chest pull, bringing the chest as close to the rings as possible, keeping the hips high
- Transition: You can practice the transition by hanging yourself under a set of low rings and placing your legs on a raised surface; place the heels on the surface and keep the knees bent, putting the body in a horizontal position, pull the rings up to the sternum and press with the help of the legs
- Dip: the last part of the muscle up ring is the dip; a great strength of the gods is required to carry it out triceps and lock the arms up on the rings; the dip is further complicated by the instability of the rings, so be sure to stabilize yourself after the transition before locking your arms.
To perform the dips, you start from the top of the rings with your arms locked and tilt your head forward, bending your elbows to lower your body. Come to a position where the shoulder is below the elbow and the bicep touches the ring, then press again to full extension in the initial support of the ring.
And you, are you able to perform the ring muscle ups? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our Telegram channel