muscle-up (on vertical bar): technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of muscle-up (on vertical bar)

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Start by hanging from a vertical bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
Step:2 Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
Step:3 As you pull yourself up, lean back slightly and bring your elbows towards your sides.
Step:4 Continue pulling until your chest reaches the bar and your elbows are fully bent.
Step:5 Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Body weight Barbell
Body part: Abdominals Arms Shoulders Back
Target muscle: Biceps Latissimus dorsi
Secondary muscle: Forearms Trapezius Rhomboids Posterior deltoid Rectus abdominis

Hypertrophy grade

Average6 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The muscle-up is the ultimate explosive strength and gymnastics exercise. It’s the powerful “big brother” of traction. Unlike a classic pull-up which stops at the chest, the muscle-up requires you to move over the bar to finish with a complete extension of the arms (dip). While it is impressive, its potential for pure hypertrophy is slightly lower than more controlled movements, as it relies heavily on momentum and explosiveness rather than prolonged time under tension. However, it develops phenomenal power in the lats, triceps and shoulders, while requiring an abdominal core of steel to stabilize the body during the transition.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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muscle-up (on vertical bar)

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