Kipping Ring Muscle Up
In SetGrip: Ring Muscle Up (Kipping)
- Primary muscleLats
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeComplex
Kipping adds a timed swing that carries you through the transition, making this the higher-rep, conditioning-friendly version of the ring muscle-up rather than a strict strength test. Earn the strict version first anyway: the swing adds force the shoulders must absorb, and rings expose any transition you cannot actually control.
How to do the Kipping Ring Muscle Up
- Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and use a swinging motion to generate momentum.
- As you swing forward, pull your chest towards the bar, using your lats and biceps to initiate the movement.
- Continue the upward motion until your chest reaches the bar, then transition into a dip position by pushing down on the bar and extending your arms.
- Lower yourself back down to the starting position by bending your arms and controlling the descent.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Pull high and fast, then lean forward hard as the hands come over the rings.
Muscles worked
Common mistakes
- Pulling straight up — the bar or rings have to travel toward the hips so you can get over them; think of pulling to the waist rather than the chest.
- Chicken-winging one arm — transitioning one arm at a time strains the shoulder; both arms should go over together, and if they cannot, build the strict pull first.
- Skipping the false grip — on rings a false grip with the wrist over the ring is what makes the transition possible.
- Rope climbs with arms only — wrap the rope around the foot and stand up with the legs; the arms just hold position between steps.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 4–6 × 2–3 | 2–3 min |
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–5 | 2–3 min |
Muscle-ups go first in a session as a skill movement, before pull-ups and dips. Pair them with strict pull-ups and dips on the same station for a progression session.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Kipping Ring Muscle Up work?
The Kipping Ring Muscle Up primarily works the lats. It also involves the biceps, triceps, delts and abs, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Kipping Ring Muscle Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Kipping Ring Muscle Up is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Kipping Ring Muscle Up?
If you cannot do the Kipping Ring Muscle Up, try the Ring Muscle Up, the Weighted Ring Muscle Up or the Vertical Bar Muscle Up. Each of them trains the lats through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Kipping Ring Muscle Up, a sensible starting point is power: 4–6 × 2–3 with 2–3 min rest; strength: 4–5 × 3–5 with 2–3 min rest. First lift of the day, always. Fatigue ruins the technique this movement depends on.
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