Ring Muscle Up
- Primary muscleLats
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeComplex
Rings move, and that changes the whole muscle-up: a false grip and the freedom to pull the rings into your body allow a strict transition that a rigid bar's fixed geometry makes harder. The prerequisites are real - build several strict ring pull-ups and deep ring dips before drilling the turnover itself.
How to do the Ring Muscle Up
- Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended.
- Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar, leading with your chest.
- As you reach the top of the movement, transition your grip so that your palms are facing towards you.
- Continue pulling yourself up until your chest is above the bar and your arms are fully flexed.
- Reverse the movement by slowly lowering yourself back down to the starting position.
- 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 Ring Muscle Up work?
The Ring Muscle Up primarily works the lats. It also involves the biceps, triceps, delts and pectorals, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Ring Muscle Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The 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 Ring Muscle Up?
If you cannot do the Ring Muscle Up, try the Weighted Ring Muscle Up, the Kipping 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 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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