Vertical Bar Muscle Up
- Primary muscleLats
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeComplex
Climbing over a vertical bar rotates the entire problem: your hands stack one above the other, and the finish presses you sideways around the bar, closer to a climbing move than a gymnastics one. It is a specialty skill for obstacle-course and calisthenics athletes more than a general strength exercise.
How to do the Vertical Bar Muscle Up
- Start by hanging from a vertical 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 pull yourself up, lean back slightly and bring your elbows towards your sides.
- Continue pulling until your chest reaches the bar and your elbows are fully bent.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower 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
Primary
Lats · Back
The lats pull the body up and back toward the rings or bar and should feel the load through the whole pull.
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 Vertical Bar Muscle Up work?
The Vertical Bar Muscle Up primarily works the lats. It also involves the biceps, triceps and forearms, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Vertical Bar Muscle Up good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Vertical Bar 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 Vertical Bar Muscle Up?
If you cannot do the Vertical Bar Muscle Up, try the Weighted Bar Muscle Up, the Ring Muscle Up or the Kipping Ring 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 Vertical Bar 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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