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Calisteniapp / Your First Muscle Up

Your First Muscle Up: your step-by-step plan.

The muscle up, also known as a bar climb-up, is one of the most complete upper-body exercises we can do in calisthenics. It is an explosive pull-up combined with a straight bar dip, so we need to work on power in pull-ups, dips, and a bit of shoulder mobility and technique.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Explore my path
Your First Muscle Up

Objective

Be able to do at least 2 muscle ups

Frequence
See program guidance
First session duration
37 min
Program
14 estimated weeks

01 / Requirements

Required prerequisites

  • × 5 Prone pull-ups

Necessary equipment

For this program you will need Pull up bar, Low bar, Box.

02 / Program

Build your path.

Each phase prepares you for the next. Weeks are a guide: repeat a phase when you need more practice before moving on.

  1. Week 1Beginner conditioning

    What you will practise

    In this first phase, you will prepare the foundations for the muscle up by working on general pulling and pushing strength with accessible progressions. Short prone pull-ups, Australian pull-ups, and Bench dips will help you develop the lats, biceps, rhomboids, chest, triceps, and shoulders without requiring high intensity yet. You will also start becoming familiar with key positions in the movement thanks to negatives and isometrics, which are very useful for gaining body control and learning to maintain tension halfway through the pull-up, an area where many people tend to lose strength.

  2. Week 2–3General conditioning

    What you will practise

    Now it is time to consolidate a real strength base with exercises that are already closer to the demands of the muscle up. In this phase, full Prone pull-ups and Supine pull-ups, together with Dips and Straight bar dips, build the main combination of vertical pulling and pushing that you will need later. In addition, Explosive push-ups and Explosive australian pull-ups introduce a very important intent of speed: you not only need to be strong, you also need to learn to apply force quickly. Dead hang work and shoulder mobility complete the phase by reinforcing grip, scapular stability, and tolerance in the hanging position.

  3. Week 4–5Muscle up with jump

    What you will practise

    In this phase, you begin to truly practice the mechanics of the muscle up with the Jump-assisted muscle up. The goal is not just to get over the bar, but to understand the full sequence: explosive pull, bringing the chest toward the bar, transition above it, and final push.

  4. Week 6–8Assisted muscle up

    What you will practise

    In this phase, we start with the assisted muscle up. If you train alone, do it with an elastic band, trying to use the thinnest band that still lets you complete the muscle up. You can begin the first week with a thicker band and then try to move to a lighter one in the following weeks.

  5. Week 9–11Muscle up attempts

    What you will practise

    Now it is time to make your first attempts at a full muscle up. In this phase, the main focus is learning to apply all the strength you have already built into a real movement, without overdoing the volume so you do not accumulate unnecessary fatigue.

  6. Week 12–14Muscle up mastery

    What you will practise

    In this final phase, your goal is to consolidate the muscle up until you can complete 3 sets of 3 repetitions with good technique. It is no longer just about achieving a single isolated repetition, but about repeating the movement with consistency, power, and control. Muscle up takes center stage and is supported by Explosive pull-ups, Explosive supine pull-ups, and Narrow grip pull-ups to keep increasing your high-pull capacity, while Explosive dips and Straight bar dips reinforce the final lockout above the bar. Pulling work with several grips also helps balance the upper-body musculature and continue strengthening the lats, biceps, forearms, and core.

Estimated end of the plan

Choose a valid date to preview your plan.

This date reflects the planned duration, not a guaranteed date for completing Your First Muscle Up. Your progress may take additional weeks.

03 / Calisteniapp

Your first session, step by step.

Here is the first session of the program, so you have a reference for how the sessions are structured.

Estimated duration of 37 min depending on the rest periods you choose. Sets and reps are a reference: adjust them to your level.

The exercises you will discover.

Every movement that appears at least once across the program.

Understand the reason behind each step.

  • The program is designed to be done twice a week, in routines of approximately 50 minutes.
  • If in any week you feel you have room to train more, prioritize recovering well and arriving fresh for the next sessions.

They train with Calisteniapp.

App reviews already published on our website. These are not specific to this program.

The best. I've been on the pro plan for two years and have achieved excellent results. Resistance, strength, skill, and aesthetics, I've obtained it all thanks to the guidance of this app on this beautiful calisthenics journey.
Roberto Duarte
If the free option is already great, the pro option has to be amazing. I'm super happy. I'm a beginner, a very beginner, and really everything is simple, the exercises can be done anywhere without equipment, and it's helping me a lot.
Maite Ruiz

From “one day” to your first session.

  1. Download Calisteniapp on your phone.

  2. Find Your First Muscle Up and check its access options.

  3. Review the terms shown in the app and start the first phase.

If the app offers you a 7-day trial, check the subsequent price, billing period, renewal and cancellation before activating it. Availability and terms are those shown in your account and store.

Before you start.

What rest times should I use?

We recommend using intermediate rest periods of between 1':30" and 2'45". If you struggle to progress in any phase and feel stuck, you can try using longer rest periods to complete it, between 3 and 5 minutes.

What requirements do I need to meet to do this program?

You should be able to do at least 3 to 5 repetitions of Prone pull-ups before starting it. If you do not meet this requirement, we recommend doing the “Your first pull-up” program first.

Every step counts.

Start with preparation. Follow the path. Give your progress time.

Available in Calisteniapp for iOS and Android.

Your program continues in the app.

Download Calisteniapp and find “Your First Muscle Up” in Programs. If you already have the app, open the program directly.

I have the app: open Your First Muscle Up
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