The strict muscle up (SRMU) is the single greatest upper body exercise ever. This is a
bold statement, but I can say it with conviction. What other single exercise trains
virtually every muscle in the upper body? None. By combining the two most
foundational upper body exercises to develop relative strength (#1 the pull-up and #2
the dip), the SRMU is literally a “super” exercise.
In fact, I would argue that the SRMU is the gold standard of upper body strength. The
main issue however, is that 99.9% of all people (even professional strength coaches
and elite trainers) lack the basic strength required for a SRMU. To competently perform
this movement, you need to have a solid foundation of relative strength and low body
fat.
So, if you’re already relatively lean and want to unlock this elite upper body exercise,
here’s where to start:
Build a solid strength foundation in both strict pull-ups and strict ring dips FIRST. Once
you can easily perform 5 unbroken strict false grip ring pull-ups and 5 perfect unbroken
strict ring dips (externally rotating thumbs at the top of each dip), then “theoretically” you
should be strong enough to do a SRMU.
It doesn’t matter how many muscle up drills you do with your coach or how much time
you spend flopping around on the rings, your efforts will be futile until you build the
requisite strength. So please save yourself the time, energy, and frustration by ensuring
you’re strong enough to do a SRMU in the first place.
Then you must master the transition SECOND. The transition is the skill of getting your
head/shoulders from below the rings with the pull-up to getting your head/shoulders
above the rings for the dip. The transition phase of the muscle up can prove quite
elusive for many individuals when first learning, even if they do possess the requisite
strength.
If you struggle with the transition, I recommend the “toes to ring” technique. Start in a
dead hang with a false grip on the rings, then lift your toes before you pull with your
arms. Lifting your toes first forces your hips to follow thereby raising your center of
gravity allowing you to get your upper body on top of the rings more easily. While this is
not exactly a perfectly “strict” muscle up, this technique will allow you to perform many
more “strict-ish” muscle ups. I’ve found incorporating the “toes to ring” technique to be
the best way for beginners to master the strict muscle up as it simply allows you to

accumulate more reps of the movement. Like any exercise, the more reps you get
under your belt, the more your technique improves.
Again, to master the SRMU focus on building basic foundational strength with pull-ups,
dips, and isometric holds first and foremost. Strength before skill. Secondly, make sure
you’re relatively lean with lower body fat as you want everything on your body working
for you, not against you. Once you meet the aforementioned criteria, you will greatly
increase your chances of unlocking the SRMU with some hard work, patience, and
deliberate practice.