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CrossFit Bodmin · free resource · page 1 of 4

Ring Muscle-Ups: how the programme works

Four weeks, then repeat. Three sessions a week with a rest day between each. Every session trains the transition, the pull-up and the dip, each with a different method.

Before you start, you need to be able to hang from a bar for 20 seconds, hold yourself up on parallettes (or stacked plyo boxes, open hands) with straight arms for 20 seconds, and do a band-assisted pull-up and a band-assisted dip, with your shoulders, elbows and wrists pain-free.

Influences: Steven Low (Overcoming Gravity), Power Monkey Fitness (Dave Durante), and CrossFit's own gymnastics teaching, whose drill names we keep.

Pick a level for each movement

Mixing levels in a day is fine.

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

5 × 8–12 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Chin-over-bar hold
  2. 2False-grip hold, rings at the chest
  3. 3Chest-to-ring hold
  1. Level 1 is aimed at fewer than 5 strict ring pull-ups or 5 strict ring dips.
  2. Level 2 is aimed at 5 of each and a 20 s false-grip hang.
  3. Level 3 is for a ring muscle-up you want strict and repeatable.

The three methods

  1. Variable resistance: bands or weight change the load. On the muscle-up drills, your feet help.
  2. Negatives and tempo: lower smoothly over the seconds given, every rep, then step back up to the top. Never a drop, never a jump.
  3. Pauses and holds: still, in the position where you are weakest.

A quick warm-up, about 5 min

  1. Wrist circles and rocks, 1 min.
  2. Banded shoulder stretch, 30 s a side.
  3. Scap pull-ups on low rings, feet on the floor, × 8.
  4. Dip stretch: low rings, feet on the floor taking most of your weight, sink to the bottom of the dip, 30 s.

After week 4

  1. Start week 1 again with one step less help: a thinner band, one foot then toes only, or more weight.
  2. Check your levels again. Move a movement up when you reach the next level's target.

Ring Muscle-Ups · page 2 of 4

Week 1

Day ADay BDay C
The transition

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 1–2

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Toe-assisted ring muscle-up, low rings
  2. 2Feet-elevated ring muscle-up, feet on a bench
  3. 3Strict ring muscle-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 4, each rep lowered over 3–4 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Low-ring transition negative
  2. 2Transition negative, toes to catch
  3. 3Ring muscle-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

5 × 8–12 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1False-grip ring row hang
  2. 2False-grip top-of-pull hold
  3. 3Transition hold
The pull-up

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

5 × 8–12 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Chin-over-bar hold
  2. 2False-grip hold, rings at the chest
  3. 3Chest-to-ring hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 2–4

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted strict pull-up
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted chest-to-ring pull-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 4, each rep lowered over 3–4 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Pull-up negative
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up negative
  3. 3Chest-to-ring tempo pull-up
The dipNo dip bar? Parallettes or stacked plyo boxes.

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 4, each rep lowered over 3–4 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Dip negative on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip negative
  3. 3Deep ring dip, tempo

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

5 × 8–12 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Ring support hold
  2. 2Bottom-of-dip hold, feet helping
  3. 3Bottom-of-dip hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 2–4

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted dip on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted ring dip

Week 2

Day ADay BDay C
The transition

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 2–3

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Toe-assisted ring muscle-up, low rings
  2. 2Feet-elevated ring muscle-up, feet on a bench
  3. 3Strict ring muscle-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 3, each rep lowered over 4–5 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Low-ring transition negative
  2. 2Transition negative, toes to catch
  3. 3Ring muscle-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 10–15 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1False-grip ring row hang
  2. 2False-grip top-of-pull hold
  3. 3Transition hold
The pull-up

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 10–15 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Chin-over-bar hold
  2. 2False-grip hold, rings at the chest
  3. 3Chest-to-ring hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 4–6

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted strict pull-up
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted chest-to-ring pull-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 3, each rep lowered over 4–5 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Pull-up negative
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up negative
  3. 3Chest-to-ring tempo pull-up
The dipNo dip bar? Parallettes or stacked plyo boxes.

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 3, each rep lowered over 4–5 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Dip negative on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip negative
  3. 3Deep ring dip, tempo

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 10–15 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Ring support hold
  2. 2Bottom-of-dip hold, feet helping
  3. 3Bottom-of-dip hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 4–6

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted dip on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted ring dip

Ring Muscle-Ups · page 3 of 4

Week 3

Day ADay BDay C
The transition

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 3–4

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Toe-assisted ring muscle-up, low rings
  2. 2Feet-elevated ring muscle-up, feet on a bench
  3. 3Strict ring muscle-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 2, each rep lowered over 5–7 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Low-ring transition negative
  2. 2Transition negative, toes to catch
  3. 3Ring muscle-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

3 × 15–20 s

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1False-grip ring row hang
  2. 2False-grip top-of-pull hold
  3. 3Transition hold
The pull-up

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

3 × 15–20 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Chin-over-bar hold
  2. 2False-grip hold, rings at the chest
  3. 3Chest-to-ring hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 6–8

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted strict pull-up
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted chest-to-ring pull-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 2, each rep lowered over 5–7 s

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Pull-up negative
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up negative
  3. 3Chest-to-ring tempo pull-up
The dipNo dip bar? Parallettes or stacked plyo boxes.

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 2, each rep lowered over 5–7 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Dip negative on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip negative
  3. 3Deep ring dip, tempo

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

3 × 15–20 s

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Ring support hold
  2. 2Bottom-of-dip hold, feet helping
  3. 3Bottom-of-dip hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

5 × 6–8

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted dip on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted ring dip

Week 4 · the test

Day ADay BDay C
The transition

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

4, then 2, then 1, each a step harder

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Toe-assisted ring muscle-up, low rings
  2. 2Feet-elevated ring muscle-up, feet on a bench
  3. 3Strict ring muscle-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 1, as slow as you can, score the seconds

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1Low-ring transition negative
  2. 2Transition negative, toes to catch
  3. 3Ring muscle-up negative

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 1, as long as you can, score the seconds

rest 2 min

Pick your level

  1. 1False-grip ring row hang
  2. 2False-grip top-of-pull hold
  3. 3Transition hold
The pull-up

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 1, as long as you can, score the seconds

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Chin-over-bar hold
  2. 2False-grip hold, rings at the chest
  3. 3Chest-to-ring hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

8, then 5, then 3, then 1, each a step harder

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted strict pull-up
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted chest-to-ring pull-up

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 1, as slow as you can, score the seconds

rest 1 min, then the dip

Pick your level

  1. 1Pull-up negative
  2. 2False-grip ring pull-up negative
  3. 3Chest-to-ring tempo pull-up
The dipNo dip bar? Parallettes or stacked plyo boxes.

Negatives and tempo

Lower smoothly, step back up

4 × 1, as slow as you can, score the seconds

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Dip negative on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip negative
  3. 3Deep ring dip, tempo

Pauses and holds

Still, in the hard position

4 × 1, as long as you can, score the seconds

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Ring support hold
  2. 2Bottom-of-dip hold, feet helping
  3. 3Bottom-of-dip hold

Variable resistance

Bands or weight

8, then 5, then 3, then 1, each a step harder

rest 1 min, then the pull-up

Pick your level

  1. 1Band-assisted dip on parallettes
  2. 2Ring dip, band or weight
  3. 3Weighted ring dip

Ring Muscle-Ups · page 4 of 4

The movements: what good looks like, and the easier option

The transition

Level 1Level 2Level 3
Variable resistance

Toe-assisted ring muscle-up, low rings

Rings at chest height, heels on the floor in front, legs straight. Pull the rings to your ribs, let the torso rotate over them, press up.

Easier: feet further forward.

Feet-elevated ring muscle-up, feet on a bench

Low rings, feet up on a bench in front, so your feet take some of the weight. Pull through the transition and press to support.

Easier: toe-assisted, feet on the floor.

Strict ring muscle-up

False grip, dead hang. Pull the rings to the chest, lean the shoulders through, press out. No kip.

Easier: foot-assisted: high rings, feet on a bench, for the reps you can't finish.

Negatives and tempo

Low-ring transition negative

Rings at chest height. Press to support, then lower through the turnover to a hang, toes on the floor.

Easier: more weight through the feet.

Transition negative, toes to catch

Rings at head height. From support, lower through the turnover. The toes only catch you at the bottom.

Easier: rings lower.

Ring muscle-up negative

Full-height rings. Reach support from a hip-height box, lower through the transition to a dead hang, rings close.

Easier: toes lightly on the box.

Pauses and holds

False-grip ring row hang

Rings at chest height, feet on the floor, body leaning back, arms straight. Wrist over the ring, the heel of the hand on top, shoulders active.

Easier: walk the feet back so you stand taller.

False-grip top-of-pull hold

Rings pulled to the chest in a false grip, elbows bent.

Easier: rings lower, feet on the floor.

Transition hold

Chest over the rings at the bottom of the dip, no feet. Get there from a box.

Easier: toes resting on the box.

Harder: the Filipino dip. From the bottom of the dip, lower through the transition until the rings are at your chest, then pull back to the bottom of the dip.

The pull-up

Level 1Level 2Level 3
Variable resistance

Band-assisted strict pull-up

Dead hang, chin over the bar, no kick.

Easier: a thicker band.

False-grip ring pull-up, band or weight

False grip, pull until the rings reach your chest.

Easier: a band.

Weighted chest-to-ring pull-up

False grip, rings to the chest, 1 s at the top. Dumbbell between the feet or a vest.

Easier: less weight.

Negatives and tempo

Pull-up negative

Step up from a box, chin over the bar, lower to straight arms.

Easier: foot-assisted, both feet on the box, then one.

False-grip ring pull-up negative

Rings at the chest in a false grip. Lower to straight arms, keeping the grip.

Easier: foot-assisted, feet lightly on a box.

Chest-to-ring tempo pull-up

Rings to the chest, hold 1 s, lower in the seconds given.

Easier: a band.

Pauses and holds

Chin-over-bar hold

Chin above the bar, shoulders down, body still.

Easier: feet on a box taking some weight.

False-grip hold, rings at the chest

Rings touching the chest, false grip, elbows tight to the ribs.

Easier: feet on a box.

Chest-to-ring hold

Rings to the breastbone, as high as you can pull them.

Easier: feet on a box.

The dip

Level 1Level 2Level 3
Variable resistance

Band-assisted dip on parallettes

Shoulders below the elbows at the bottom, lock out at the top.

Easier: a thicker band.

Ring dip, band or weight

Rings close, shoulders below the elbows, turn the rings out at the top.

Easier: a band.

Weighted ring dip

The ring dip, with a vest or a dumbbell.

Easier: less weight.

Negatives and tempo

Dip negative on parallettes

Start locked out on parallettes, or stacked plyo boxes with open hands, lower until the shoulders pass the elbows.

Easier: feet on a box behind you.

Ring dip negative

From ring support, rings close, lower until the shoulders pass the elbows.

Easier: toes on a box in front.

Deep ring dip, tempo

Lower in the seconds given, pause 1 s at the bottom, press up.

Easier: toes on a box at the bottom.

Pauses and holds

Ring support hold

Arms locked, rings by the hips, shoulders down away from the ears.

Easier: on parallettes, or stacked plyo boxes with open hands.

Bottom-of-dip hold, feet helping

Bottom of the ring dip, shoulders below the elbows, toes on a box in front.

Easier: more weight in the feet.

Bottom-of-dip hold

The catch position of the muscle-up, no feet, rings tight to the ribs.

Easier: toes on a box.

On a phone, tap a drill's name to watch it. Videos by CrossFit and Power Monkey Fitness.

© 2026 CrossFit Bodmin · Written by Jack Ashwood, head coach · crossfitbodmin.com