4 Best Muscle Up Alternatives (with Pictures!)

Few exercises can even come close to the raw intensity and technical skill that is displayed by the muscle up - but that doesn’t stop athletes from searching for a viable alternative.

For those who find the muscle up to be too difficult or too complex, there are fortunately quite a number of possible alternatives that can act as either a progression step or as a replacement to the muscle up.

While not all exercises can compare to every aspect of the muscle up, a few good alternatives are the ring dip, the towel pull-up or the conventional pull-up. Each alternative serves a different purpose, and it is good to keep in mind that no other exercise can actually replicate a muscle up in its entirety.

What is a Muscle Up?

In technical terms, the muscle up is a highly complex multi-joint compound movement performed either as the primary compound exercise in a calisthenic workout, or as a method of reinforcing non-physical skills related to athleticism.

Because of the unique mechanics and wide range of motion involved in the muscle up, it is often reserved for more advanced calisthenic athletes or exercisers of similar experience - hence the frequent need for an alternative, if an exerciser is not yet physically strong enough to perform it.

Muscles Worked by Muscle Ups

Muscle ups are the true definition of a compound exercise, as they recruit nearly all muscle groups throughout the upper body.

In particular however, muscle ups will target the latissimus dorsi, biceps, deltoids, pectorals and the triceps brachii - all of which play a dynamic and important role during each phase of the muscle up. 

What Makes a Muscle Up Alternative Viable?

In order to pick the correct alternative to the muscle up, the exercise should share the most important aspects; be it the same muscular recruitment pattern, the same equipment used or the same kind of training stimulus.

Furthermore, a good alternative should also be aligned with the needs of the exerciser themselves. This means not only matching the exercise with their own training experience, but also accounting for factors like past injuries, what equipment they may have available and personal preferences.

Why Should the Muscle Up be Substituted Out?

The muscle up is entirely a solid exercise when performed correctly - but not all exercisers are capable of performing the muscle up, either due to insufficient training experience or because they do not have access to a pull-up bar.

In either case, the best solution is to pick an exercise that replicates the more important aspects that muscle ups provide to the exerciser and their training program, such as a full upper body training stimulus or the usage of an explosive vertical pulling movement.

Muscle Up Variations

Before moving on to alternatives to the muscle up, it is a good idea to investigate any available variations - as each requires a different form of equipment and will be the closest possible movement to the original muscle up.

1. Bar Muscle Ups

The bar muscle up is also known as the conventional muscle up, and is performed with the use of an overhead pull-up bar. 

Lifters who find ring muscle ups to be too difficult or too strenuous on the rotator cuff may wish to try this particular variation, as it features a more circular path and less strain on the shoulder joint.

2. Ring Muscle Ups

Ring muscle ups are the more dynamic variation of the conventional muscle up, as they allow the body to travel in a more vertical path and thereby make greater use of the muscles of the back. 

Athletes and individuals who find the bar muscle up uncomfortable will usually substitute with the ring variation, though one should take extra care to ensure that the shoulders and elbows are uninjured from the increase in torsion caused by using the ring muscle up instead.

3. Kipping Muscle Ups

A classic among Crossfit athletes or other exercisers in need of upper body explosiveness, kipping muscle ups are exactly as they sound - conventional muscle ups performed with additional momentum generated with the lower body, creating an easier exercise that may be performed for greater amounts of volume.

Exercisers unable to perform a strict muscle up may wish to substitute with kipping pull-ups, though one should keep in mind that both kipping and strict muscle ups both require proper form adherence to perform safely.

4. TRX Band Muscle Ups

For athletes at home, it is possible to perform a conventional muscle up with the use of a TRX band.

Mechanically speaking, this particular variation of the muscle up is nearly identical to the ring muscle up, and is performed in nearly the same manner and for the same purposes as well.

Muscle Ups Alternatives

1. Chin-Ups

A classic alternative to the muscle up is the chin-up. So much so, in fact, that the chin-up and pull-up are two exercises practiced by calisthenic athletes as they prepare to perform a muscle up.

While chin-ups do not quite target all the same muscles as a muscle up, they do replicate the initial half of the exercise, and are more than effective at achieving a similar sort of stimulus.

Function as a Muscle Up Alternative

Chin-ups may function as an easier alternative to the muscle up, especially when combined with dips or a similar exercise that targets the pectoral and tricep muscles.

Doing so allows the exerciser to retain the same training stimulus and muscular recruitment without the need for advanced calisthenic skill or muscular strength.

Much like the conventional muscle up, the chin-up is performed with body weight resistance alone, and will require a pull-up bar or similar overhead object.

Muscles Worked by a Chin-up

Chin-ups train the muscles of the latissimus dorsi, biceps, rhomboids, the posterior deltoid head and the trapezius.

How-to do a Chin-up

To perform a repetition of the chin-up, the exerciser will hang from a pull-up bar with their hands in a supinated or underhand grip. The core should be contracted and the lower body kept rigid so as to avoid kipping.

Bending at the elbows and flexing the lats, they will then draw themselves upwards, reaching the apex of the repetition once the head has cleared the bar. 

From this position, they will then slowly lower themselves back to the dead hang position, thereby completing the repetition.

2. Ring Dips

Mechanically similar to the second phase of a muscle up, the ring dip is another classic bodyweight exercise known for targeting the largest muscles of the upper body in a highly dynamic yet technical fashion.

Much like conventional muscle ups, ring dips are a somewhat more advanced exercise that require a certain level of experience performing calisthenic exercises, as well as at least an intermediate level of upper body strength in order to execute correctly.

Function as a Muscle Up Alternative

Ring dips act as a muscle up alternative in the way that they will target many of the same primary mover muscles, although with a shorter range of motion and with the distinct absence of the initial vertical pull that characterizes a muscle up.

Their similarity in muscular recruitment, mechanics, time under tension and equipment used (in the case of ring muscle ups) make the ring dip excellent as a direct alternative for exercisers that require a similarly difficult movement.

Muscles Worked by a Ring Dip

Ring dips target the pectoral muscles, triceps, deltoids and latissimus dorsi - meaning that they work much the same muscles as a muscle up, save for the biceps brachii.

How-to do a Ring Dip

To perform a ring dip, the exerciser will suspend themselves from a pair of gymnastic rings, arms fully extended, wrists in a neutral position and core muscles taut so as to stabilize the entire body.

Then, as is the case with every variation of the dip, the exerciser will bend at the elbows and slowly lower themselves between their arms, stopping once the elbow is parallel to the shoulder. 

From this position, the exerciser will then push through the palms of their hands, extending the arms once more and returning to their original position - thereby having completed the repetition.

3. Front Lever Pull-Ups

For a calisthenic exercise equally as challenging and complex as the muscle up, the front lever pull-up is the perfect choice.

Not only does it recruit a similar set of muscles as the muscle up, but it will also require much the same technical ability and physical strength - making the front lever pull-up the perfect one-to-one ratio substitute.

Function as a Muscle Up Alternative

Front lever pull-ups both train the same muscles as the muscle up, as well as help practice much the same skills. While they do indeed feature a different set of mechanics, the general intensity and training stimulus remains much the same.

Note that the front lever is arguably just as impactful as the muscle up, and as such may not be a suitable alternative for exercisers who cannot safely perform a muscle up, or for those with a history of injury in the wrists and shoulders.

Muscles Worked by Front Lever Pull-ups

Front lever pull-ups train much the same muscles as a conventional muscle up; the latissimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps brachii, pectorals, triceps brachii and trapezius.

How-to do Front Level Pull-ups

To perform this technically complex movement, the exerciser must hold an overhead pull-up bar in a pronated grip, entering the dead hang position.

To begin the repetition, the exerciser will raise their legs forwards, fully extending the knees and feet and following suit with the rest of the body until the torso is parallel to the floor. This position is known as the front lever, and is the basis of many front lever exercises.

From the front lever position, the exerciser will “row” their body towards the pull-up bar by bending at the elbows and flexing the lats, stopping once they are sufficiently close to the bar.

Once at the apex of the repetition, they will slowly lower themselves back to the front lever position, thereby completing the repetition. Subsequent repetitions will not require the exerciser to repeat the dead hang to front lever sequence, and will instead be performed starting from the front lever position.

4. Towel Pull-Ups

For newer calisthenic athletes or exercisers freshly back in the gym, the towel pull-up can provide a great way to build up to the conventional muscle up - especially if said exercisers are rusty in terms of their exercise technique.

Much like muscle ups, towel pull-ups are multi-joint compound exercises primarily targeting the back, shoulders and arms in a highly intense manner - only, less so in comparison.

Function as a Muscle Up Alternative

Towel pull-ups may act as an easier substitute to the muscle up, especially when combined with an exercise that also replicates the latter half of the muscle up’s mechanics, as the towel pull-up is more similar to the vertical pull portion of the exercise.

Furthermore, towel pull-ups are also excellent for improving upper body stability in exercisers that may not possess enough to perform a muscle up correctly, allowing it to act as a progression step in certain aspects.

Muscles Worked by a Towel Pull-up

Towel pull-ups will work the muscles of the latissimus dorsi, the trapezius, the biceps brachii, the brachioradialis, the rhomboids and the many stabilizing muscles of the core.

How-to do a Towel Pull-up

To perform a repetition of the towel pull-up, exercisers wll wrap a pair of towels (or a sufficiently long one) over an overhead pull-up bar, allowing two ends to drape at equal length towards the ground.

Gripping the ends with both hands, the exerciser will bend at the elbows and contract the muscles of their back, drawing themselves upwards until their shoulders are above the elbows at the apex of the repetition.

From this point, the exerciser will then slowly release the tension in their back, extending the arms once more and returning themselves to their starting position - thereby having completed the repetition.

How to Pick the Right Muscle Up Alternative

Picking the right exercise with which to substitute the muscle up involves more than just matching those of the same muscular recruitment pattern; it will also require consideration be paid to the exerciser’s own training goals, level of experience and any past injuries that they may have suffered.

Exercisers wishing to retain the back-focus of the muscle up but are otherwise unable to actually perform one can make use of movements like the chin-up or towel pull-up, just as athletes who simply wish for a different challenge can switch out muscle ups for exercises of a similar intensity, like the front lever pull-up.

But Which Alternative Should You Pick?

If you’ve kept your training goals in mind and do not otherwise have any injuries preventing you from performing vertical pull exercises, then it simply becomes a question of scaling. 

To do so, it is a good idea to start with easier alternatives like the chin-up, assisted pull-up or towel pull-up, and to then work your way towards more difficult exercises until finding a muscle up alternative that is at the correct difficulty for your training level.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How to Do Muscle Ups Without a Bar?

To perform a muscle up without the use of a pull-up bar, it is possible to perform ring muscle ups (with the use of gymnastic rings) or to perform TRX band muscle ups (with the use of a TRX band).

Both alternatives will not require a bar, but do involve a slightly different set of mechanics and a different range of motion - effectively marking either as a muscle up variation, rather than simply a muscle up.

How Many Pull-Ups is Equivalent to a Muscle Up?

While it will depend on factors like body weight, technical skill and bodily proportions - the majority of fitness publications agree that a muscle up can be the equivalent of approximately 9-10 pull-ups in terms of complexity and intensity.

Note that the muscle up is not a direct equivalent to a pull-up, as it also involves muscles like the triceps, pectorals and deltoids in a manner that pull-ups do not replicate. This will require alterations be made in the training program, and that additional care is taken to perform each repetition correctly.

Can I Replace Pull-Ups with Muscle Ups?

Yes - it is entirely possible to perform muscle ups in lieu of pull-ups.

So long as you are physically strong enough and familiar with calisthenic exercise technique, the muscle up can provide a more encompassing and intense workout than pull-ups would normally be capable of.

In Conclusion

Keep in mind that the muscle up is an exercise with a widely-effective recruitment pattern, and a unique set of mechanics. While there is no truly replacing it in a workout, it is possible to pick an exercise that replicates the aspects needed therein by the athlete. 

So long as proper form is followed and care is taken in properly structuring the training program, them muscle up can effectively be replaced with an alternative that shares many of the same benefits.

References

1. Sanchez-Martinez, Javier & Hernandez Jaña, Sam. (2022). Morphological Differences of Street Workout Athletes According to the Training Experience. International Journal of Morphology. 40. 320-326. 10.4067/S0717-95022022000200320. 

2. Clark, Joshua. Mark, Lauren. (Jul 7, 2010) “You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises for Men and Women” ReadHowYouWant.com ISBN: 1458780252, 9781458780256