Muscle-up Mobility
Break out the mobility requirements for this movement so that you can get in the best positions for efficient technique and skills development!
Muscle-Up Mobility
We will look at mobility for all muscle-up variations together in this section. For technique breakdowns of each muscle-up variation, see the following articles and videos:
Shoulder flexion
Shoulder flexion is going to be the biggest limitation in athlete's muscle-up mobility. We use the back to wall shoulder flexion test to isolate the shoulders and prevent compensations with the spine. Pay close attention to hand position and to not let your elbows bend during the test.
shoulder rotation
Addressing shoulder rotation limitations will often create rapid changes in overhead mobility. We'll use this back to wall test to assess your rotation.
Shoulder extension
Shoulder extension is a huge component of solid mechanics for the dip component of the muscle-up. Without sufficient shoulder extension mobility, athletes will have a difficult time maintaining proper form, and we often see discomfort in the front of the shoulder when extension range of motion is reduced.
thoracic extension
The thoracic spine (upper back) is another commonly limited mobility area. This can impact the low back, neck, shoulders, and limit your overhead mobility.
Good kipping requires the ability to open the upper back up.
hip extension
In kipping, we want to move into a globally extended arch position with the shoulders, upper back, and hips extended.
For athletes with tight hip flexors, we'll often so the legs separate, and the athlete loses tension that reduces their efficiency of movement.