Muscle Up – August 8, 2012
Had a very nice surprise today in the gym – I got my first real muscle up on the rings! I had been playing around with them a few weeks ago but figured I’d but them off until after the RKC. I had been doing ring pull ups during my training at Ambition Athletics as one of my pulling options to strengthen my back/pulling muscles.
Apparently it has been working.
In addition to the surprise muscle up I had planned to work on my snatch technique (which has been under par) by using a heavier kettlebell (a 28kg). The plan was to improve my efficiency in the entire movement. I had been trying to just muscle it up to the top with too much arm strength. Could get away with that for a few reps…not the best strategy when going for 100 reps in 5 minutes.
The heavier 28kg bell really made me incorporate my lower body during the swing portion of the move. I had to get the bell back more between my legs so that it would fly up easier.
Surprise, surprise what Max and the guys at Ambition Athletics say works!
The entire snatch felt smoother even though the bell weighed more. I was using my lower body, actually getting the bell back more, which really helped to improve my overall efficiency. I wasn’t fighting the bell up to the top. Instead I used some controlled momentum, strength, and timing to help improve my overall technique.
Felt so much better to not fight through the reps but instead relax a little more and make it look easy.
What a concept right? Make it look easy…simple concept – just takes a little practice to actually achieve.
~With Strength and Nutrition
