Back · Olympic Rings
Ring Muscle-up
How to do the ring muscle-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Olympic Rings
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Horizontal Row
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Adjust the rings to hang at a height where you can perform a muscle-up. Grip the rings with a false grip, arms straight. Pull yourself upward explosively, keeping the rings close to your body. As your shoulders reach ring height, lean your torso forward and rotate your wrists to transition into a dip. Press down through the rings to straighten your arms and support yourself above them. Reverse the movement with control to return to the starting hang.
- 1Feel your lats and core pulling you above the rings and your triceps pressing you to lockout
- 2Keep a false grip and transition smoothly through the turnover
- 3Use your hips to generate upward momentum while maintaining ring control
Common mistakes
- Avoid swinging excessively; control your kip
- Don't let your elbows flare out too early; keep them close during the pull
- Avoid dropping your elbows in the dip portion; keep shoulders active
Muscles worked
The ring muscle-up mainly works the lats, with the biceps, upper traps, mid traps, forearms, and rear delts assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- BicepsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the ring muscle-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed April 2026.