Coach James Pook offers these tips to help you achieve your first muscle-up

The muscle-up is one of the most popular calisthenics exercises around the world; it's even frequently heard and seen in the world of CrossFit. Because performing it can require intense prior training, we're bringing you some tips to help you achieve your first muscle-up correctly.

In an interview with Men's Health magazine, CrossFit Level 2 expert and coach James Pook provides the following tips for you to apply when performing this exercise.

The first thing we need to know is that the muscle-up consists of performing a pull at the beginning to raise the body through a swing called kipping that will help us gain momentum to go up, and then a push to raise the torso above the bar.

• Pull-ups from chest to bar: 4 sets of 6 repetitions

Your first step is to develop the strength to perform a muscle-up. This can be done with controlled pull-ups. Hang below a bar with a pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width, with your arms fully extended.

Keep your legs together and bent at 90 degrees while lifting your chest to touch the bar. Hold for a second at the top, before lowering back down under control.

• Straight-arm pulldown: 4 sets of 8-10 repetitions

Eliminate the tension of your biceps and isolate the larger back muscles. Loop a resistance band around the bar and adopt an overhand grip at hip width. Move away from the bar so that your arms are straight and their backs stretched out. Pull the band down without bending your arms to bring your hands to your hips. Hold for a second, then reverse the movement.

• Hip pull-ups to bar: 3 sets of 3 repetitions

Generating enough power to bring your hips to the bar is difficult to master. Start in the hanging position of the pull-up, then squeeze your shoulders back and down. Move your legs to create a "kipping" motion.

As your legs move forward, pull yourself up using the same motion as a straight-arm pull-down, driving your hips toward the bar. Push and move your legs back for the second repetition.

• Straight bar dip: 4 sets of 6 repetitions

This immersive upgrade will not only develop shoulder, triceps, and chest strength, It will also teach you how to keep your core tight.

Place a bar on a shelf at the height of your upper abs. Extend your arms and bring your shoulders over the bar. Submerge your shoulders, then bend your elbows to touch the bar with your chest. Push back to lock.