Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Very Hard

Bar muscle-ups are a high-skill movement that most average CrossFitters cannot perform consistently. The EMOM format creates time pressure - athletes must complete the rep and reset within 60 seconds repeatedly. Even those who can do BMUs will likely fail reps under fatigue as the workout progresses, and the inability to scale effectively (no direct substitute maintains the same stimulus) makes this accessible only to experienced athletes with solid BMU proficiency.

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Power (8/10): The explosive pull and hip drive required to get over the bar makes this primarily a power movement requiring fast force production.
• Strength (7/10): Bar muscle-ups require significant upper body strength for the pull-up and transition, plus core strength for the dip portion.
• Flexibility (6/10): Demands good shoulder mobility for the transition over the bar and thoracic extension for the dip position at the top.
• Stamina (4/10): One rep per minute tests upper body pulling and pushing stamina moderately, as grip and shoulder endurance accumulate over multiple rounds.
• Endurance (3/10): EMOM format with single reps allows significant recovery between efforts, limiting cardiovascular demand despite the technical complexity of bar muscle-ups.
• Speed (2/10): EMOM structure provides ample rest between reps, making speed of execution less critical than technical proficiency and power output.

Movements

• Bar Muscle-Up

Benchmark Notes

This workout is 'EMOM 1 BMU' (Every Minute on the Minute, 1 Bar Muscle-Up), scored by total reps completed. This is a classic muscle-up endurance test where athletes perform 1 bar muscle-up at the start of each minute until failure. The key factors are: 1) Bar muscle-ups are highly technical and strength-demanding, 2) The EMOM format provides rest but creates cumulative fatigue, 3) Most athletes will fail when they can no longer complete the muscle-up within the minute window. Based on typical bar muscle-up capacity: Elite athletes (L10) can maintain this pace for 30+ minutes (540+ reps), while intermediate athletes (L5) typically last 15-20 minutes (300-360 reps). Beginners (L1-L2) may only complete 3-6 minutes (60-120 reps) before technical breakdown or strength failure. The progression is relatively linear since each minute adds exactly 1 rep, making this primarily a test of muscle-up endurance rather than complex movement patterns. Unlike ring muscle-ups which require more setup time, bar muscle-ups can be executed more quickly within the minute window, allowing for slightly higher rep totals.

Modality Profile

Bar Muscle-Up is a bodyweight gymnastics movement requiring upper body strength and coordination to transition from pull-up to dip position on the bar.