Dufisthenics

Last night I tried to do a tricep intensive challenge, the hard mode version of this month’s BB challenge.  I bailed out abruptly when I realized I wasn’t going to get anywhere close to where I should be. It was ill advised anyway since I worked triceps hard at the gym during lunch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3qOG6r0_xc

I wanted to even out my poor dip effort by doing some muscle ups, some clean muscle ups.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VStB1-8sRZk

Ever since I pulled off my first successful muscle ups in September of 2011 I have had some issues being consistent with my form, specifically the transition portion of the movement. Most of the time when I have been doing reps it winds up being a one over where my body sort of collapses to my left as I reach bar height.  I then am briefly “laying” on the bar while I get my hands/arms repositioned to do the pushing part of the movement.

It’s bad form, plain and simple.

I have been wondering why this happens, perhaps pointing the finger at my uneven strength levels that are put on display when I work one handed static chin up holds.  I can hold that position dramatically longer on my right side versus my left. (which is weird because I am sort of left handed)

Anyway I wanted to really work on making my reps smoother and more efficient.  Well I did just that for the first two reps of my 5 rep set and the correction was stupidly simple.  All I did was focus on pulling hard evenly with both arms.  I was able to sail right past the transition point without my chest even touching the bar, exactly what I was looking for.

Unfortunately I was only to get that type of pull for the first two reps.  The remaining three got progressively uglier.

So at least there is no excuse going forward.  I don’t have some sort of weird bio-mechanical thing that is preventing me from doing smooth reps.  I just think I was getting lazy with the pull, relying too much on the swing and the kip.

I always love “a-hah!” moments.