COMPARISON OF MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING A RING MUSCLE UP AND BAR
MUSCLE UP
by
Cody Walker
A thesis presented to the Department of Exercise and Sport Science
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and the Graduate School of University of Central Arkansas in partial
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fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science
in
Exercise and Sport Science
Conway, AR
August, 2017
ProQuest Number: 10616516
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©
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2017 Cody Walker
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the muscle activation of selected
shoulder and arm muscles during a ring and bar muscle up. Ten active males (27.6  7.9
years) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants performed 5 repetitions of
each style of muscle up (ring and bar) in randomized order. Muscle activation of the
upper and lower trapezius, serratus anterior, pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, triceps
brachii, biceps brachii, and forearm flexors was measured using electromyography
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(EMG). EMG signals were normalized to maximal voluntary isometric contraction. A 2
X 2 ANOVA (ring vs bar, pull phase vs push phase) with repeated measures was
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performed for each muscle. Least significant differences (LSD) post hocs were performed
when a significant interaction effect occurred. The ring muscle up significantly (p <
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0.005) elicited more muscle activation in the upper trapezius, biceps brachii, and forearm
flexors during the pull phase. The ring muscle up also significantly (p < 0.005) elicited
more muscle activation in the triceps brachii and biceps brachii during the push phase.
Although the ring and bar muscle up are performed in similar patterns, there is different
muscle activations. The ring muscle up adds a more unstable environment that increases
muscle activation of smaller muscle groups such as the biceps brachii and forearm
flexors. From these results, the best training progress would be to learn the bar muscle up
after larger muscle groups are trained though pulling exercises and then learn the ring
muscle up after the smaller muscle groups are trained.
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Table of Contents
Abstract.............................................................................................................................. v
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. vi
List of Tables ................................................................................................................... vii
Table of Figures.............................................................................................................. viii
Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................... 1
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Chapter 2 ........................................................................................................................... 6
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Chapter 3 ......................................................................................................................... 13
References ........................................................................................................................ 20
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Chapter 4 ......................................................................................................................... 22
References .........................................................................................................................33
Appendix A ...................................................................................................................... 35
Appendix B ...................................................................................................................... 36
Appendix C .......................................................................................................................46
Appendix D .......................................................................................................................47
Appendix E .......................................................................................................................50
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List of Tables
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Table 1 2X2 (Bar vs Ring, Pull vs Push) ANOVA results for each muscle group .......... 35
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Table of Figures
Figure 1 Bar Muscle............................................................................................................ 2
Figure 2 Ring Muscle Up .................................................................................................... 2
Figure 3 Anterior Electrode Placement..............................................................................15
Figure 4 Posterior Electrode Placement .............................................................................15
Figure 5 Upper Trapezius Manual Muscle Test ............................................................... 16
Figure 6 Lower Trapezius Manual Muscle Test ............................................................... 16
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Figure 7 Biceps Brachii Manual Muscle Test................................................................... 17
Figure 8 Triceps Brachii Manual Muscle Test ................................................................ 17
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Figure 9 Forearm Flexors Manual Muscle Test ............................................................... 17
Figure 10 Latissimus Dorsi Manual Muscle Test ............................................................ 18
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Figure 11 Serratus Anterior Manual Muscle Test ............................................................ 18
Figure 12 Pectoralis Major Manual Muscle Test ............................................................. 18
Figure 13 Anterior Electrode Placement............................................................................36
Figure 14 Posterior Electrode Placement ...........................................................................37
Figure 15 Upper trapezius activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 38
Figure 16 Lower trapezius activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 39
Figure 17 Serratus anterior activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 40
Figure 18 Triceps brachii activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 41
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Table of Figures (Continued)
Figure 19 Latissimus dorsi activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 42
Figure 20 Pectoralis major activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 43
Figure 21 Biceps brachii activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 44
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Figure 22 Forearm flexors activity during the push and pull phases of a muscle up
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performed on bar and rings ...................................................................................... 45
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Chapter 1
Introduction
The muscle up is a variation of a common gymnastic movement. It can be
performed on either a straight bar (bar muscle up) (Figures 1) or on rings (ring muscle
up) (Figures 2). The ring muscle up equivalent in gymnastics is called a front up rise
while the bar muscle up’s equivalent is called a glide kip. Much like an Olympic lift, the
muscle up is a complex movement that requires both a pulling and a pushing phase.
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These movements all take place in the sagittal plane and involve large upper body
muscles to perform the movement.1
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A bar muscle up starts with the athlete hanging below a fixed bar (Figure 1 Right
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Frame). Movement is initiated by a kip. The athlete pulls up on the bar rotating the wrist
over the bar. Once over the bar, the athlete catches himself/herself in the bottom position
of a dip (Figure 1 Middle Frame) and then press to extend the elbows (Figure 1 Left
Frame). A ring muscle up starts with the athlete hanging below the rings (Figure 2 Left
Frame). It is initiated by performing a leg swing (kip). Once momentum is built up in the
kip, the athlete then pulls up, rotating the wrist through the rings. When through the rings,
the athlete catches himself/herself in the bottom position of a dip (Figure 2 Middle
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Frame) and then presses to extend the elbows (Figure 2 Right Frame). The movement is
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considered complete once full extension of the elbow is reached.
Figure 2 Ring Muscle Up
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Figure 1 Bar Muscle Up
The muscle up is a complex, explosive movement. Like an Olympic weightlifting
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movement, it requires both strength and coordination to complete a muscle up. It is used
for training explosive pulling of the upper shoulder girdle. The muscle up is also useful in
training both a pulling and a pushing exercise in one movement. The muscle up trains the
latissimus dorsi and biceps brachii primary during the pull phase. During the dip phase,
the triceps brachii and pectoralis major are primarily trained. The upper trapezius and the
serratus anterior are the primary stabilizers of the scapula throughout the movement.
Many bodyweight training programs have adopted the muscle up as a standard
movement.
There is limited research showing the differences in muscle activation between
bar muscle ups and ring muscle ups. It has been speculated that ring muscle ups will
create a higher training stimulus because of the instability of the rings; conversely, others
claim that a bar muscle up is inherently “harder” because the bar does not move around
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