The heart of the muscle-up is the transition from pull-up to dip — the agonizing moment when you don’t know if you’re above or below. That moment — the transition — can last from fractions to dozens of seconds. At low, deliberate speeds, the muscle-up takes a toll physically and psychologically that can only be justified by the benefit. No other movement can deliver the same upper body strength. Period.

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The kettlebell swing offers a simple introduction to core-to-extremity movement patterns. The hips and legs generate the force of the movement, which is then transferred through the arms and into the kettlebell. The midline must remain stable throughout the movement. These movement concepts and basic positions are shared with many other barbell lifts.

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