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SkillsShouldersIntermediate
Skin the Cat
A shoulder mobility and strength movement where you rotate through a full circle on the bar or rings.
3 sets of 3-5 rotations
Pull-up Bar
Quick Stats
2
Target Muscles
4
Steps
3
Pro Tips
3
Progressions
Benefits
Shoulder mobility
Prerequisite for back lever
Body awareness
Conditioning
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps for perfect form
1
Hang from bar or rings.
2
Tuck knees and rotate backward.
3
Pass through German hang.
4
Return the same way.
Pro Tips
Go slow and controlled
Build up range gradually
Warm up shoulders first
Common Mistakes
✕Going too fast
✕Insufficient warm-up
✕Forcing range of motion
Target Muscles
Primary Muscles
ShouldersLats
Secondary Muscles
BicepsCore
Progressions
Level up your training
1Tuck Skin the Cat
Easier2Full Skin the Cat
Standard3Back Lever
ProgressionRelated Exercises
More Skills exercises
Advanced
Bar Muscle-Up
The classic muscle-up on a straight bar. Explosive pull transitioning to a dip above the bar.
Full Upper
Advanced
Ring Muscle-Up
A muscle-up performed on gymnastic rings. Requires different technique than bar muscle-up.
Full Upper
Intermediate
Kipping Muscle-Up
A momentum-assisted muscle-up using a kipping motion. Often the first muscle-up variation learned.
Full Upper
Ready to Practice Skin the Cat?
Find a calisthenics park with pull-up bar near you and start training.