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Skin the Cat

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Advancedpull
👆 Tutorial by CocajolaWatch on YouTube

Home Setup

Install a doorway pull-up bar or use a sturdy tree branch that can support your full bodyweight with room to rotate underneath

doorway pull-up bartree branchceiling-mounted bar

💡 Pro tip: Place cushions or mats underneath when learning to protect yourself if you need to bail out of the movement

Gym Setup

Pull-up bar or gymnastics rings set at a height where your feet don't touch the ground when hanging

Safety: Ensure you have adequate shoulder mobility before attempting; never force the rotation if you feel sharp pain, and have a spotter when learning

💪 Muscles Worked

Latissimus DorsiShoulders (Deltoids)Rotator CuffCore (Rectus Abdominis)Hip Flexors

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Skin the Cat is an exceptional exercise for developing extreme shoulder mobility, flexibility, and control through a full range of motion. It strengthens the rotator cuff muscles, improves shoulder joint health, and builds the foundational strength and body awareness needed for advanced gymnastics movements like back levers and muscle-ups.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Dead Hang

pull-up bar

Builds grip strength and shoulder stability needed for the full movement without rotation

2. Tuck Skin the Cat

pull-up bar + gymnastics rings

Reduces leverage and shoulder stress by keeping knees tucked to chest throughout the rotation

3. Assisted Skin the Cat with Spotter

pull-up bar + spotter

Allows you to practice the movement pattern with support while building confidence and mobility

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Skin the Cat to Back Lever

pull-up bar + gymnastics rings

Adds a static hold at the bottom position, requiring significantly more shoulder and core strength

2. Weighted Skin the Cat

pull-up bar + ankle weights + weight vest

Increases resistance by adding ankle weights or a weight vest to challenge strength and control

3. Skin the Cat to Inverted Hang

pull-up bar + gymnastics rings

Extends the movement by continuing into a full inverted position, demanding greater shoulder flexibility and strength

↕️ Similar Movements

German Hang
The bottom position of skin the cat; trains extreme shoulder extension and flexibility
Back Lever
A static hold position reached during the skin the cat movement; shares similar shoulder demands
Front Lever
Complementary pulling strength movement that balances the posterior shoulder work of skin the cat
Shoulder Dislocates
Preparatory mobility drill that develops the shoulder flexibility needed for safe execution
Toes to Bar
Builds the core compression strength needed to initiate the leg lift portion of the movement

Form Checklist

✓Start with a firm grip and active shoulders, pulling shoulder blades down before initiating movement
✓Lift legs smoothly overhead while keeping arms straight, allowing body to rotate naturally through the shoulders
✓Control the descent into German hang position, stopping if you feel any sharp pain or excessive stretch
✓Reverse the movement with control, using core strength to pull legs back through and return to starting position

Common Mistakes

  • •Bending arms during rotation, which reduces shoulder mobility development and increases injury risk
  • •Forcing the movement without adequate shoulder flexibility, leading to potential rotator cuff strain
  • •Using momentum or swinging instead of controlled movement, missing the strength and mobility benefits
  • •Gripping too wide or too narrow, which affects shoulder mechanics and makes rotation more difficult

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can perform 5 controlled repetitions with straight legs, full rotation to German hang, and smooth reversal back to start position without pain, swinging, or loss of control