Front Lever

What is Front Lever:

The Front Lever is a bodyweight static pulling exercise primarily working the shoulder extensors, specifically the latissimus dorsi, teres major, triceps long head, and rear delts. It involves hanging from a pull-up bar with your body parallel to the ground, lower back extended, hips extended, and knees extended. The exercise showcases incredible shoulder extension and core strength while engaging almost every muscle group. It is a feat of physical power and technical skill, making it a popular goal in calisthenics.

Key Benefits:

  • Strength Development: Builds upper body and core strength, particularly in the latissimus dorsi and scapular stabilizers.
  • Wrist Mobility and Resiliency: Enhances the wrist joints' mobility and resiliency, making them less prone to injuries.
  • Convenience: This exercise can be performed virtually anywhere with just a pull-up bar or a sturdy object to hang on, making it accessible and convenient for most individuals.
  • Impressive Aesthetics: A visually striking move that symbolizes peak upper body pulling ability.

Variations:

  • Tuck Front Lever: An easier variation with the knees tucked close to the chest.
  • Advanced Tuck Front Lever: An easier variation with the lower back extended, hips flexed 90 degrees, and knees flexed.
  • One Leg Front Lever: An easier variation with the lower back extended, one leg tucked, and the other extended.
  • Straddle Front Lever: An easier variation with the lower back and hips extended and the legs straddled.
  • Half-Lay Front Lever: An easier variation with the lower back and hips extended and the knees flexed 90 degrees.
  • Front Lever Pull-ups: An advanced variation where you perform pull-ups (rows, technically) in the front lever position.

How to perform Front Lever:

  • Setup: Grip the bar around shoulder width apart and arms fully extended, and position yourself under the bar accordingly.
  • Engagement: Keep your arms straight, shoulders retracted and depressed, and lats and core engaged.
  • Entry: Gradually shift your weight on your lats by leaning backward while extending your lower back and hips with knees extended.
  • Hold Position: Hold the position for your desired duration or as long as you can without form breakdown, then stop once your form starts to degrade.
  • Release: Slowly lower yourself down and use your legs to catch yourself.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Deep then Shallow Breaths: Take a deep breath as you go into the position, then take shallow breaths while holding the position at a comfortable interval.
  • Avoid Holding your Breath: Unless what you're doing lasts only a few seconds and you can endure holding your breath without issue, it's advisable to not hold it as this could lead to lightheadedness.
  • Bar Height: If you have access to a low bar, use that instead as it makes the entry into the position easier, hence less energy wasted in the entrance compared to a high bar, thus improving performance.
  • Shoulder Rotation: Maintain external shoulder rotation for shoulder stability and optimal performance.
  • Scapular Position: Maintain depression and retraction of the scapulae for optimal performance.
  • Grip: Grip the bar around the middle of your palms and the base of your fingers, and grip them tighter as you move into the position. As you grip the bar, maintain a slight wrist flexion to better engage your forearm muscles and improve your grip.
    •

    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Repping out the entrance - holding for a second or how long you want, then move back and forth
    • Decreasing the lever - moving your feet closer to your center
    • Using external force for support - resistance bands, a partner, or something
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Holding it for as long as you can
    • Doing it in combination with different variations/exercises - front lever to muscle up / a back lever progression, etc.
    • Adding Resistance - wearing an ankle weight or ask a partner to push/pull your feet down as much as you can resist

      Note: Weight Distribution - the farther you put the added resistance from your center, the harder it becomes
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise