@blackeroni Short answer? No. The front lever is mainly felt in the upper back (latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, etc), chest and core (although you do feel it in your legs somewhat). It will help your arms as a whole unit, for sure, but it doesn't target biceps like a back lever (it's sort of like a lat pull down on a cable machine).
Lots of fun to learn though, and the strength you get from it is well worth the effort put in.
@jrk987 Always do over grip (by which I mean knuckles over the bar...so elbows up). This stresses the biceps tendon more and prepares your arms for more rigorous training.
I'd say they're about the same difficulty, but knuckles under keeps you from getting that sweet sweet tendon strength.
@jrk987 This was filmed quite a while ago. Since then I've learned better and have gotten stronger. I'll have to film another set to show what I mean.
@jrk987 I checked it again, and I think we got our terminology confused; to do it properly, assume a chin-up grip and then pull your legs through your hands.
@ronaldvdvoorst Not by itself, but it's a great tool to help along. The back lever especially since it strengthens the biceps tendon, and the front lever because of the sheer force it takes to perform. But if you want big arms (and who doesn't?), I'd say do a mix. Definitely throw these in though.
So today I tried the back lever. It's hard! I couldn't keep my body straight for even a second.lol I just rolled right down. I tried it on the rings. I think that's going to be my goal by summer. :D
@Anhslaught Go slow, start in a tuck and extend the position every two months. It sounds like a real pain in the ass (and it is), but it trains your tendons to get really strong. Although, having strong biceps, chest and back aren't a bad idea either. ^^
Not very long! I actually was trying to hold it up but that's where the hard part was. I think maximum 2 seconds is how long I can hold it up. I never really paid attention to the time. I'm also pretty short so it might be easier for me than you tall people. :)
Ill try and do the back lever today! It looks really scary to do.lol
@Anhslaught It is easier for short people, but it's still difficult. For reference, on a good day I can hold a straddled front for about 5-7 seconds with good form (a marked improvement over what's in the video. I should really update). It only counts if you have perfect form, though, but since you're a rock climber strength's probably not an issue.
With the back lever, be careful. It works your tendons mostly, so even if your muscles are strong, it's really easy to hurt yourself. Good luck!
Is back levers really easier than the front? Back looks really hard. I can do the front lever and just learned what it was called today. I didn't even know it was an excercise lol
@Anhslaught They're easier since they're more of a technique based skill rather than strength (although you still have to be pretty strong to do them). And even if you've never done one before but are strong enough to, it's a very good idea to start at the beginning to condition your elbows since it's so easy to hurt yourself doing them.
Congratulations on the front lever, though. Do you have a video of it?
Nope, I don't post videos online. :) I was just doing it for fun at the gym. I do rock climbing and I saw someone doing it so I copied him. Just curious though, what muscle does it work out? I don't feel it much in my abs or anywhere. Mostly just feel the lock off strength in my arm. I can do 5 slow ones max.
@Anhslaught If you're a rock climber, then you probably have a good chance of being able to hold a proper one (Jim Holloway was the only other person my size to have been recorded holding a full layout front lever, and he was a rock climber). If you do it correctly? All of them. Core and upper back activate to keep you up, lower back to keep you flat, legs to keep you from piking...the six fundamental positions are wonderfully efficient exercises. How long do you hold these for when you do them?
@86mhassani Back lever is much easier than the front, and pretty much everyone I talk to (that trains like this) agrees it's one of the first that must be mastered.
I have a full layout now, and fixed the bend in the hips from the front (though I'm still on the same position).
Thank you for the kind words, and good luck with your training.
I don't train the planche. I work on a lot of handstand pressing though. For planche there aren't really any supplementary exercises except for Coach mentioning that the back lever is a prerequisite. But you can do a variety of psuedo planche pushups like with your feet against the wall and on rings with your feet supported lower down and once lowered lift the feet up so basically a bent arm planche.
Yea front lever is a long road still can't believe it's A level now. Back Lever I had within months (palms facing forward), front lever is over a year journey now but Coach Sommer's book has helped immensely.
@typhoon535 I really should update this (almost a year since it was recorded). So close to a full layout on the back, and the hollow in the front position has been fixed.
How close are you to the planche, by the way? Any good supplementary exercises that Coach Sommer doesn't mention?
That's pretty good you almost got it. The back lever is a huge pain for me can barely hold a close tuck but the front lever for me is easier I have a half lever for that one, everyone is different I guess.
How much of a strain do you feel on your bicep tendons when you do the back lever?
I don`t have weight but will front lever increase my bicep strength more than a curl would
blackeroni 4 months ago
@blackeroni Short answer? No. The front lever is mainly felt in the upper back (latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, etc), chest and core (although you do feel it in your legs somewhat). It will help your arms as a whole unit, for sure, but it doesn't target biceps like a back lever (it's sort of like a lat pull down on a cable machine).
Lots of fun to learn though, and the strength you get from it is well worth the effort put in.
PrivChurch 4 months ago
is doing an over grip or under grip more challenging when performing the back lever?
jrk987 7 months ago
@jrk987 Always do over grip (by which I mean knuckles over the bar...so elbows up). This stresses the biceps tendon more and prepares your arms for more rigorous training.
I'd say they're about the same difficulty, but knuckles under keeps you from getting that sweet sweet tendon strength.
PrivChurch 7 months ago
@PrivChurch Then why r u doing an under grip in this video???
Over grip is when your wrists face you, under grip is when your wrists face against you.
jrk987 7 months ago
@jrk987 This was filmed quite a while ago. Since then I've learned better and have gotten stronger. I'll have to film another set to show what I mean.
PrivChurch 7 months ago
@jrk987 I checked it again, and I think we got our terminology confused; to do it properly, assume a chin-up grip and then pull your legs through your hands.
PrivChurch 7 months ago
Is it true that this is one of the best exercises for getting big arms?
ronaldvdvoorst 8 months ago
@ronaldvdvoorst Not by itself, but it's a great tool to help along. The back lever especially since it strengthens the biceps tendon, and the front lever because of the sheer force it takes to perform. But if you want big arms (and who doesn't?), I'd say do a mix. Definitely throw these in though.
PrivChurch 8 months ago
Is it true that this is one of the best exercise to get big biceps?
ronaldvdvoorst 8 months ago
So today I tried the back lever. It's hard! I couldn't keep my body straight for even a second.lol I just rolled right down. I tried it on the rings. I think that's going to be my goal by summer. :D
Anhslaught 1 year ago
@Anhslaught Go slow, start in a tuck and extend the position every two months. It sounds like a real pain in the ass (and it is), but it trains your tendons to get really strong. Although, having strong biceps, chest and back aren't a bad idea either. ^^
PrivChurch 1 year ago
Not very long! I actually was trying to hold it up but that's where the hard part was. I think maximum 2 seconds is how long I can hold it up. I never really paid attention to the time. I'm also pretty short so it might be easier for me than you tall people. :)
Ill try and do the back lever today! It looks really scary to do.lol
Anhslaught 1 year ago
@Anhslaught It is easier for short people, but it's still difficult. For reference, on a good day I can hold a straddled front for about 5-7 seconds with good form (a marked improvement over what's in the video. I should really update). It only counts if you have perfect form, though, but since you're a rock climber strength's probably not an issue.
With the back lever, be careful. It works your tendons mostly, so even if your muscles are strong, it's really easy to hurt yourself. Good luck!
PrivChurch 1 year ago
Is back levers really easier than the front? Back looks really hard. I can do the front lever and just learned what it was called today. I didn't even know it was an excercise lol
Anhslaught 1 year ago
@Anhslaught They're easier since they're more of a technique based skill rather than strength (although you still have to be pretty strong to do them). And even if you've never done one before but are strong enough to, it's a very good idea to start at the beginning to condition your elbows since it's so easy to hurt yourself doing them.
Congratulations on the front lever, though. Do you have a video of it?
PrivChurch 1 year ago
@PrivChurch
Nope, I don't post videos online. :) I was just doing it for fun at the gym. I do rock climbing and I saw someone doing it so I copied him. Just curious though, what muscle does it work out? I don't feel it much in my abs or anywhere. Mostly just feel the lock off strength in my arm. I can do 5 slow ones max.
Anhslaught 1 year ago
@Anhslaught If you're a rock climber, then you probably have a good chance of being able to hold a proper one (Jim Holloway was the only other person my size to have been recorded holding a full layout front lever, and he was a rock climber). If you do it correctly? All of them. Core and upper back activate to keep you up, lower back to keep you flat, legs to keep you from piking...the six fundamental positions are wonderfully efficient exercises. How long do you hold these for when you do them?
PrivChurch 1 year ago
I am finding the back lever progression to be far easier than the front lever.
Very slow but constant improvements is a good thing though and I'm enjoying the journey. Great progress on your part keep it up.
86mhassani 1 year ago
@86mhassani Back lever is much easier than the front, and pretty much everyone I talk to (that trains like this) agrees it's one of the first that must be mastered.
I have a full layout now, and fixed the bend in the hips from the front (though I'm still on the same position).
Thank you for the kind words, and good luck with your training.
PrivChurch 1 year ago
I don't train the planche. I work on a lot of handstand pressing though. For planche there aren't really any supplementary exercises except for Coach mentioning that the back lever is a prerequisite. But you can do a variety of psuedo planche pushups like with your feet against the wall and on rings with your feet supported lower down and once lowered lift the feet up so basically a bent arm planche.
typhoon535 1 year ago
Yea front lever is a long road still can't believe it's A level now. Back Lever I had within months (palms facing forward), front lever is over a year journey now but Coach Sommer's book has helped immensely.
typhoon535 1 year ago
@typhoon535 I really should update this (almost a year since it was recorded). So close to a full layout on the back, and the hollow in the front position has been fixed.
How close are you to the planche, by the way? Any good supplementary exercises that Coach Sommer doesn't mention?
PrivChurch 1 year ago
That's pretty good you almost got it. The back lever is a huge pain for me can barely hold a close tuck but the front lever for me is easier I have a half lever for that one, everyone is different I guess.
How much of a strain do you feel on your bicep tendons when you do the back lever?
typhoon535 1 year ago
@typhoon535 I don't really feel a lot of strain (there is some, don't get me wrong), but it's not as uncomfortable as it was.
Still trying to get a working straddled front (working up to 75% bodyweight pull ups). Man is that a hard bridge to gap.
PrivChurch 1 year ago