Just got my first Front Lever

[dawn16]

@getips Good to know the front lever takes so much work... I'm very new to BWF and can do maybe 6 pullups.

Now I feel a lot better about not being able to do the front lever. Looks like I have a long road ahead of me.

 

[00_mary]

@getips I did a lot of other training as well, but always after my FL work. Weighted dips, dead lifts, pushups, standing shoulder press. Should say that I have dragon flags nailed. Without doubt if you don't have a good strict form dragon flag then a FL will be beyond you. I train 6 days a week.

 

[getips]

@00_mary Thank you very much. I haven't tried a DF, I'll have to look into those.

 

[bibbigo]

@00_mary Very nice effort and strength!

Can you do the previous progression, the straddle FL, without piking and straight arms? You focus on straight arms at all times during any FL progression, and the piking is just going to be a limitation of tension and overall strength.

Some observations and feedback which may help you:

1. Your grip looks like you are rolling your wrist over the bar too much, consider a more straight uncrooked wrist. You may also benefit from having your thumb on the other side and gripping the bar hard to engage your forearm muscles more.
2. You have bent arms from the initial pull and do not straighten them when you get into the FL. Maybe you can start from an inverted hang, with straight arms, which will not be completely vertical with the bar, so maybe -15 deg, and then lock in your straight body form and lower to the FL slowly and hold it at horizontal? The other way is to kick up to the FL horizontal and then extend the legs and lock in the body horizontally. You may need to kick up slightly above horizontal and then extend the legs and lower slightly to horizontal.
   
3. Your legs are straight and toes pointed, so that's good form!
4. You are piking from the initial FL hold, so you may need to ensure you have a neutral scapula and increase your body tension to get body alignment. Engage all of those back and leg muscles at once!

 

[00_mary]

@bibbigo I didn't bother with the straddle FL as I don't have the flexibility to warrant it.

The bar is a bit to wide to allow a wrap round grip. I'll try it on a smaller diameter bar and see if that helps.

I always try to pay attention to having straight arms when go through the progressions. This was the first time I'd tried a full FL for about 2 months so was a bit surprised to get it. I haven't therefor had time to finesse the move. Hoping to concentrate on the piking and arm bend over the next couple of weeks and hopefully sort them both out. Or am I being a bit optimistic?

Like most body weight moves it's a work in constant progress!

 

[bibbigo]

@00_mary

I always try to pay attention to having straight arms when go through the progressions. This was the first time I'd tried a full FL for about 2 months so was a bit surprised to get it. I haven't therefor had time to finesse the move. Hoping to concentrate on the piking and arm bend over the next couple of weeks and hopefully sort them both out. Or am I being a bit optimistic?

You have accomplished a lot so far. I think you should focus on straight-arms at all times. Try it again on full rest and focus specifically about keeping those arms straight and locked out. I don't know if that is a limitation of your SA strength or merely mental. Try it and you'll know straight away.

Honestly, the piking suggests there is a lack of back strength, or maybe other things going on, which can take much longer than a couple of weeks to get "stronger." Frankly, it may be optimistic. For me to go form 5-6 sec Full FL to ~9 sec was A LOT of back strength conditioning which took months since I know that was my weak link. Good luck, and post another form check with more updates when you're ready.

My Front Lever Library is from early this year, and I see some of those are dated and not my current progressions, but you may find it helpful to you. I can now do 3.5 Hang Pulls to Inv and Lowers to Hang!! Online I show only 1.25 reps - barely!

 

[littlemiracle7]

@00_mary That is plain amazing! Keep up the great work, that is the most motivating results I have seen for a very long time!!

 

[rfoobs]

@00_mary First of all, the fact that you just pull into like that without losing shape at all is very, very impressive.

Once you learn a little more about the shoulder control, which is really easy to learn by entering into a flat tuck from the top of a mostly-retracted pull up, you will have a really good FL!

You are most of the way there.

 

[bonzodipianura]

@00_mary Good job, of course the form isn't perfect but that's still some impressive strength!

 

[lambofgod83]

@00_mary Awesome!

 

[thongcongnghetcucre]

@00_mary Kudos

 

[hello_there]

@00_mary Congratulations! I love seeing people continue to grow and better themselves no matter their age.

Some people act like past their 20s or 30s they might as well stop trying in life because it's all downhill.

 

[00_mary]

@hello_there To paraphrase the US big wave surfer Laird Hamilton, it's not that people are too old to exercise but rather they are old because they DON'T exercise. Firm believer that as we age exercise becomes more important. Just as there are a lot of out of shape 60 year olds there are also a lot of out of shape 20 year olds. Best not to find yourself there. I've always run, mountain biked, rowed, played squash, football, back packed and worked out.

 

[acorn324]

@00_mary Inspiration for 60 year olds everywhere.

 

[dawn16]

@00_mary Get into the position from inverted hang, much easier. You are a beast!

 

[esterlyn]

@00_mary Nice! And inspiring. Your dragon flags are solid as well.

Here is my front lever progress so far:

Front lever attempts today.

"Lat swings" three months ago.

Incidentally, due to the lats work I got high, chest-to-bar pullups for reps for free (I was able to do singles only before).

So, how are your high pullups then? And muscle ups?

 

[00_mary]

@esterlyn False grip chest to bar holds for about 15 seconds. Trying to get a strict false grip muscle up as I don't seem to have the coordination for any kind of kipping mu. Haven't quite got the strength (yet) for the transition on the slow mu.

 

[theworrywart]

@00_mary Would you by chance work at a ymca in ky?

 

[00_mary]

@theworrywart Not sure where ky is - is that in the Kentucky in the US?

Anyway not from there. Placed called Haslemere about 40 miles outside of London UK

 

[dcb22]

@00_mary This is so damn impressive!! And gives me hope for my own future!! Keep it up!!