[Tim Broughtonshaw]

Hi,
         just reread this thread after getting backinto some front lever work. Not sure if i am overdoing it but i dont seem to be sufering any injuries........(i hope)  in the mornings and evenings im basically having a couple of hangs with 5 minutes between goes. but what i am also doing is to use my old weightlifting straps. which takes out the grip requirement. I did find that trying after a hard forearm workout i couldnt do front levers as well, equally a climbing session may suffer due to trying them. so guessing this is a good idea. suppose strengthening the grip is something which shouldnt be the bottleneck on progression for this exercise so i shouldnt get any determental effects due to cutting the grip element out.  Anyway im back to 45seconds in the advanced tuck position. 

some reading suggests lowering into the lever from inverted is also helpful.  I assume trying this will result in me quickly hitting the deck with my feet as i am unable to hold it. are there any progressions for this worth trying also? ie lowering into a one leg front lever? what is the easiest to start with?

Cheers
Tim

[SteG]

Hi Tim,

Some of the guys at the wall lower in and say it's really helpful. I've tried this method and you don't just spin all the day down, more of a graceful fade from the horizontal 

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

thanks ste, so you have tried with the legs out straight?

hmm wonder what would be a suitable period of sets or time for this? i.e. 5 attempts or a max of x seconds? before/after/instead the advanced tuck. think ill try ,after, tonight.


cheers
Tim

[webbo]

invert i.e get the soles of your feet pointing at the ceiling.bend one leg across the other get your heel as near your groin as you can,lower down to the horizontal.once you can hold this gradually straighten  your bent leg.

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

thanks mate. ill give this a try later. im presuming you alternate which leg is straight and which is bent?

Cheers
Tim

[SteG]

Tim, not both (well i did once and just swung wildly back down, over-rotated and fell off the bar), so far with 1 straight and the other at 90deg at the hip and knee. I usually try and hold for as long as possible for 3-5 sets (or until i loose form). I also mix it up a wee bit by trying good form: fully tucked for longer time periods and different progressions for longer/shorter periods - it seems a bit haphazzard tho, guess I should concentrate a bit more... 

[webbo]

thanks mate. ill give this a try later. im presuming you alternate which leg is straight and which is bent?

Cheers
Tim

no as seem to remember that i quickly progressed to the full lever.although my body shape is fuck all use for climbing it appears to be ideal for levers.
long body, short legs.

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

hmm strange would have thought that your body would try to pivot and thus one side of the body presumably the same side as the extended leg would need to work harder and thus get stronger faster.  anyways ill get stuck into it later on.  super keen to get a front lever nailed.

cheers
tim

[Paul B]

hmm strange would have thought that your body would try to pivot and thus one side of the body presumably the same side as the extended leg would need to work harder and thus get stronger faster.  anyways ill get stuck into it later on.  super keen to get a front lever nailed.

cheers
tim

I'd alternate legs... just like if I was doing mixed grip on deadlifting I'd alternate. It makes sense. Lop sided traps or stomach 

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

cool thanks for the suggestions all.

[webbo]

maybe thats why 30 years later i now have a problem with my abs on the right hand side going into spasm. :wall:doh!

[Nibile]

i finally managed to get some footage. i am at this point now.

this was at the end of the last session, so tired+injured shoulder. i hope one day to be able to do it from dangling, raising my body straight with straight arms. plus the mythical one armed front lever.

[guru]

part animal, part machine and part E.T. 

[Monolith]

A welcome to the guru! 

[Will Hunt]

But who is he? I need to know for my ever growing list of UKB usernames and the real names of the people behind them. Beware, it's growing.

[Nibile]

check the link in his profile, it's his training website, you'll find everything there.

[davej]

looks  like an interesting site may i also add

[GlenB]

Not sure if this ha been mentioned above as got lost in some of the detail.

This is something you can do while at home watching TV.

lie flat on your back.  arms straight out over head.  now fold in half so that you touch your toes with your hands. now slowly, very slowly release back to the floor and repeat.  this should help you leavers.  it helped mine.

doing less with better form is more beneficial than lots really quick and with poor form

Glen

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

As a thought to this thread.

I generally try my front lever progressions in the morning before work. Im currently using the 1minute theory from the olympian bodies article.  Does anyone else who is or has tried and succeeded on the progressions just grab the bar and get stright into it? or is there some form of quick warmup which will get the muscles firing?

was thinking similar to climbing training whereby you seem to recruit more fibres after a progressive warmup and find yourself much stronger into the workout rather than immediately upon starting.

hope this question makes sense?

Cheers
Tim

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

anyone?

[lagerstarfish]

If I'm not already warmed up (I only try f levers when I'm feeling good) I quickly work through a simple progression.

Short rest with shake out in between each exercise

couple of slow pullups, short deadhang off each arm, from 2 arm hang curl knees to chest and back down slowly (couple of times), fully tucked lever (maybe pull up a couple of times in this position), couple of slow L pullups (knees slightly bent and don't let arms go fully straight to avoid funny pull in my back that hurts), couple of icecream maker type lifts without holding the horizontal position.

Couple of minutes rest after that and everything feels good (just done it whilst writing) - time for levers while I wait for coffee to bubble up

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

Thanks lagers, ive been just pulling straight on and doing the advanced tuck for around 45 seconds(counted 1 thousand, 2 thousand etc) then resting for a few minutes and managing about 30 seconds next go, and then going to work. Having already achieved the 1Minute suggested in that dragondoor/olympian bodies article. I suspect i need to warm up similar to you, and try something else in addition if im going to progress.

Tim

[Serpico]

...and try something else in addition if im going to progress.

Tim

We talked about this; you need some quality Cave time -it worked for me.

A.

[Tim Broughtonshaw]

...and try something else in addition if im going to progress.

Tim

We talked about this; you need some quality Cave time -it worked for me.

A.

hmm sounds good. however im finding it difficult to draw myself from the gravitational pull that is the big yorkshire 3 at weekends.


Cheers
Tim