One Arm Elbow Lever Variation

[Timothy Aiken]

I have no idea how to train this move. I can hold a one arm elbow lever well on my right arm and it's getting more consistent on my left arm. 

 

The move I am referencing is at 3:17

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK0itWP2Jn0

 

Any and all advice is appreciated!

 

P.S How do I embed videos...

[Mikael Kristiansen]

That one is not too hard. It is basically works like a queda de rins from capoeira or chair freeze from breaking. You need to stab your elbow in your side, on the outside of your hip bone to find the point to balance it. It can be harder than a crockodile because you need some flexibility in your external rotation, so doing some subscap and pectoral stretches first can help. Basically I would tell you to learn chair freeze/qdr before you get this balance without your head and support arm off the floor, so you get the feeling of where to have the elbow. From there you learn to hold it without the legs on the floor with the support arm and head. Then you learn it by lifting the head from the floor and then remove the support arm. When you start to develop some control there you can place your legs as you want.

 

It isnt really too hard to learn at all and you might get it quite fast if you are flexible in your external rotation. This tutorial might help to undersand the "chair freeze" reference. So put on your sneakers, and get your bboy attitude on haha.

[Timothy Aiken]

Thanks so much! Also on the topic of elbow levers, to train for the straight crocodile do I bring my feet together, arch, and open up my elbow angle? Any tips on this move? I know it's not terribly difficult, but I find myself pitching backward every time.