Back Lever Shoulder Pain

Hi, I am working on "Back Lever" but I am experiencing some right shoulder pain, and sometimes my left trap over contracts... I am using a straight bar with my arms facing away grip, and my trap spasms happens when using rings... is it normal to experience this at first? (since I might need some flexibility) or should I drop the back lever to avoid serious shoulder injury? (btw, I'm a newb to gymnastics but have been lifting weights for years, so I have a small discomfort in my right shoulder in the first place, but after back lever I feel a stronger pain.

I am working on the back lever, because coach sommer says in his book that's it's important to achieving the planche, should I work on both back lever and planche progression simultaneously? or back lever then planche?

Better to work planche, then back lever.  Back levers are really rough on your joints, which is why they are good for planche development from a joint preparation perspective.  If you have a full back lever, you can work at maximum intensity on a planche without worrying about your joints.

Best thing to do is scale back your back lever to a german hang.  Do them with your feet supported for at least a couple months.

Since writing BtGB I have come to realize that for beginning adult GST enthusiasts the back lever is too elbow intensive.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Ronald said:

 after back lever I feel a stronger pain.

 

I am working on the back lever, because coach sommer says in his book that's it's important to achieving the planche, should I work on both back lever and planche progression simultaneously? or back lever then planche?

Skip the backlever for now. Believe me, I did alot of backlever training and had the same problem with my right shoulder. This was a couple of years ago when I was doing my own programing and before F1 was out. 

If your end goal is Planch,  Planchleans is what you want to work on. Read this post:

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/5959-scapula-position-for-basic-and-static-exercises/

Or even better get F1 where learning a Planch is all lined out step by step.