back lever progressions

[Kenneth Manning]

I've gone through the back lever progressions and achieved an advanced BL tuck for a 60 second hold. From there, I started working straddle BL's, and my first workout went quite well. I was actually amazed I was able to do multiple sets of 10 second holds. Well, the planets must have aligned for me on that day, because my workouts since, I've been struggling to get into position and hold for more than 3 seconds.

Anyway, in today's workout, I performed 4 sets of 10 seconds of what I guess could be called a "half BL straddle." Basically, for each set, I alternated which leg I extended. So, on set one, I lowered into an advanced tuck BL and then extended my right leg, holding my left leg tucked, and held that position for 10 seconds. From there, I just alternated which leg was extended.

Is this a feasible method of progressing? I'm not sure I really see anything wrong with it; however, as it wasn't one of the recommended progressions in the BtGB book, I just want to make sure it's ok.

[Blairbob]

Test your max straddled back lever hold and split in half to use as your work set in the 60s of volume workout.

How long ago was it that you hit the 10s holds?

Have you worked any straight body back lever negatives from invert to as low as you can go and hold. Maybe you can hold the back lever at less than 45 off horizontal?

Have you tried the 1/2 lay back lever position?

[Kenneth Manning]

It was a week and half ago that I hit the 10 second holds on the straddle BL. I posted my current program in another thread, but basically I'm performing a BtGB routine 4 days a week, mon-tues-thurs-fri, and sometimes work some extra technique on saturday (nothing too strenuous).

I've been doing the 4 FSP holds every workout, and move through different planes of movement on the FBE each workout. For example, every workout I'll perform straddle BL's, followed by:

Monday: FL tuck rows (XR)

Tuesday: Inverted curl, tuck (XR)

Thursday: Wide grip L pullups

Friday: some multiplane pulling movement (tuck TOP pulls, etc..)

I haven't really displayed any traditional symptoms of "overtraining," though next week is my scheduled "back-off" week.

I have not tried any straight BL work, but I like the idea of moving from invert to as low as I can and hold. I also haven't attempted the BL half lay, as that progression is ahead of the BL straddle and I haven't come close to mastering that yet.

Obviously, there is a huge difference between holding any version of the BL with the body parallel vs a higher angle, but since you mentioned it, I could probably work a straight body BL to a 45.

[Blairbob]

For me, in levers, core strength is not the issue but pull strength is. I've known some pull strong individuals who got trounced on back lever progressions and such though some of them were also taller individuals.

I don't really like straddle levers as I have the tendency to pike because I straddle big or I just don't. I do like half lay but I don't really like 1 leg tuck and 1 leg extended. It's weird. I'm weird and OCD like that.