Challenge: Who can do a muscle up to back lever?

Steve said:

I've been thinking about this, and just don't see how shoulders can stay under the rings. How do the hands move back to a lever position without pulling underneath your shoulders. Seems like the muscle up transition has to happen, which of course put your shoulders above your hands (same thing as above the rings).

I don't see that either. The movement seems impossible without the shoulders rising above your wrist (in the video i posted the bottom of the shoulders do not pass the top of the rings, that is why i thought the guy did a good job, as well as Demus).

The image from Sternford is a bit too small, but in my opinion it shows that the shoulders have to pass at least the wrists or else your arms would have to open too much to the sides.

This one really leaves me wondering.

I searched the net but found nothing useful. Even Google Book search brought up nothing.

So, if anybody could provide a sequence like Sternfood's (but bigger) or a video of one with correct form that would be much appreciated.

Gregor, can you be more specific about how far you think the shoulders can/have to go?

I agree, shoulders staying below rings seems... just too beastly. I was just basing my comment off of what Gregor said regarding the shoulder position. That should still put the shoulders next to the wrists, but I dunno... I'm waiting to hear what Gregor says, because watching Demus's video I just don't know how much lower the shoulders can actually go! It looks incredible.

It must not be "visible support" pictures are not allways correct. text is more important then picture. and if you look second picture you will see that shoulders are rising above iron cross wich is deduction...

it is not so hard, there are things more difficult, I tried today and could do ... I have no video to prove it, but who cares...

In order to stop your shoulders from going above your wrists you must be extremely strong throughout the transition. I think what makes the move hard is that you must still be in the transition phase while you're pushing shoulders forward into back lever. Otherwise you're just doing muscle-up, lower back lever, which is what's happening in these videos (still really strong you're doing great Demus!!). I'm talking simply about perfect execution here. Normally lowering from bent arm support to back lever isn't so difficult for me but when I tried this move without going above wrists the lower to back lever became much harder. I believe getting a wide muscle up (rings outside of shoulders during transition) would be a prerequisite to doing this exercise correctly.

I'll play with this and see if I can get one with perfect execution, and then I'll post vid.

Thanks Dillon,

I think now i start getting what one is supposed to do. Up until now i had only seen the movement described from the side (like in the image above) and therefore was under the impression that you have to keep the rings really close to the body during the whole movement. But going through a wide muscle up and transitioning through a cross-ish position would make the prescribed movement (shoulders leveled or below wrist) at least physically possible, though extremely hard.

Looking forward to your clip.

Glad I could help! I'll start working on it.

Demus said:

Ok here's an attempt a muscle up to back lever. I don't train this skill at all and have only done it a few times ever so it's prob far from perfect but I think I could perfect it with some training. Then again maybe I'm not doin it right at all and it's harder then i think :?

Oh well hope this at least gives people an idea

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That just looked inhuman. I don't suppose you get queezy around kryptonite do you....

It's going to be in my routine for may 3rd division nationals so I'll show you guys a video once it's perfected

finally i got it yesterday....from handtstand --> full pesudo maltese --> full back lever!! also MU to BL (passing from full pseduo maltese)

now the next step is......?

now do it with straight arms

for straigth arms is required the maltese?

maybe before i have to learn these movements with false grip...

Here are two of my attempts at it:

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The entry into Back lever isn't perfect; arched on the first and piked on the second. But I think I've got the right muscle-up transition i hope.

That looks really cool!

Before I started to watch, I said to my self here we go again (to high entry start with to much support) BUT I was REALY SUPPRISED Marlon!! GREAT entry start not to high just right! Litlle more work on end lever position and it will be perfect.

Try to hold body line straight and tight like a rock before you end in BL, It seems you are to late and then the force makes you to arch.

I know it's hard to do both good entry start end good entry to BL to end position in BL.

Hey Dillion and Razz, You still thinking about uploading videos of yourselves doing it? I would be very interested to see them

P.S Marlon, :shock:

Thanks Slizz, Gregor and Nweguy

I'm definitely gonna keep working on it every now and then to try and get the entry to back lever perfect, but not too often, just trying it a few times that day fried my biceps

No kidding, that's a TON of eccentric loading!

VERY nice work Marlon! I agree about the biceps, the few times I've tried this I could barely lift my arms for a few days :oops:

If I'm feeling up for it I might give it a few tries on Friday...

Gregor said:

gymgreg said:

This guy does a pretty good MU to BL (at around 2:19)

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To high shoulder must not go above the rings, there should not be any support.

Alright guys, seeing as i'm now a member i'll do one PERFECT for you:D I'll do it tomorrow night and post it up here for your criticism. I find the MU to BL with shoulders above more difficult than below, since my biceps get fully extended from complete contraction, just below puts pressure on the shoulders since I inlocate during.

The catch is, you must not get to support as code of point directs.

Don't be offended!

Gregor said:

The catch is, you must not get to support as code of point directs.

Don't be offended!

I'm not offended man! I like that you are telling me how to perfect it! I wouldn't be satisfied if its not perfect either. Thanks for telling me what to change, so i'll go do it tomorrow night!

Arbitrage said:

Gregor said:

The catch is, you must not get to support as code of point directs.

Don't be offended!

I'm not offended man! I like that you are telling me how to perfect it! I wouldn't be satisfied if its not perfect either. Thanks for telling me what to change, so i'll go do it tomorrow night!

GREAT!

Mr. Arbitrage, have you ever been to UC Berkeley gym? I thought I saw you there earlier this year. I did look at your profile and notice that you hail from Australia but you seem familiar.

Blairbob said:

Mr. Arbitrage, have you ever been to UC Berkeley gym? I thought I saw you there earlier this year. I did look at your profile and notice that you hail from Australia but you seem familiar.

Yeah I recently traveled the states and met the UC Berkeley mens gymnastics team, awesome bunch of guys. Loved the college competition, wish we had something like it in aus! How about you, are you on the team?

Also, didn't get a chance to record MU>BL last night:s I'll record it soon and post it up!