Back Lever a no go

Hey Guys,

I'm having quite a bit of trouble with my back lever.

I've been doing standard tuck for 1 and a half ssc;s, and have a lot of trouble transitioning to advanced tuck (the flat back part is what's troubling me)

I just can't seem to do it, or hold it pretty much at all. I know coach says that back lever is necessary to achieve planche, I'm doing 4x15s sets of tuck planche and am worried I'll have difficulty progressing on that also.

Any additional exercises you guys would recommend? anyone been in the same boat? what helped?

Thanks so much,

Tom.

Have you built up to a 3 x 60 sec hollow hold? (edit: ARCH HOLD)

This is another one of those, 'at the seminar' things, the progression for building up the BL is fleshed out a bit more than in the book. As such its up to a mod to decide how much of that info to let out before the 2nd edition of the book is released, but the above is one of the pre-reqs that has been let out already.

The idea is once you've gone thorough the pre-reqs doing the actual BL should come relatively quickly.

Build to 3x60s arch hold (not sure if this is what Mr. Brady meant..) with little rest while putting BL work on maintenance and then do another SSC.

For the hollow hold, are we supposed to raise our arms to create a shape similar to a handstand? Or is it optional?

phken4343 said:

For the hollow hold, are we supposed to raise our arms to create a shape similar to a handstand? Or is it optional?

Doing the hands above your head makes it harder, and is ideal. I would do it unless it hurts your shoulders.

So I should shoot for 3x60 sec hollow hold for front lever and 3x60 sec arch hold for a back lever? (it's based on my assumptions)

Yes. Ideally though a 60s arch hold should be a piece of cake though a 60s hollow hold will probably be twice as difficult possibly.

Solidifying the german hang and don't expect to be able to do a good BL until you can do at least 5 360 pulls in tuck/pike. Possibly 10. The upper body strength for it more has to do with being able to have a strong ring support.

Redlac,

Are you thinking about actively pulling down on the rings while you hold it? I've noticed some people while doing tucked bl just hang on their arms and lower their body. So make sure you are pulling down on the rings and activating your shoulders.

Dillon

Hi,

Doing 360 pulls (tucked or whatever variation that suits you) helped me alot. These will force you (like Dillon said) to pull down

On the rings.

RwnlIPq_7A4

I second or third the 360 pulls, I used to just hang in the tuck BL while sorta resting on lats, then I learned to push down on rings and I could do straddle right away