Coach Sommer Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 pwCv1Yjb8MI Front lever pulls are an upper body multi-plane pulling exercise that simultaneously combines pull-up, rowing and static strength elements. In my opinion this movement (and all its evil variations ) is far superior to simple pull-ups and should be a staple in all gymnastic conditioning programs.For someone who is in reasonable gymnastics shape, front lever pulls are primarily a core strength exercise; working every part of the core from the bottom of the sternum to the lowest low abs as well as the lower back. For everyone else, they seem to affect nearly every other part of the upper body as well. The arms cramp from being under constant tension in a bent arm position for most of the time. People with tight shoulders will especially dislike front lever pulls; however front lever pulls are often the very medicine to help address this issue for them. Their shoulder girdle, normally so strong during uni-directional movements like pull-ups, is now pushed far outside its comfort range and forced to be both strong and flexible at the same time.To execute a front lever pull, begin at the top of a pull-up with your chin over the bar. The arms will obviously be fully bent with the body hanging and legs tightly extended. From this position, strive to push your shoulders far back behind your hands as you lift the hips to horizontal. As the body lifts up in the front, the head should be neutral and the back flat with no pike in the hips. The elbows must completely lock each time at the horizontal position. From the front lever position, return the chin over the bar by dropping the hips and pulling back up with the arms. Make sure to fully complete each rep by bringing the feet back directly under you at the end of each rep; do not allow the feet to remain forward when the chin is over the bar. For those who seeking to maximize this movement, it is especially beneficial to attempt to pull the feet slightly behind you at the end of each rep. Rest, or pause, during the set only in the chin-over-the-bar position.Many people will find it quite difficult to maintain a fully extended body, and will seek to allow the body to pike as they lean back into the front lever. This is incorrect and something that you should not permit; the body should remain completely straight and tight at all times. If you continue to have difficulty in maintaining a straight body, try performing the movement a little faster until you have built up the necessary strength.The intensity of the exercise can be increased by either slowing down the movement or adding weight at the ankles. The best weighted front lever pulls I have seen are with an additional 25lb plate hanging on the ankles.Yours in Fitness, Coach Sommer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Smith Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 coach, what about doing front lever pull ups like the adv tuck and straddle lever pull ups in your article or is this a variation/progression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calbear Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Coach,First off, I just received your elite rings, great quality and customer service. Second, Im a big guy ~210 but under 11%BF, still i couldnt possibly pull off a front lever pull right now as described. What is the best way to build up to one?Would lying on the ground and mimicking a front pull movement with a bar and bands be similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langdon0555 Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Coach Sommer's rings are the extreme rings.....isnt this also called an ice cream maker...coach? You could tuck your legs in to reduce the load but use the same motion until you build up your strength...then maybe extend one leg and keep one tucked as the next progression.casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calbear Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 I meant xtreme rings, my apologies. Still, the delivery and quality were great.Even with the tuck variation this is a hard movement for me mainly in terms of stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langdon0555 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Yeah i bought a pair and got them in 2 days..excellent service. You could attach a resistance band to the bar and put your feet in it that could help assist with the body weight...you could then use a weaker resistance band as your strength improves.casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calbear Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Good idea im going to try that ASAP Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langdon0555 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 No worries....i tried it after typing it in here and it works REALLY good actually.casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistol33 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 How should I break up my workouts, now I tend to be doing pulling exercises one day planche traing the next, then abs, then legs once a week and i keep this program upis there a different more effective routine then this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Sapinoso Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Second, Im a big guy ~210 but under 11%BF, still i couldnt possibly pull off a front lever pull right now as described. What is the best way to build up to one?go to the main page, follow the link to articles, read all of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Dawson Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Just wanted to share...I cant currently do a full front lever, i can hold a one leg extended front lever for about 5 secs but found it a challenge and great variation to perform the lever pulls while in the advance front tuck lever... Can anyone enlighten me, is it beneficial to perform the tuck lever pull ups along with the lever pulls or does one preceede the other? thanks, Ricky, London, England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Smith Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 sorry ricky but I'm a little confused as to what you mean. I quote:'is it beneficial to perform the tuck lever pull ups along with the lever pulls or does one preceede the other?'with the first, the tuck lever pull ups do you mean the ones coach describes in the article? and the second do you mean the ones coach suggested in this topic?personally that's what i'm wondering about where do full front lever pull ups (like the ones coach describes in the article) fit in are they sort of the final step? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Dawson Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 Ed X, i think we have the same question.. i missed your post, apologies. I was also wondering if coach could enlighten us, should we be performing both while also working on hititng the front lever... or only perform these pulls when we have the lever under our belt?! thanks, Ricky, London, England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Picó García Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I tried this exercise on bar yesterday and it felt great. I did it before on rings which are more difficult because that movements tends the rings to start balancing forward and backward. I also find that i can hold the front lever during the exercise (just for a little fraction of a second :roll: ) but it seems that it's possible to achieve the FL!!! and also did at slow pace. today i feel the exercise in my sored muscles from abs to upper back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Picó García Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 i feel the exercise in my sored muscles from abs to upper back Very HappyI said that three ago. My back has been really sored (i refear to stiff muscles, i dont know if this is the correct traslation of the spanish word 'agujetas') specially in the low portion of the trapecious. Great exercise, althouth :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 To anybody who could possibly answer my question...sorry if this has already been asked.Can this be done with a tuck/advanced tuck front lever. I just tried it out and it seemed to work, but I could be wrong.Thanks.Jacob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairbob Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Yes, if you cannot do it in a straight body, you can do it in tuck or straddle, single leg, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Alright, I'll start doing these as well in addition to what I'm doing.Thanks blairbob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Sanders Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Can this b done on a door way pull up bar? Not the ones the screwed on but the one where you hook it on the top of the doorway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregor Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Can this b done on a door way pull up bar? Not the ones the screwed on but the one where you hook it on the top of the doorway?Yes, why not?...Just make it shure you wont hit with your head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairbob Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Yes, you can use it with an Iron Gym. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Sanders Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Great! Cause I got like a Everlast pull up bar. I asked cause in the description is said to push away from the bar as you get into the front lever.But this is way hard to do. I can't even do it with the straight legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Sjolin Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 The Coach said in the beginning that if you cannot do it properly, you should do it faster. Does this mean that there should be a hold for a few seconds at the bottom of each rep, or could it be smooth through the whole motion? I can do these in an adv. tuck will little difficulty for about 5x3, I'm wondering if the full one would be better in building the front lever strength as well. Pardon my poorly worded question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squibbs Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 what about doing practicing this on a set of rings? I don't have a pull up bar yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razz Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 what about doing practicing this on a set of rings? I don't have a pull up bar yet.Of course you can do it on rings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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