Back Lever Tutorial - Impressive beginner calisthenics skill

The most impressive calisthenics skill for Beginners - The Back Lever
Check out my Calisthenics & movement App:
www.bergmovement.com/movement...
In the app, you will find a back lever workout (program) with plenty of back lever progressions, as well as specific bodyweight and handstand programs and workouts for many other calisthenics skills.
The back lever is a cool and beginner-friendly calisthenics movement. As well, it is a great bodyweight exercise for building strength and developing that gymnastic body (or calisthenics body if you will).
Whereas you don’t see too many children rocking muscle ups or front levers during play time, the back lever is actually something you may have tried before as a child, messing around on the monkey bars or pull-up bars.
It is one of the most basic calisthenics movements and require much less effort than for example the planche and front lever. Tis isn’t to say it’s easy though, as the back lever does require a lot of preparation and practice.
In this back lever tutorial I will go over some positional cues to keep in mind when learning and training the back lever - in particular I'll cover the correct shoulder positioning, grip variations, and spinal positioning.
As well, I will cover the different back lever progressions you should work through. Finally, I will go over some exercises which will help build strength specifically for the back lever. If you want to learn how to do the back lever, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s go!
Back lever video tutorial - Table of contents
0:00 The Back lever - Your first calisthenics party trick
1:00 Pre-requisite : The German Hang
1:35 What grip variation is best for the back lever
2:20 Body Positioning - Back lever form cues
5:52 Back Lever Progressions from easier to harder
8:35 Dynamic Repetitions For Improving your Back Lever
9:18 Back Lever Core Strength
10:33 back lever program and workout
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[@georgeb9285]

In my personal experience that scapula protraction and kinda thoracic flexion is what absolutely boosted my performance in back lever . I used only to practice negatives with that kind of retraction banana shape , and I couldn’t hold it at all , but when I switched to that shoulder position you described I achived my full bl for 5 sec . Very useful tip

[@chilljlt]

you're describing my exactly my situation ! Totally get you!

[@alexandredordolo2529]

Exactly the same specially when I train on a bar !

[@funandgainz4691]

Did my first backlever directly after applying your form cues. Trained for it two months before... You are absolutly amazing!!!

[@Sondre_Berg]

Happy to hear that 😊

[@Tas.hasan.]

Today I achieved 10 seconds full back lever. This video helped me a lot. Some tips: 1-Scapula protraction+retraction helps a lot 2- Contracting lower back and glute helps with levelling your body horizontally 3- Doing negatives and filming yourself while doing this helps you to find out at what position you feel horizontal 4- seated leg extensions are good

[@robertb7362]

You are a beast in a good way. I’m not sure why but I haven’t see you before popping as recommended! Glad I found you.

[@emmanuelbenitez9628]

Wow, so cool, that the Back Lever is so akin to the planche, in the protraction, depression, even exercises like the reverse leg raises. So cool, calisthenics is such an holistic sport 🙏🏻

[@assafpeor7879]

thank you!! it was super helpful, especially the tip about the pronated and supinated grip i tried it and manged to get my first 3 sec full back lever hold. love your content :)

[@andreag.8234]

Very cool and precise tutorial, definitely best video for shoulder and forms tip

[@amirrezahoseini4458]

Great Video & Tutorial Man! Keep up the good work & Please create more routines or tutorials for other beginner skills like L-sit to Handstand & Also for Front lever , Dragon flag & mostly on skills that are not covered much like hefesto or Bent arm tuck planch or even different handstand shapes or transitions like Frog to Handstand ! You are killing it appreciate your content it was helpful for me cause I'm currently working On it! Thanks man!

[@TerryFitnessOfficial]

Fantastic content! 👌

[@lokmanaraar7237]

Long time no video Good to have you back Keep it up

[@Sondre_Berg]

heheh, This video was delayed 3 days because there where some issues with the edit discovered last minute and then I went for a hike in the mountains this weekend 😜 I am posting weekly to KZbin these days, so wouldn’t say it’s that long since I posted 😂

[@emrekuslu4418]

There was a 5 step back lever progression which was easy at first 4, but I have been doing the 5th step for 6 months or more and still can't reach the full back lever. I am definitely going to implement those variations in my workout!

[@Sondre_Berg]

Let me know how it goes 😊

[@lamdaviddavid737]

Thanks for sharing good looking skill

[@gcy1112]

I just got my wide straddle back lever 3 days ago, will leave the comment again when I get my first full lever.

[@freehatespeech6804]

he forgor 💀

[@nikolaus6462]

Thanks for your Video, with your tipps i was able to do a backlever in one week, lol 😅

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

Thank you Sondre! Awesome explanation and very clearly and progressively explained!! I have found that the back lever appears to come naturally for me and I don’t struggle much with it however there is the possibility that my form needs improvement based on your tutorial! 🇿🇦

[@Sondre_Berg]

Thanks man 😊 it does come easy to some people indeed. Especially if you have a solid strength foundation already. I’m sure you’ll get the form on point in no time as well👍

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

@@Sondre_Berg thank you! I am struggling abit with Planche and getting a solid handstand for HSPUs but I also gathered I might be trying to achieve too many goals at once. So I want to focus more on the HSPUs and Planche.

[@romseo425]

@@Sondre_Berg Hi ! What strength foundation do you suggest having in order to train for the backlever?

[@Sondre_Berg]

@@romseo425 I believe I talk about the pre requisites in the video which I consider to be going in and out of German hangs 👍

[@RapidBlindfolds]

saying back lever is a 'beginner' skill is such a flex

[@freehatespeech6804]

It's not that a beginner can do it, but it's a beginner skill in that it's a good first goal for a beginner

[@Shadowsthetics]

I can do the straddle after 4 months of training ❤im very proud but i still gotta perfect it….imma work on full now…imma update when i get full😊 Update: Got the full back lever perfectly now...❤

[@nokkamies4988]

some people say BL is advanced and some say it's for beginners :D I personally feel lot more comfortabla end easier to do frontlever

[@RapidBlindfolds]

its intermediate

[@calisthenicsindia8498]

Best

[@prachinahar4191]

Well i am able to get to full one leg back lever comfortably but now having lots of trouble with straddle. Not able to properly activate my glutes and hip extensors. Any suggestions ?

[@nickbroyles6584]

How long do you rest between sets when training calisthenics? How long is a workout session?

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

Sondre, would you advise a depressed 90 degree hold on parallel bars a good progressional option as it does simulate the same horizontal form in the shoulders, back and hips so would you advise this for those who are not quite comfortable in the full back lever position?

[@Sondre_Berg]

Sure, I would consider it to me more difficult actually. It is not uncommon however that people are stronger in their bent arm push-up. The position you referr to is good for the body position part of Back Lever, but only straight arm training will get you there eventually 😅 so consider using a suitable progression that is directly related to the back lever as well😊

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

@@Sondre_Berg thank you! This is helpful because I find I can hold both with relatively the same pressure and feel very similar, however I do find pressing strength seems to be a lot easier than pulling strength which would be needed for the next progression being hefesto??

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

@@Sondre_Berg yes I agree 100%… I personally have a lot more strength in bent arm but working on my straight arm and improving daily. I find transitioning between different moves really helps a lot in making the movement easier by moving to different positions.

[@calisthenicsindia8498]

I got it few weeks earlier and can hold for 8 sec

[@TheZventrapapere]

I have never tried to do this because I'm afraid to fall face to the ground. How would you recommend exiting the position in case we don't have the strength to spin back to the original position?

[@Sondre_Berg]

I’d recommend using a very low bar/rings, so you are just above ground with head when hanging inverted. This way you can easily reach the floor with your feet when you turn over. Then you can build your confidence and go higher as you grow more comfortable 😊

[@sulejmani.]

i'm scared to get into a german hang because i start thinking i'll dislocate my shoulder or something but i need to get rid of the fear.

[@Sondre_Berg]

Start by using it on low bar/rings so that your feet touch the ground. This way you can support the hang with your feet with the amount of force you are comfortable with and gradually work in decreasing the support, eventually doing it without support 😊

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

I will however say that I can not find your app on the apple play store and the link in your description only offers a website without an app option and no trial option either?

[@Sondre_Berg]

You get to download the app after registration through my website. And yes, you need to enter credit card info, but you will not be charged until the 7 days have past😊 You can easily end the subscription in the app before this time of you somehow find that the app does not exceed your expectations 😉

[@epictripsjamesdutoit2245]

@@Sondre_Berg thank you that really helps 😁

[@hobertmasterson8357]

is it camera angle or are your rings uneven?

[@stevenp7991]

Why is pronated grip easier for protraction?? This is not clear

[@Sondre_Berg]

I believe I said it’s due to the shoulder rotation needed for a pronated grip. You need internal rotation of shoulder for the pronated grip and this internal rotation also makes it more natural and easier to protract shoulders :)

[@stevenp7991]

@@Sondre_Berg thanks for the clarification. That's interesting as planche is with an external rotation

[@SirKenneth]

What's your height?

[@leodoescalisthenics714]

what is 10 breath pause?

[@Sondre_Berg]

I allready answered your forum post

[@aaronmcauley-p5s]

Say what you will this dude is a Targaryen

[@dienosorpo]

It feels harder than front lever

[@nofood1]

yup, I can front lever easy but I still cant back lever for sht! but it can only mean one thing, once I unlock the backlever all my other positions will get that much easier, and I will be much much stronger. Lets put that work!!

[@Jaki-]

Is back lever easier than front lever?

[@georgeb9285]

For the most of us it’s significantly easier . I was able to hold a full back lever even with supinated grip on the rings before being able to hold a 5 sec one leg front lever . And I was able to kinda squeeze the bl for 1-2 sec on the bar when I couldn’t even hold an adv tuck front lever

[@nofood1]

@@georgeb9285 im the opposite, front lever came easy to me but I still cant back lever for sht !!! but it can only mean one thing, once I do get the backlever all my other positions will get that much easier, im working on it 😎👊

[@georgepetrou501]

​@@nofood1 How tf did you get front lever easy I don't get it I feel like there is a higher probability that I'll do one arm muscle up than to hold the front lever I swear ;p

[@nofood1]

@@georgepetrou501 Negatives for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

[@user-ls3zd8zf2o]

I hate the back lever