This is the natural partner to the planche, and uses primarily the upper body 'pull' muscles as opposed to the upper body 'push' muscles used by the planche. You need a horizontal bar (or gym rings!) at least at waist height and at least as wide as your shoulders for this. The front lever has a number of progressions - too many to show in the videos - so I show the easiest and the hardest. The easiest form, the tuck front lever is not too hard. Also included are some links to good tutorials where all the intermediate progressions can be seen.
Tuck Front Lever
This is not the greatest form, but it gets to the point and shows how my tuck planche looked when I got started. I suggest looking at some of the tutorial links to get an idea of the perfect form.
Full Front Lever
...and here's where we're aiming to get to. I picked this video because once again, it gets to the point - but it also illustrates that you can really improvise! It's pretty clear that this dude has spent so much time practising his front lever that he had no time to tidy his bedroom.
Dragon Door: tutorial on progressing through the front lever and planche. PowerAthleteMag.com: tutorial on progressing through the front lever.... Read more
The video shows me using barbell plates to create a defined point I can lower my head to. This makes it easier to gauge progress. You can use anything you like - you may prefer to find something softer if you are not confident about lowering yourself slowly!
I think this exercise, strictly speaking, should be done using gymnastic rings. I will find a video of this being done, but for now am focusing on the version that uses a bar, since that is what I do.
Using a Bar
This is the basic form using a bar - he does swing a little bit, but not enough to classify this as a 'kipping' muscle up (see lower down.)
Jump-Assisted Using a Bar
I don't have a video of this, but essentially this involves standing on a box under a bar and jumping into the movement so I can provide additional momentum to allow me to perform the muscle up. By reducing the size of the box, then the extent to which I rely on a jump, I hope to progress towards the unassisted version.
Swing-Assisted, Uneven Muscle Ups Using a Bar
This was how I achieved my first muscle up - by swinging and then doing an uneven muscle up so that my strongest arm took priority. In other words, I just did my damnedest to get up there. Now I can work backwards from here and try to tighten up the form.
Partial
These are a lot like dips - you start in the normal end position - arms straight. Find a wall or other platform and then get yourself into the position as if you had just done a successful muscle up on it. Then lower yourself as far down as you can go whilst still comfortably then pushing back to the straight-armed position. To progress, increase the depth to which you go before pushing up.... Read more
The headstand is a basic gymnastic move. There are different variations - I have seen a number of videos showing a yoga version where you rest on your elbows. For now I am posting this single video of the basic headstand because it most closely approximates my approach and I have not yet attempted any other types.
Basic Headstand
This can be done with a wall for support or at least to catch you if you over-balance. You can also move into a and out of the headstand much more slowly - after a few consecutive slow headstands you can certainly feel it on your lower back and shoulders from the effort of stabilising.
I have not seen this elsewhere, so I have invented a name for it. No video yet - will have to take one of myself doing it.
It's a combination of a hanging leg raise and the tuck front lever. You hang from a bar as if you are going to do a tuck front lever. Slowly move into the tuck front lever by raising your legs. I can only do this if I tuck my knees tightly to my chest. Hold the tuck front lever for a few seconds, then straighten the legs and angle them so they are at an upwards angle of 45 degrees to the horizontal, then lower them as slowly as possible. It should get really hard as they approach horizontal - if you can hold them there for a while before lowering completely, then great. I cannot!... Read more
This is a gymnastics exercise. It's a great way to build front upper body strength but can be hard to master. The frog stand is the most basic form, shown here in this video. I will soon post more videos and links to articles that describe how to advance through the progressions.
Frog Stand
Dragon Door: tutorial on progressing through the front lever and planche.
Dragon Door: tutorial on planche for if you are making no progress!... Read more
