Back Lever

An advanced gymnastic isometric: hanging from a bar, the body is held horizontal and face-down in a straight line, demanding total-body tension through the lats, core, and posterior chain.

How to do it

1. Hang from a bar with an overhand grip and rotate backward through the arms until inverted.
2. Lower the body forward and down until it is horizontal, facing the floor.
3. Keep the arms straight and the whole body in one rigid line from head to heels.
4. Brace the core and squeeze the glutes so the hips and shoulders do not sag.
5. Hold for time, then rotate back up under control.

Tips

• Build up with tucked and one-leg progressions before the full straight-body lever.
• Depress and retract the shoulder blades to protect the shoulders.
• Stay rigid -- any pike or arch collapses the hold.

Muscles

Primary: Erector spinae, Lats

Secondary: Front deltoid, Glutes (max), Abs