Training Progressions for the Front Lever

Last year I focused much of my training on calisthenics / body weight exercises, to master challenging movements like the muscle up, pistol squats, handstand pushups, etc. I found the front lever and the planche to be the toughest calisthenics exercises so far!  My goal is to hold the front lever for 5 seconds.

Kane Sumabat introduced me to this exercise, and after training with him for a few weeks I improved greatly, but I still have trouble holding the position. Here is some footage from one of my workouts with Kane.

Here are a serious of training progressions I used over a period of several weeks to work up to performing the front lever. Where you start and how long it will take you depends on many things, including your current strength and training experience, your height and weight, how often you train, and any injuries you may have (among other factors).

Good luck and train hard! Also keep an eye out for the BodyWeight Hypertrophy program Kane and I will be producing soon, at http://www.ImmortalStrength.com

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My Human Flag Progress

I'm working on nailing the Human Flag for at least 5 seconds each side.
When I do so I will post a tutorial with the progressions I used to be able to perform the Flag.  It's a tough one!

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Quick Lower Body Workout with the Jungle Gym Straps

Jungle Gym Straps

While I was at a conference in LA recently I met another fitness professional, Mey Tseng, from www.ProLegExercise.com , and we started discussing the importance of getting your workouts in while you're traveling or away from the gym. I introduced her to the Jungle Gym straps (I always take them with me when I travel) and we recorded this training footage.... with the help of another talented professional we met there, Leah Bolton, who produced this great video for us! Check out her site at www.LeahBolton.com

Check out the Jungle Gym straps at www.StrapsWorkout.com
We are just about to start a promotion for the Jungle Gym soon as well, so if you want to be part of that remember to sign up for my newsletter on the top left of this blog, or at www.StrongerAndLeaner.com. (You will also get my free subscriber gifts!).

Stay Fit,

Josh

Product Review: Universal Strength Apparatus (USA)

This unique training accessory can take your bodyweight workouts to the next level by introducing a variety of new exercises and challenging exercise variations.  It is similar to the Jungle Gym straps I introduced in an earlier post, but with some unique differences.  Check it out in the video below:




If you want to order your own USA you can pick one up at BodyWeight Culture:

... use this discount code: JH5OFF to get $5 off your order.

Stay Fit,

Josh

BodyWeight Full Body Workout

This video demonstrates a basic full body workout that you can perform without any machines or free weights. I use various training accessories such as the Jungle Gym Straps, the Power Wheel, a chinup bar, and dip bars.

Here is the workout:

Jump squats

3 supersets with:

Supine Hamstring curls using Power Wheel or Exercise Ball

--

Chinups or Pullups

3 supersets with:

Parallel Dips (or bench dips)

--

Single Leg Squat (Pistols) or Step Ups

3 supersets with:

Single Leg Deadlifts

--

Inverted Rows

3 Supersets with:

Pushup variations

--

Pikes using Power Wheel or Exercise Ball

superset with:

Hanging Knee Raises

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Effective BodyWeight Training With the Jungle Gym

As a trainer I’m always looking for ways to improve the quality of the exercise routines for both my clients and myself. I’m also a strong believer in using highly productive, functional exercises, incorporating a lot of bodyweight training, compound movements, and unique training accessories. 

However, when it comes to bodyweight training, many exercises are either too easy or too challenging for many people. So when I first heard about the Jungle Gym straps I was interested.  (Check out my review of this product in the video above).

When many of my clients begin training with me, they are not yet strong enough to perform regular pushups or chinups.  More advanced trainees need a greater challenge than their own bodyweight usually provides. The Jungle Gym exercises can be modified (depending on what angle you are training at) to provide a challenging workout appropriate for fitness enthusiasts at any level.

The Jungle Gym is also an amazing accessory for those who are busy or who travel a lot. You can perform exercises like rowing, strap pushups, and a series of other upper and lower body movements on the road by simply hooking the Jungle Gym up anywhere (on a door, tree limb, or an overhanging bar or beam). The unique “unstable” design challenges you to adapt and stabilize yourself, which also forces you to involve your core muscles. Now anyone can achieve a complete workout on their own, anytime, anywhere.

The Jungle Gym is similar to many other body weight “strap” training systems on the market today (such as the popular TRX), but it sells at a fraction of the price. Overall, the Jungle Gym is an excellent, light weight, convenient training accessory which both my clients and I have been very pleased with.

I now carry this product myself, so if you're interested you can pick one up at Jungle Gym Training.

Stay Fit,

Josh