The front lever seems to be defeating gravity and is definitely one of the most spectacular calisthenics skills. Originally, this exercise derives from professional gymnastics but with calisthenics, the front lever has become a part of the street workout culture. To start training for the front lever you only need a regular pull-up bar that can be found for example in calisthenics parks, in the gym, or even on playgrounds. Beginners are often a little clueless when it comes to learning the front lever since it already requires a lot of strength to hold the position for even a second which is why you need progression exercises to learn the front lever. Those are exercises that demand the body in a very similar way as the actual front lever slowly increasing the intensity from progression to progression.

If you are not able to hold the first of the progressions below for at least 7 seconds with good form it is better to firstly build a strength foundation with basic body weight exercises. The front lever demands the abdominal muscles, the lats, and the rear deltas and it requires an excellent body tension. To train those muscles body weight rows, regular pull-ups and hanging leg raises are ideal. Once you can perform 15 pull-ups and 10 hanging leg raises with perfect form you should be able, to begin with the front lever progressions.

Tuck front lever
Starting in a hanging position you pull up your legs and try to move the knees as far to the chest as possible. The arms remain straight and the upper body should be parallel to the ground.

Advanced Tuck
From the tuck front lever position you slowly move your knees forward until they are 90 degrees above your hips. Thereby the leverage will be increased which makes this progression significantly more difficult.

Negative repetitions
You start hanging from the pull-up bar in a straight line with your head down and feet up. Now you slowly try to lower your feet while maintaining the body tension. In the beginning, you will drop quite quickly but try to slow it down more and more by contracting the back and the shoulders.

Straddle front lever
From the advanced tuck front lever, you now need to fully extend your legs. But unlike the full front lever, you spread the legs in the air. But still, the body has to be held in a straight line.

Full front lever
Once you are able to hold the straddle front lever for 10 seconds, you can attempt to hold the full front lever for a few seconds. Just close your legs, so that the whole body forms a straight line.

In general, you should always keep in mind to hold your arms straight while also flexing your legs and glutes to achieve a good front lever form. Furthermore, it is important that the training always has enough volume which is why you shouldn’t move to a harder progression too early. If you are only able to hold the position for a few seconds rest for 1 minute and attempt it again. That way you will still be able to complete enough repetitions which makes you progress faster. Furthermore, it is advisable to continue with a regular back workout after the front lever progressions. Especially weighted pull-ups are an excellent exercise for building strength for the front lever.