I was in hospital a few years ago, and in the room I didn’t get to train, I’ve been training consistent strength for 24 years. So, it was a bit of a shame not to be able to do more than push-ups, but then you lose strength. Doesn’t really matter if it’s only a few weeks, that wasn’t the point. But I had some time before that again, trained a lot of bodyweight-exercises, and I had trained Front-lever and back-lever, which I almost mastered before I gave up. I figured out that you could do it on the floor, instead of on the bar, so I tried. Hanging from a pole is one thing, but on the floor, it just felt impossible. Do you think this can replace weights for good, you would train all your life and still not manage. Added a picture:
I can do a front lever. I was working on the planche, but changing life circumstances made me switch to a traditional weightlifting routine before I could accomplish it. Both are certainly possible.
I guess I don’t understand your question or point. Is it: those advanced bodyweight movements and poses are tough? If so, sure, I agree.
I also dabbled in advanced calisthenics for years in my 30’s. I learned how to do:
- Strict ring muscle ups
- Bar muscle ups
- Pistol squats
- Front levers
- Strict 1-arm pull ups for reps
- Standing ab roll outs
- L-sit holds
I could never manage a 1-arm pull up or a full-on bridge that was any decent.
If you train calisthenics consistently and with much effort, your physique will be similar to Al Kavadlo (below). Very fit and strong, but a different type of strong than a power lifter.
It usual helps if you are short
But honestly, be sure your strength to weight ratio is amazing. No extra fat (or muscle).
Front and back lever are definitely possible. I started out with a calisthenics base and still frequently do weighted calisthenics in my lifting. Over the past five years I’ve been able to accomplish muscle ups (ring and bar), front lever, back lever, one arm pull ups and chin ups, L-sit, pistol and skater squats, dragon flags, human flags, and a brief full planche when I was a bit leaner and more calisthenics skills-focused. Out of all of those, planche is honestly the hardest (although I never did get the freestanding handstand at all, so maybe that is also the hardest for me as well). My bucket list calisthenics skill is a ten second full planche hold with good form.
Front lever I’ve noticed is pretty dependent on weighted pull up strength and individual leverages–some people seem built for it and some people have such bad anthropometry that their leverages make this extremely difficult…I’m fortunate to be in the former category lol.
No, you start with lying on the floor face down and straight arms next to your body, then you try to lift your body. Like a front lever on bar, but on the floor instead
Sorry if I made myself unclear, you just lie face down on the floor with arms straight next to you, and lift your whole body like on front-lever. If you lied on a bench, maybe you could hold 5 kg in each hand, in that position. So lifting your whole body like that, is like a 5000 % increase in strength
Like this? Now I’m curious because I’ve literally never heard of it and barley could find anything on it online
Hes actually doing it, I didn
t know ether hehe. I thought it was impossbible to do it perhaps