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The elbow lever is a calisthenics skill that you can learn in less than one day! This move looks more difficult than it actually is and it can be one of those impressive party tricks up your sleeve that will get everyone wowed up!
The elbow lever is one of the three calisthenics skills beginners can learn at home. It is a skill that involves holding the body in a horizontal position above the ground by resting on the elbows. Think of it as a balance scale, your arms act as the stand while your upper and lower body acts as two load trays. Read on to learn how to unlock this skill in three simple steps.
Before you begin, make sure that you do a proper warm-up, especially your wrists as most of your body weight will be resting on them. Spend 5-10 minutes getting yourself prepped up and you should be ready to go.
When doing an elbow lever, I highly recommend you to either face your fingers opposite to the side or backward towards your feet. This will allow a greater range of motion for you to be able to hold the position more comfortably. Personally, I prefer to have my hands facing the sides as it reduces compressive strains on the wrists while allowing me to correct with the thumbs if I fall forward.
Your elbows should be positioned roughly at the level of the belly button and the edge of the torso. If you find your elbows slipping out to the sides, try positioning the closer to the midline
Elbow Lever Progression
A back lever and a front lever are static holds performed on rings or on a straight bar. Both skills are rated ‘A’ value on the Gymnastics Code of Points, a scale from A to F with F being the most difficult. The elbow lever is not recognized in the Code of Points and I would rate it an A minus.
1. Tucked Elbow Lever
Begin in a push-up position with your fingers facing opposite each other and your legs straddled.
Bend your arms so you gently lower to let your elbows support some of your body weight. Your elbows are approximately at the level of the belly button.
Bend your knees so they rest on the floor to shorten to the lever, followed by lifting your knees off the floor.
Keep constant body tension and hold this progression for 5 seconds.
2. Straddle Elbow Lever
If you can comfortably lift your legs off the floor with your knees bent, then you can progress by getting into a straddle position. This requires more hip extension and core strength as the lever is longer.
Begin in a push-up position with your fingers facing opposite each other and your legs straddled.
Bend your arms so you gently lower to let your elbows support some of your body weight. Your elbows are approximately at the level of the belly button.
Shift your body weight forward until your feet lift off the ground. Squeeze your core and legs to keep body tension.
Hold this progression for 5 seconds.
3. Elbow Lever
Finally, you can progress to the most difficult position by decreasing the leverage and bringing your legs together. In the full elbow lever, your body should form a straight line from head to feet. The body must lean more forward in order to maintain balance (think of a balancing scale!)
Begin in a push-up position with your fingers facing opposite each other and your feet together.
Bend your arms so you gently lower to let your elbows support some of your body weight. Your elbows are approximately at the level of the belly button.
Lean forward until your feet are elevated off the ground. Squeeze your core and legs.
Hold this position for 5 seconds.
Lever Calisthenics
A lever in calisthenics is when you position your entire body in a horizontal position where your torso and legs are parallel to the ground. This requires a high amount of upper body strength, especially in your back, arms, shoulders, and core.
The three main levers are the front lever, back lever, and elbow lever. Lucky for you, I have created a step-by-step guide covering all of the progressions and the correct techniques to unlock them. Check out my tutorials below:
So there you have it, three progressions you can practice anywhere and anytime to unlock the elbow lever. This process is not as long and grueling as you’d expect it to be, right? The appearance of this skill is eye-catching and unique, and it’s not something that people will see every day, so use it to your advantage!
The elbow lever not only improves your balance but also develops full-body strength as you are required to keep constant body tension. If you want to learn exercises that are similar to this, then check out my previously written articles:
As always, thank you for reading, and don’t forget to follow and connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to stay on top of my content. Big love and I’ll catch you next time!
I’m Pat Chadwick, a qualified Level 2 and Level 3 calisthenics coach and certified personal trainer from London, England. I have over six years of experience training students specifically in the art of calisthenics. I’ve competed in various UK competitions, including the Kalos Stenos Championships, where I achieved third place in the lightweight category. My passion is highlighting the beauty of calisthenics as an authentic and pure form of body expression. I believe that everyone has the potential to become a champion of their body and mind, and that calisthenics opens the door to personal empowerment.
