How to do the Back Lever Hold
- Hang from the bar with your arms fully straight.
- Rotate backward, passing your legs between your arms.
- Lower until your body is face down and horizontal.
- Hold a rigid line with elbows straight and legs together.
- Bring your legs back through your arms to exit.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip and arms fully straight.
- Raise your legs and rotate backward, passing them between your arms until you hang upside down.
- Lower your legs behind you until your body is face down and horizontal under the bar.
- Keep your elbows straight and your arms behind your body throughout the hold.
- Tighten your stomach, squeeze your glutes, and keep your legs straight and together.
- Hold a rigid line from head to heels without letting your hips sag or bend.
- Exit by raising your legs back through your arms and lowering into a full hang.
Common mistakes
- Bending the elbows during hold
- Letting hips drop below shoulders
- Arching the lower back
- Bending at the hips to shorten the body
- Bending the knees to shorten the lever
- Using swing to enter position
Form cues
- Keep elbows straight
- Squeeze legs together
- Squeeze glutes hard
- Keep body in one line
Quick answers
What muscles does the Back Lever Hold work?
Primary: Front delts 9/10, Lower chest 8/10. Also works: Biceps 7/10, Abs 6/10, Lower back 6/10, Glutes 5/10.
When should I do the Back Lever Hold in a workout?
Accessory. Goes after the main lifts. ≈ 6 min with rest.
How many sets and reps of the Back Lever Hold?
Strength: 4–6 sets of 5–10 reps, rest 2 min 30 s, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–5 sets of 10–20 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–30 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 3 reps in reserve.
