# Front Lever Raise

A hanging bodyweight exercise where your straight body rises to a horizontal front lever and lowers, elbows straight throughout. Used by advanced athletes to build straight-arm pulling strength.

- Expert · Compound
- Equipment: Pull-up bar
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/front-lever-raise/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/front-lever-row/

## Muscles worked

- Lats: 10/10
- Upper back: 8/10
- Abs: 7/10
- Biceps: 6/10
- Glutes: 5/10

## How to do the Front Lever Raise

1. Hang from the bar with an overhand grip, arms straight.
2. Extend your arms fully and keep your body straight from shoulders to ankles.
3. Keeping your elbows straight, raise your whole body until it is horizontal.
4. Slowly return to the starting position with straight arms, controlling the movement.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Start from a full hang with your elbows fully extended and an overhand grip on the bar.
2. Set your shoulders down and back while keeping your body straight from shoulders to ankles.
3. Keep your elbows straight throughout so only your shoulders move.
4. Tighten your stomach and glutes hard to keep the hips from sagging or piking.
5. Pull your straight arms down toward your hips so your whole body rises as one unit.
6. Rise until your body is at least horizontal, facing the ceiling.
7. Lower your straight body under control until you return to a full hang.

## Common mistakes

- Hips dropping below lever line
- Piking at the hips
- Kipping into each rep
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Bending the elbows to pull

## Form cues

- Keep hips level
- Keep elbows straight
- Keep knees straight
- Keep shoulders down
- Move as one piece

## How much to do

- **Strength** (best fit): 4–5 sets of 1–5 reps · rest 3 min · 1–2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps · rest 2 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Machine**: [Seated Machine Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-machine-row/), [Seated Cable Row (Close Grip)](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-cable-row-close-grip/)
- **Dumbbells**: [Bilateral Dumbbell Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-bilateral-row/), [Renegade Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/renegade-row/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-row/)
- **Barbell**: [Barbell Underhand Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-underhand-row/), [Meadows Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/meadows-row/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Suspension Trainer Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-row/) — 50% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Single Arm Dumbbell Row](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-single-arm-row/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Front Lever Raise — 140% of bodyweight**

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Front Lever Raise work?

Primary: Lats 10/10, Upper back 8/10. Also works: Biceps 6/10, Abs 7/10, Glutes 5/10.

### Which joints does the Front Lever Raise load?

Shoulder: high, Elbow: moderate, Hip: low, Wrist: low. Shoulder — lighter options: Barbell Bent Over Row, Single Arm Dumbbell Row, Seated Machine Row.

### When should I do the Front Lever Raise in a workout?

Second big lift. Goes after the main lift, while there is still energy for heavy work. ≈ 13 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Front Lever Raise?

Strength: 4–5 sets of 1–5 reps, rest 3 min, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, rest 2 min, 2–3 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Front Lever Raise?

Machine: Seated Machine Row, Seated Cable Row (Close Grip). Dumbbells: Bilateral Dumbbell Row, Renegade Row. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Row. Barbell: Barbell Underhand Row, Meadows Row.

### What is an easier version of the Front Lever Raise?

Single Arm Dumbbell Row (Beginner), Suspension Trainer Row (50% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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