Elbow Lever Grip
Now is the time to learn the Elbow Lever Grip and support our weight on only our hands!
Be prepared to spend some extra time on this if you need to, the new hand and body position might take a bit of a toll on you at first!
Standards
LEVEL 1: 3 Sets of 15 Seconds
LEVEL 2: 3 Sets of 20 Seconds
LEVEL 3: 3 Sets of 30 Seconds
Do 3 Sets, holding for as long as you can each time. The levels above are standards you can use to measure your progress. Rest 2-3 minutes between Sets.
If you struggle to hit Level 1 after a few weeks of trying, try using a regression shown below or use an easier variation.
Form Cues
In case you’re struggling with trusting yourself to balance on just your hands, you can gradually get into it more and more by using the Regression below!
Some people might find it painful to press their arms into their abdomen, avoid this by playing around with arm positioning and by inhaling into you stomach before you get into position.
If you’re running into wrist pain with this new position, be sure to warm them up well beforehand!
Tutorial
Get yourself a parallette (or a railing, or a stable chair, table, etc).
Kneel or squat with the parallette right in front of you.
With your shoulders down and forward, press your upper arms and elbows against your abdomen, your elbows should be at around belly button height.
With your palms facing up/forward, lean over the bar in front of you, keeping your elbows pressed against your and your hands underneath them.
Gradually lean forward and take all the weight off of your feet, putting you onto only your hands. This may feel a bit frightening at first, but you should have the necessary strength now!
Hold this position for time. See Standards.
Progression & Regression
To make this exercise harder: Doing this exercise with your thighs a bit further away from the parallette is a good way to make things harder if you’re not quite ready for the next position.
To make this exercise easier: Doing this exercise while keeping your feet lightly on the floor or only lifting one leg can help you ease into the purely hand supported position.