German hang

A hang behind the bar with your shoulders in deep extension that gradually gets the shoulders, chest and biceps tendons used to the position — the first preparation step for the back lever.

How to do it

1. 01Use a low bar at about chest height: squat beneath it and grip it overhand, shoulder-width apart, with straight arms.
2. 02Tuck your knees, lift your hips and pass your legs through between your arms, then lower yourself very slowly behind the bar.
3. 03Rest your feet on the floor behind you to take some of the weight, and let your shoulders open backward until you feel a clear stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.
4. 04Keep your elbows straight and your shoulders lightly engaged, pulled down away from your ears, and breathe slowly throughout the hold.
5. 05Exit the way you came in: tuck your knees, lift your hips and bring your legs back through to the front slowly.

Common mistakes

• Dropping or bouncing into the position — enter very slowly and never bounce at the bottom.
• Hanging your full body weight too soon — keep your feet on the floor to take some load and reduce the help gradually over weeks.
• Holding through sharp pain at the front of the shoulder or in the elbow crease — a stretch is fine; sharp pain means come out at once and go less deep.

In the Back lever progression

1. 1German hang
2. 2Skin the cat
3. 3Tuck back lever
4. 4Advanced tuck back lever
5. 5Straddle back lever
6. 6Full back lever

Standard to move on: 3 sets × 20s, two sessions in a row.