Straddle back lever

A back lever with both legs straight and spread wide, body horizontal and face down — a late step that demands strong straight-arm shoulders, chest and lats plus a solid lower back and glutes.

How to do it

1. 01Hang from the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and lock your elbows.
2. 02Rotate backward into an inverted hang, then lower slowly into a tuck or advanced tuck back lever.
3. 03Straighten both legs and spread them wide — the wider the straddle, the easier the hold.
4. 04Squeeze your glutes and abs, extend your hips and point your toes so your shoulders, hips and legs sit in one horizontal plane.
5. 05Hold for a few clean seconds, then tuck back in, lift your hips to the inverted hang and rotate slowly back down to the hang.

Common mistakes

• Piking at the hips — squeeze your glutes to extend your hips in line with your torso.
• Legs sinking below horizontal — widen the straddle or go back to the advanced tuck.
• Arching the lower back — brace your abs and pull your ribs in.

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: 4 sets × 10s, two sessions in a row.