26d • Training 💪
⚖️ The Elbow Lever: One of the Best First Skills to Learn
If you want one of the first cool calisthenics skills that many people can actually unlock pretty early, the elbow lever is a great choice.
Why?
Because it teaches a lot of important things at once:
• center of mass
• balance point
• body tension
• how to lift your legs behind you
• how to use your posterior chain
• confidence putting weight into your hands
And the best part is that it also leads into other fun skills later, like the croc lever or one arm elbow lever. 🔥
Why the elbow lever is worth learning
The elbow lever is not just a party trick.
It teaches you how to understand where your body weight actually is.
That matters for almost every other skill.
When people first try it, they usually think they need way more strength than they actually do.
Most of the time, the issue is not pure strength.
It is:
• where the elbows are placed
• how far forward you lean
• whether the legs stay active
• whether the body stays tight enough
So this is a really good beginner skill because it teaches balance through position, not just brute force.
What it helps with later
The elbow lever can help you understand:
• how to lean forward without panicking
• how to hold tension through your core and glutes
• how to keep your legs active behind you
• how to use your hands as a balance point
That makes it helpful for later skills like:
• croc lever
• crow pose
• handstands
• planche style leans
• other arm balance skills
How to start working on it
The basic idea is simple:
• hands on the floor
• elbows press into your stomach or hip area
• lean forward
• let the legs become lighter
• lift the feet off the floor
That is the basic concept.
At first, you do not need straight legs.
You do not need a perfect hold.
You just need to start understanding the balance point.
Good progressions
A simple way to progress it is:
• start with your feet still on the floor
• lean forward and feel the elbows pressing in
• bend the knees and just try to make the feet light
• lift one foot for a second
• lift both feet with bent knees
• then work toward straighter legs and longer holds
Another really good trick is to do it on a slightly raised surface.
For example:
• a sturdy bench
• a block
• parallettes
• something that gives your face and legs a little more room
That can make it much easier to understand the position.
Common mistakes
The biggest mistakes I usually see are:
• elbows placed too wide
• not leaning forward enough
• trying to kick the legs up instead of balancing
• body being too loose
• looking too far forward or throwing the head around
• trying to force straight legs too early
A lot of people are actually very close to the skill.
They just are not leaning far enough.
Your legs will not magically float up if your weight is still too far back.
A simple cue
Think:
Elbows in. Lean forward. Get tight.
That alone fixes a lot.
Another good thought is:
Do not try to lift the legs first. Shift your weight first.
That makes a huge difference.
If you feel stuck
If the elbow lever feels impossible, usually it is one of these:
• you are not finding the right elbow position
• you are not shifting far enough forward
• your body is too relaxed
• you are trying to rush straight legs too soon
Start smaller.
Bent knees are fine.
One foot up is fine.
A half second hold is fine.
That is how skills are built.
Final thought
The elbow lever is one of my favorite early skills because it feels cool, teaches a ton, and gives you a fast win.
And those early wins matter.
They build confidence.
They make training more fun.
They show you that bodyweight skills are possible.
👇 Have you tried the elbow lever yet?
If yes, what feels hardest right now?
• finding the elbow position
• leaning forward enough
• lifting the legs
• holding the balance
11
12 comments
⚖️ The Elbow Lever: One of the Best First Skills to Learn
skool.com/awesome-ninja-fitness
THE Beginner Calisthenics hub → 💪🔥 Master pull-ups, handstands & more with step-by-step progressions + coaching. Build strength, control & skills.
Leaderboard (30-day)
1
+381
2
+362
3
+192
4
🔥
+186
5
+181
Powered by