This skill looks super impressive. It looks strong. It looks technical. And yes, it is still tough… But if you already have: • a solid leg raise hold • and a solid 1 arm hang …then you are actually way closer than you think. It is not exactly a full L-sit. It is more like a 1 arm hang with strong leg compression. Still awesome. Still hard. Still a great skill to work toward. 💪 Why this skill is worth trying It helps build: • grip strength • shoulder control • core strength • compression strength • body tension • confidence hanging on one arm And honestly… It just looks cool 😎 What you need first To get this skill, you do not need to jump straight into full attempts. You need 2 pieces: • 1 arm hang strength • leg raise / compression hold strength If you build those 2 things, the skill starts making way more sense. Part 1: Progressions for the leg raise hold This is not exactly the same as a full floor L-sit, but L-sit progressions help a lot. A good progression path is: • Seated leg lifts • Tucked hold • 1 leg extended hold • Both legs extended for short holds • Hanging knee raises • Hanging leg raises • Hanging leg raise hold Your goal is to be able to lift and hold the legs, not just swing them up. That means: • control • compression • core strength • hip flexor strength Part 2: Progressions for the 1 arm hang A simple progression path is: • 2 arm dead hang • Uneven hang with one arm helping less • Fingertip assist with the second hand • Towel assist or light band assist • Short 1 arm hangs • Longer 1 arm hangs The goal is not to rip your shoulder off on day one 😅 Build this slowly. You want: • grip strength • shoulder stability • confidence hanging on one side • no sharp pain How to start putting them together Once you have both pieces, start simple: • Do your 1 arm hang • Bring the knees up first • Then work toward straighter legs • Hold for a second or two • Build from there You do not need the cleanest full version right away.

One of the reasons I really like the elbow lever is that it is not just a beginner skill. It is a doorway skill. Once you get it, it can lead to a bunch of other fun things. 🐊 1. The Croc Lever The most obvious next step is the one arm elbow lever, usually called the croc lever. The basic idea is simple: • start in your elbow lever • place one hand a little bit further out • slowly shift your balance • use the second hand less and less until you find the point At first, it is not about holding it forever. It is just about finding where the balance actually is. That is the fun part. 🧘 2. Yoga-style arm balances If you have seen other people in the community playing with balance skills, the elbow lever can also lead into things like: • funky flying pigeon • other yoga arm balances • different bent arm balance variations Why? Because the elbow lever teaches: • center of mass • how to lean forward • how to trust your hands • how to lift the legs behind you That makes a lot of other balance skills feel way less random. 💪 3. 90 degree holds For calisthenics, one of the cool carryovers is the 90 degree hold. This is one of those skills that almost looks like a fake planche at first glance. It teaches you a lot about: • bent arm strength • shoulder pressure • control under bodyweight • moving between positions So if you like the elbow lever, this is one of the fun directions you can go later. 🔄 4. Transitions This is where the elbow lever gets really cool. At a more advanced level, it becomes a transition skill. For example: • handstand into elbow lever • tucked planche into elbow lever • elbow lever press style movements That is where it starts looking really smooth and really impressive. A tucked planche into elbow lever almost starts to look like a weird planche push-up. And honestly, that is awesome. ✅ Why this matters The elbow lever is not just a hold. It teaches things that make other skills easier: • balance • leaning • control • posterior chain activation

With a bunch of new people joining, I want to go over the most important handstand progression again. If you want to get a handstand, the biggest mistake is usually trying to force the full handstand too early. The better approach is this: Spend 2 to 3 weeks doing a little bit every day on the right progression. That will usually help way more than random max effort handstand attempts. 🧠 Why handstands feel so hard A handstand is not just one skill. It is a bunch of small skills happening at the same time: • being upside down • balancing on your hands • spatial awareness • pushing through the shoulders • activating your core • keeping your legs active • learning how to fall safely That is why handstands feel weird at first. You are not weak. You are just learning a lot of new things at once. 🎯 The most important progression For most people, the most important progression is: • Chest to wall handstand Why? Because it teaches: • the right shape • the right line • shoulder position • body tension • what a real handstand should feel like And honestly, it is much better to spend a few weeks getting comfortable here than rushing ahead. 📍 If you are not ready for chest to wall yet Then the best progression before that is: • Pike handstand hold This is amazing because it lets you practice: • being on your hands • shoulder alignment • core tension • getting upside down in a safer way And important reminder: Your legs do not have to be straight yet. If flexibility is the issue, bend the legs. You can even put your knees on something. The goal is not to force perfect flexibility. The goal is to get the alignment and practice being on your hands. 🔄 What comes next after chest to wall? The next most important thing is: • Learning how to fall out safely A lot of people do not struggle with handstands because of strength. They struggle because of fear. That is normal. If your brain does not trust the fall, it will not let you fully commit to the handstand.

If you want to get into calisthenics but feel overwhelmed by exercises, plans, and conflicting advice, you’re not alone. And if your goal isn’t just strength, but also: • Handstands • Skills • Freedom of movement • Body control Then most beginner calisthenics plans don’t quite fit. After coaching hundreds of athletes in hybrid calisthenics and other bodyweight disciplines, here’s how to actually get started, step by step. 🧠 Phase 1: Train the Habit (Not the Body) This phase has almost nothing to do with fitness. It’s about consistency. Discipline isn’t something you “have”. It’s a habit you build. No one calls brushing their teeth discipline. It’s just something you do. So Phase 1 is about making movement part of who you are. ✅ The Rule Pick something so easy you can’t fail. Example: • 1 push-up per day That’s it. You’re training the habit, not the muscles. Most people move past this phase in 1–2 weeks, but it removes friction, builds momentum, and sets the foundation for everything else. 🏋️ Phase 2: Full-Body Strength Basics Now we turn this into a real workout. Every beginner program needs just three movement patterns: • Push • Pull • Legs One exercise from each gives you a full-body workout. 🔁 What This Looks Like • Push-up variation • Pull-up variation • Squat variation Progressions matter more than exercises. Examples: • Push-ups: wall → incline → knees → floor • Pull-ups: horizontal rows → jackknife → assisted pull-ups • Legs: squat → Cossack → pistol progressions Do each exercise to near failure. If you’re between 6–30 reps, you’re in a good range. Cycle through them 2–3 times. That’s it. 🔄 Phase 3: Expand Strength Patterns Now we add new movement directions. Strength isn’t just push, pull, squat. ➕ What Gets Added • Vertical push (pike push-ups → handstand prep) • Vertical pull (assisted pull-ups → pull-ups) • Hinge (glute bridges → single-leg → Nordic progressions) This is where workouts become more personalized. You can structure training as:

I've been doing neutral grip pull-ups for awhile because regular overhand pull-ups would hurt my elbows and shoulder. But this time I'm trying to approach calisthenics from a quality over quantity mindset, not skipping mobility and I was able to do pull-ups overhand grip without pain. I haven't been able to hit more than 8 reps with pain in a very long time. Today I hit 11 pain free so I'm very 😁