ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
• Full programme
• technical explanations
TRAINING
PROGRAMME
by Iliesse BELASRI &
Rayan ASTEGIANO
davaicalisthenics.com
0
SUMMARY
CORRECT" FORM
INCORRECT" FORMS
PREVENTION
WARM-UP
MUSCLE STRENGTHENING
PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE
STATE OF MIND AND VISUALISATION
PREREQUISITE: FRONT LEVER
THE FRONT LEVER
FRONT LEVER TRAINING
UNDERSTANDING THE SIDE
LEARNING METHODS: ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
WARM-UP
LEVEL 0
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4
............................................................................................................................................................
VOCABULARY 2-3
PRESENTATION: THE ONE ARM FRONT LEVER 4
4
5
6
6
6
6
7
8
8
9
10
11
12
13-14
15-16
17-18
19-20
21
VARIATIONS OF THE ONE ARM FRONT LEVER 22-23-24
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/LEGAL NOTICES
25
1
VOCABULARY
SIDE
FALSE GRIP
Curvature between the rib cage and
the pelvis.
Wrap your wrist around the bar.
RAISE/PRESS
PULL UP
Tilting movement of the body
perpendicular to the ground,
then back down.
Start in front lever and perform
a horizontal pull up to the bar.
2
VOCABULARY
TUCK
FRONT TOUCH
Position with legs together to the
maximum.
Front lever position with the
stomach pressed against the bar.
RETRACTION
PRONATION
SUPINATION
Tilting movement of the
shoulders backwards,
taking the chest out.
Palms facing inwards.
Palms facing outwards.
3
PRESENTATION
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
The one arm front lever is a variation of the front lever, it consists in
removing one arm from the initial position of this figure. Its execution
requires a lot of strength, in particular the involvement of the large dorsal on
the side of the arm which holds the bar.
The form of the one arm front lever is a subject of debate, in fact several
schools are disputing the most correct way to perform it, however the one we
consider the most correct and the least harmful for the body in the long term
is the one arm front "strict form" (see picture below).
THE STRICT FORM
Engage the shoulder and voluntarily contract the dorsal before releasing the
arm (see detailed exercises below). You should side step slightly to avoid
resting on the joints and thus reduce the risk of injury. The arm must be locked
and the body parallel to the ground. The arm not holding the bar should be
placed back in line with the body to distribute the weight equitably on the
whole body.
ONE ARM FRONT STRICT FORM
4
PRESENTATION
There are several "incorrect" ways to perform the one arm front lever (see photos below).
These forms are called incorrect in quotes because in a sense they can be beneficial in
achieving the correct form of the one arm front. You shouldn't lose hope if when you
perform your movement, it looks like one of the four forms below, it's an obligatory
passage that will allow you to realize the placement of your body and your sensations,
which will then help you to correct your "incorrect" one arm front, until the achievement
of an acceptable form.
INCORRECT FORMS
One arm front lever with pelvis
pulled donw
« Rolling
» one arm front lever
FRONT AVEC TROP DE
FALSE GRIP
This form is incorrect because the body is not
completely parallel to the ground.
When the side is too pronounced, it is
aesthetically incorrect and can cause back
pain.
One arm front lever without side
One arm front lever with too much
false grip
FRONT TROP DROIT
Without any sides, the body rests on the
joints, which can lead to injury in the long
term.
FRONT ENROULAGE
The false grip is a good way to strengthen the
one arm, but it is not considered a correct
5
form.
PREVENTION
The one arm front lever is a relatively complicated and risky Calisthenics
move, so it’s better to warm up, strengthen and be patient.
WARM-UP
Warming up properly will help prepare your body for the effort in order to
limit injuries.
MUSCULAR STRENGTHENING
Muscular strengthening is an essential part of learning a movement and in
the muscular involvement that it requires, in fact the strength that you will
acquire during your strengthening sessions will be useful when performing
your movements. This will allow you to obtain more ease when performing
the movement and to focus your concentration on the form and maintenance
of the movement.
PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE
As with all Calisthenics movements, you will need to be patient, train and
persevere in order to achieve your goals. Indeed, despite moments of
stagnation or regression, it is recommended to take your time and not to
rush by skipping steps, as this will only delay the achievement of your
goals.
To sum up, prevention is better than cure! Calisthenics has many risks of
injury, it is better to listen to your body and allow yourself breaks when you
feel any pain or when you are in a weakened state.
6
STATE OF MIND/
VISUALIZATION
MINDSET
Your state of mind is a basic weapon in your advancement and progression in
the sport. It is the only one that can determine the feelings that will allow you
to progress at your own rhythm. Indeed, it is advisable to define your
motivations, your expectations and your objectives, while remaining focused
on your feelings.
Positivity as a lever for success:
Knowing how to positively anticipate one's performance is necessary for risktaking, determination and perseverance in the effort. However, positivity
doesn't mean ignoring problems, quite the contrary. Consideration of
difficulties and failures will enable you to take the necessary actions to
improve your performance and the success of your goals.
In conclusion, positivity is a key component in the optimistic perception that
should be adopted in this sport, and more broadly in everyday life. Awareness
and mentalisation of your progress is essential for long-term achievement and
progression. To sum up, your mind is a big part of the key to your success.
VISUALIZATION
What is visualization ?
This is a mental practice widely used in sport, which consists of designing a
mental image of the execution of a movement.
The simple fact of visualising a movement will make you gain in strength and
learning almost as much as physically practising it. For even more relevance,
you can do this exercise simultaneously with the real execution of the
movement. You can also mentally imagine the movements during your
recovery time, this will allow you to activate the mental representations
associated with the next movements you will perform.
7
PREREQUISITE :
FRONT LEVER
FRONT LEVER
The front lever is an essential element in the execution of the one arm front
lever. Indeed, it is preferable to master this figure in order to start learning the
one arm front.
The positioning of this figure is executed so that the body is aligned and parallel
to the ground with the arms straight and locked, retracting the shoulders
backwards.
The front lever is a static movement that primarily involves the back strength,
abdominal girdle, triceps and posterior deltoids.
For a good execution of the front lever, it is necessary to specify some elements
of technique:
-
The legs should be straight and in line with the body
The hands should be positioned so that the distance between them is similar
to the width of the shoulders
The head should be rolled forward and the gaze directed towards the legs.
The pelvis should be in line with the body, it is important that there is no
break between the upper and lower body.
8
PREREQUISITE :
FRONT LEVER
FRONT LEVER TRAINING
A program dedicated to the front lift has already been done, however we propose some
basic exercises that will allow you to train the front lever, and which will later be used for
the One arm front lever:
For these three exercises below it is recommended Ø 3 sets of 5 reps
Ø 45 second rest between
to do :
each set
Exercise 1 : NEGATIVE FRONT LEVER RAISE :
Exercise 2: FRONT LEVER TUCK PULL UP:
Exercice 3 : NEGATIVE FRONT TOUCH :
9
The number of sets and repetitions indicated are a recommendation, but you are free to adapt
them according to your feelings.
UNDERSTANDING
THE SIDE
THE SIDE:
Understanding the side is a key element to obtain the one arm front l, strengthening your
side will help you to move on to the next steps, it is not to be neglected, the better you
understand the side, the more comfortable you will be in executing this movement! The
side is performed at the level of the lats and not the legs as is often the case with some
athletes who are just starting out with this move.
A curve must be made between the rib cage and the pelvis while contracting the
dorsalis major which will be an essential muscle in this position. It is necessary to
involve it correctly in order to avoid tensions at the level of the obliques.
The amplitude sought is such that the line of the upper dorsal vertebrae (upper back)
forms the smallest possible angle with the lumbar vertebrae (lower back).
However, you should not abuse the side as this could lead to additional risks such as
compression of the lumbar and oblique vertebrae due to the unnatural body axis.
This so-called "side" category is the most dangerous in our sport, so it is necessary
to take Zme to understand it and to work on it carefully.
10
LEARNING
METHODS
In order to establish a progressive and chronological learning method, we have
established levels of increasing difficulty. Following these levels is recommended for a
good learning of the one arm front lever, but they are adjustable and modifiable
according to each one. For example, during an exercise, it is possible to add a rubber
band or to skip a level according to your feelings. You can perform a level (from 1 to
4) for as long as you want and move on to the next level when you feel comfortable.
On average, 2-3 weeks per level are enough to move on to the next level with a
cadence of 2 to 4 trainings per week.
It is important to note that the learning of a movement is primarily your own. It is
therefore not advisable to force yourself to do a level to the point of getting stuck in it.
In order for this program to be effective for you, you must try to make it your own and
adapt it to your own goals.
WARM-UP :
As with all Calisthenics movements it is necessary to warm up your body in its
entirety. Nevertheless, we recommend some warm-up exercises targeting the parts
of the body most involved in the one arm front lift:
Neck rotation
Shoulder retraction
Wrist rotation
Stretching of the dorsalis major
(with or without elastic bands)
11
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 0
OBJECTIVE : STRENGTHENING FOR THE ONE ARM FRONT :
Exercise 1 : Earn a good command of the front lever :
Correct form:
-
Stretched arms
Stretched legs
body parallel to the ground
3 sets of 7 seconds
45 seconds rest between each
set.
Exercise 2 : One arm front lever with support of the arm holding the bar:
It is best to start holding
the wrist and then
gradually move down the
arm to increase the
difficulty.
3 sets of 7 seconds
45 seconds rest between each
set.
12
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 1
OBJECTIVE : COMPREHENDING THE ONE ARM FRONT :
Exercise 1 : One arm front side with feet on ground side :
This exercise will allow you
to understand the
sensations of the "side" in
order to obtain a better
form of the one arm front
lever.
3 sets of 10 seconds
45 seconds rest between each
set.
Exercise 2 : One arm front with raised feet :
This exercise is a little
more difficult, it allows to
better feel the alignment
between the pelvis and
the upper body.
3 sets of 10 seconds
45 seconds rest between each
set.
13
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 1
OBJECTIVE : COMPREHENDING THE ONE ARM FRONT :
Exercise 3 : Tuck one arm hand on the ground :
The further the hand on
the ground is in front of
the body, the more
difficult the exercise will
be.
3 sets of 10 seconds
45 seconds rest between each
set.
Exercise 4 : Progressive release of one hand and weight shift to the hand
holding the bar:
Your body will
automatically fall due to
lack of strength, but this
still allows you to
assimilate the movement
of the arm release.
3 sets of 3 reps
45 seconds rest
between each set.
NOTE: 1,30 minutes rest between each exercise
14
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 2
OBJECTIVE : START THE ONE ARM FRONT :
Exercise 1 : One arm tuck front lever :
The closer the knees are
to the body, the easier
the exercise will be.
3 sets of 10 seconds
30 seconds rest between
each set.
Exercise 2 : One arm negative tuck raise :
Control the descent as
much as possible by
involving the lats to
improve the efficiency of
this exercise.
3 sets of 5 reps
30 seconds rest
between each set.
.
15
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 2
OBJECTIVE : START THE ONE ARM FRONT :
Exercise 3 : One arm front lever with rubber band :
The tighter the rubber
band, the easier the
exercise will be.
3 sets of 10 seconds
45 seconds rest between each set
Exercise 4 : One arm front lever with hand on the ground :
Put your hand on the
ground on your fingers to
gain height on your one
arm front to have a better
feel for the exercise
3 sets of 10 seconds
45 seconds rest between each set
NOTE: 1 minute rest between each exercise
16
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 3
OBJECTIVE : ABOUT TO TO HAVE THE ONE ARM FRONT LEVER :
Exercise 1 : One arm tuck raise
Engage your head
back when
performing the raise
to facilitate the
exercise.
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest
between each set.
Exercise 2 : Tuck one arm to one arm front lever
Unfolding in an
explosive way will
be easier than
unfolding slowly.
3 sets of 3 unfolds
25 seconds rest
between each set.
17
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 3
OBJECTIVE : ABOUT TO TO HAVE THE ONE ARM FRONT LEVER :
Exercise 3 : One arm front lever with 2kg in hand :
+ 2KG
Do not hesitate to add
more weight in your hand
to assimilate the exercise,
your centre of gravity will
be better distributed and
the execution of the one
arm front will be easier.
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest between
each set.
Exercise 4 : One arm front lever with one leg :
It is necessary to vary the
exercise of both legs to
avoid having an
imbalance.
3 sets of 5 seconds
(each leg)
25 seconds rest between
each set.
NOTE: 1 minute rest between each exercise
18
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 4
OBJECTIVE : IMPROVE YOUR ONE ARM FRONT LEVER :
Exercise 1 : Négative one arm front lever:
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest between each
set.
To make the exercise
more intense, control
the descent as slowly
as possible.
Exercise 2 : L-sit one arm to one arm front lever:
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest between each
set.
Involve your abdominal
girdle to align your
pelvis parallel to the
floor while engaging
your lats.
19
LEARNING METHODS
LEARNING LEVELS
LEVEL 4
OBJECTIVE : IMPROVE YOUR ONE ARM FRONT LEVER :
Exercise 3 : One arm front lever ballasted (2kg at the ankles):
If the exercise is too
difficult, start with 500
grams and gradually
increase the load.
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest between
each set.
Exercise 4 : One arm front with tilt of the dropped arm :
3 sets of 3 reps
25 seconds rest between each
set.
NOTE: 1 minute rest between each exercise
If the exercise is too
difficult, just bring your
arm up to your head
perpendicular to the
ground.
20
VARIATIONS OF THE
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
1st VARIATION:
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER RAISE :
From the one arm front lever, perform a tipping movement of the body so as to
reach a position perpendicular to the ground, then control the descent to the initial
position.
2nd VARIATION:
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER SUPINATION :
This variation involves more the biceps, you will tend to tip from right to left at
the beginning, you must find your balance point and gain strength to stop tipping.
21
VARIATIONS OF THE
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
3rd VARIATION:
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER PULL UP :
From the one arm front lever, perform a horizontal pull towards the bar.
4th VARIATION:
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER WITH ARM AT SIDE OF BODY :
This variation is the most difficult form to perform, very few athletes manage to
do it, we advise you at the beginning, to work on this movement with a rubber
band.
22
VARIATIONS OF THE
ONE ARM FRONT LEVER
These variations are relatively difficult to execute, however, working on them will also
help you progress in the classic one arm front lever, so don't hesitate to use your
imagination to find variations or atypical starters. Also try to throw your one arm front
lever in the middle of combos, this will strengthen your stamina on this figure.
davaicalisthenics.com
23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This content was produced by Iliesse Belasri and Rayan Astegiano with the active
participation of the Outsiderz team.
We hope that this programme will provide you with the necessary elements to succeed
in your performances. Do not hesitate to give us your opinion on this program, that will
allow us to share it with others with your agreement.
Any Sports prac/ce involves risks, DavaiCalisthenics, as well as its en/re team, cannot be held responsible, and hereby
disclaims all liability in the event of injury.
Legal no/ceThis content is the propertý of the trademark ДАВАЙ© (No. 18 4 455 filed́ class of goods or services, 24,
25, 38)
Any modifica/on, appropria/on or retranscrip/on is prohibited, and will result in legal ac/on against the user.
24