Elbow Lever: How to Do It, Benefits, Progression, and More

The elbow lever is a cool bodyweight skill that shows off strength, balance, and control. You’ve probably seen it on social media or in calisthenics videos—someone holding their body straight and off the ground, balanced on their arms.

It might look tough, but with the right steps, almost anyone can learn it. In this article, you’ll learn what the elbow lever is, how to do it safely, its benefits, and a few variations to try once you’ve got the basics down.

[Related Article] Arm Workouts: Best Exercises for Strength and Muscle Growth

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Quick Summary

• What it is: The elbow lever is a calisthenics skill where you hold your body horizontal, balanced on your elbows.
• How to do it: The article explains the proper technique and step-by-step instructions for performing the elbow lever.
• Benefits of training: Developing the elbow lever improves strength, balance, core stability, and body control.
• Muscle Engagement: Understand which muscles are engaged during the exercise to maximize strength gains.
• Variations to explore: There are different versions of the elbow lever, from easier progressions to more challenging advanced forms.
• Best Supplement to Support Elbow Lever Progress: Find out how Anafuse can help you build strength and recover faster as you train.

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What Is an Elbow Lever?

The elbow lever is a bodyweight skill where you hold your body off the ground using just your arms and core. Your elbows are pressed into your stomach or hips for support, and your whole body stays straight, like a plank, while you balance in the air.

The elbow lever mainly works your core muscles, shoulders, arms, and wrists. It also trains your balance and focus since you have to stay super steady to hold the position.

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How to Do an Elbow Lever

Learning the elbow lever might seem tricky at first, but by breaking it down, you’ll get it step by step. Follow these instructions to do it safely and correctly:

Build Foundational Strength and Mobility:

Before even attempting the elbow lever, you need a solid base of strength and flexibility. Focus on:

• Wrist and Forearm Strength: Exercises like wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, and forearm planks are important for supporting your weight.
• Core Strength: A strong core is essential for stability. Practice planks (front, side), hollow holds, and reverse crunches.
• Shoulder and Back Strength: Exercises like push-ups, rows, and scapular retractions will build the necessary upper body strength.

Warm Up First

• Before you start, warm up your wrists, shoulders, and core.
• Do some wrist circles, shoulder rolls, and light stretching. This helps prevent injuries.

Get Into Position

• Start by kneeling or squatting down.
• Place your hands flat on the ground, about shoulder-width apart.
• Turn your fingers slightly outward for better balance.

Elbow Placement

• Bend your elbows and press them gently into your stomach or just above your hip bones.

Body Alignment

• Lean forward slightly so your weight shifts onto your elbows. Keep your back straight, engage your core, and maintain a straight line from your head to your heels.

Lift Your Legs

• Gradually lift your legs straight back, aiming for a completely horizontal position. Once comfortable, straighten your legs into a straddle position or bring them together for the full Elbow Lever.
• Focus on squeezing your glutes, engaging your back muscles, and finding your balance point.

Here is a short and sweet video tutorial by Al Kavadlo:

                                   

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Elbow Lever Progressions

1. Master the Tucked Elbow Lever

This is the first progression.

• Start in a kneeling position.
• Lean forward, placing your elbows on your lower abdomen, close to your hips.
• Keep your knees tucked close to your chest.
• Gradually shift your weight onto your elbows, lifting your feet off the ground.
• Focus on finding your balance point and maintaining a tucked position. Hold for short durations.

2. Practice the Wall Elbow Lever

Using a wall for support helps build familiarity with the position.

• Face a wall, and place your elbows on your lower abdomen.
• Lean forward, placing your feet against the wall for support.
• Gradually push off the wall, trying to hold the horizontal position with the wall as a safety net.
• Focus on engaging your core and maintaining a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.

3. Progress to the Diagonal Elbow Lever

This intermediate step involves a less horizontal body line.

• Similar to the tucked lever, but try to extend your legs out at a slight upward angle.
• Focus on maintaining balance and control as your body becomes more extended.

4. Work Towards the Straddle Elbow Lever

Extending your legs out to the sides in a straddle position makes the lever longer and more challenging.

• From the tucked position, gradually widen your legs into a straddle as you lift off the ground.
• Focus on keeping your body as horizontal as possible and maintaining balance.

5. The Full Elbow Lever

This is the finish line.

• Keep your body tight and in one line.
• Press elbows firmly into your body.
• Engage your core and keep breathing.

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Important Tips

To get the most out of the Elbow Lever exercise and minimize the risk of injury, follow these important tips:

• Warm Up Every Time: Always warm up your wrists, shoulders, and core before training. This helps you avoid injuries and prepares your body for balance work.
• Train Your Core and Wrists Separately: Extra core work (like planks or leg raises) and wrist exercises (like wrist rolls or wall push-ups) will make elbow lever practice easier and safer.
• Start with Progressions: Don’t jump straight into the full elbow lever. Work through easier versions like the frog stand and tucked lever first. These build the strength and control you’ll need later.
• Lean Forward Gradually: Your weight should shift onto your elbows, not your hands.
• Breathe & Stay Relaxed: Many people hold their breath, which tenses muscles. Inhale before lifting, and exhale slowly during the hold.
• Start with Short Holds: Aim for 3–5 clean seconds rather than 10+ seconds with bad form.
• Engage Your Entire Body: The elbow lever isn't just about your arms. Actively engage your core, glutes, and back muscles to create a stable and controlled position.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrong Elbow Placement: Placing your elbows too far out can make you lose balance or strain your arms. Make sure your elbows are tucked in and pressing into your core or hip area for better control.
• Rushing the Progressions: Many people try to skip steps and attempt the full elbow lever too soon. This can lead to frustration, injury, and a lack of the necessary foundational strength and balance. Focus on mastering each progression before moving on.
• Not Engaging the Core Properly: A weak or inactive core makes it incredibly difficult to maintain a stable and horizontal body line. Actively engage your core muscles throughout the entire movement. Think about pulling your belly button towards your spine.
• Poor Body Alignment: Allowing your back to arch or your hips to sag can put unnecessary strain on your spine and joints.
• Looking Down or Up: Your head position significantly affects your balance. Keep your gaze neutral, looking slightly forward or down toward the floor in front of you.
• Not Warming Up Properly: Jumping into elbow lever attempts with cold muscles significantly increases the risk of strains and injuries, especially in the wrists and forearms. Always perform a thorough warm-up.
• Holding Your Breath: A lot of people forget to breathe while focusing. But holding your breath can throw off your balance. Breathe slowly and stay calm during the hold.
• Training Too Much Without Rest: Overtraining can lead to wrist pain or shoulder fatigue. Give your body time to rest and recover, especially your joints and small muscles.

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Elbow Lever: Muscles Worked

The elbow lever is a full-body engagement exercise, requiring the coordinated effort of several muscle groups to achieve and maintain the hold. While it might look like it primarily relies on the arms, many other muscles play crucial roles:

1. Shoulder Muscles (Deltoids and Rotator Cuff): These muscles help stabilize the shoulder joint and maintain proper alignment during exercise.
2. Triceps and Biceps: While the triceps are more actively engaged in straightening the elbow, the biceps assist in maintaining control and stability.
3. Core Muscles (Abdominals and Obliques): Engaging your core is crucial for maintaining balance and stability throughout the movement.
4. Chest Muscles (Pectoralis Major): The chest muscles assist in maintaining proper body alignment and supporting movement.
5. Back Muscles (Latissimus Dorsi and Trapezius): These muscles help stabilize the body and maintain posture during exercise.
6. Wrists and Fingers: Your wrists take a lot of pressure during the elbow lever. Strong wrists and fingers help with balance and support.
7. Leg Muscles (Quadriceps, Hamstrings, and Glutes): Depending on the variation, leg muscles are engaged to maintain balance. These lower body muscles are engaged to maintain a straight line from your hips to your heels and contribute to overall body tension and control.
8. Hip Flexors: These muscles help to keep your legs extended and in line with your torso.

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Benefits of the Elbow Lever

• Improves Core Strength: Holding your body off the ground requires serious core engagement. Practicing the elbow lever builds strong abs and helps improve overall body control.
• Improved Overall Strength: By working multiple muscle groups simultaneously, the Elbow Lever helps build comprehensive upper body strength.
• Improved Balance and Coordination: The elbow lever demands a high degree of balance and body awareness. You learn to control your weight distribution and make minute adjustments to stay stable on a small point of contact. This translates to better overall balance and coordination in other activities.
• Enhanced Body Control and Proprioception: Proprioception is your body's awareness of its position in space. Training for the elbow lever significantly improves this sense, as you become more attuned to how your body moves and where it is in relation to your surroundings.
• Increased Upper Body Strength (Supporting Role): While the core is primary, the shoulders, back, and arms also gain strength as they work to support and stabilize your body weight in this unusual position. This can have a positive impact on other pushing and pulling exercises.
• Enhances Posture and Stability: Because your whole body needs to stay in line, the elbow lever naturally improves your posture and core stability.
• Boosts Body Awareness: Holding the Elbow Lever demands concentration and precise control over your body position, improving overall coordination and awareness.
• Supports Progression to Advanced Skills: Practicing the Elbow Lever helps you develop the strength and mechanics needed for more challenging exercises like the planche or human flag.

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Elbow Lever: Variations

Once you've mastered the basic Elbow Lever, it's time to challenge yourself with variations that can help keep your workouts engaging and progressive.

Here are some popular variations to try:

1. Tucked Elbow Lever

As discussed in the progressions, this is the foundational variation where your knees are tucked tightly to your chest. It shortens the lever, making it easier to balance and control. This is excellent for beginners.

2. Straddle Elbow Lever

In this variation, your legs are extended out to the sides in a straddle position. This lengthens the lever compared to the tucked version, requiring more core and hip flexor strength to maintain balance and a horizontal line.

3. Single-Leg Extended Elbow Lever

This variation involves extending only one leg straight back while keeping the other tucked or slightly bent. It significantly increases the balance challenge and requires more unilateral (one-sided) control. You'll typically practice this on both legs.

4. Elevated Elbow Lever

Performing the elbow lever with your hands or elbows placed on a slightly elevated surface can change the angle and the muscles engaged. This can be a way to make the initial stages feel more accessible or to target different muscle fibers.

5. Elbow Lever Push-ups (Advanced)

This is a very challenging variation that combines the balance of the elbow lever with the strength of a push-up. While holding the elbow lever position, you attempt to lower and push back up. This requires significant strength and control.

6. One-Arm Elbow Lever (Extremely Advanced)

As the name suggests, this incredible feat involves balancing your entire body on just one elbow. This requires an immense amount of strength, balance, and precise technique and is a very advanced goal.

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Best Supplements to Support Elbow Lever Progress

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4. Alpha Lion SuperHuman Post

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Key Ingredients

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FAQs: Elbow Lever

Q: How long does it take to learn the elbow lever?

A: The time it takes varies greatly depending on your current strength level, training frequency, and dedication. With regular practice, most people can learn the basic elbow lever in a few weeks to a few months.

Q: What are some good beginner progressions for the elbow lever?

A: Good starting points include the tucked elbow lever, wall elbow lever, and diagonal elbow lever. These help build the necessary balance and strength gradually.

Q: Does this help with handstands?

A: Yes! Improves shoulder stability, core tension, and balance—all critical for handstands.

Q: Is the elbow lever easier than a planche?

A: Yes! The elbow lever is a great stepping stone to the planche because it teaches similar balance and core tension but with bent arms (less shoulder strain).

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Final Thoughts

The elbow lever is a foundational calisthenics skill that blends strength, balance, and control. While it may seem challenging at first, breaking it down into progressions makes it achievable for most trainees.

This exercise effectively targets the shoulders, core, and triceps while also improving body awareness—making it useful for athletes, yogis, and fitness enthusiasts alike.

With consistent practice and a focus on form, many people are able to add this skill to their training.

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Sources:

https://calisthenicsworld.org/elbow-lever

https://www.hybridcalisthenics.com/elbowlevers

https://alkavadlo.com/body-weight-exercises/elbow-levers/

https://gymless.org/how-to-do-elbow-lever-easy-calisthenics-skill-you-can-do-in-one-day/

https://www.coachweb.com/bodyweight-exercises/8639/elbow-lever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13KFoTNH06U&ab_channel=AlKavadlo