What is Back Lever Negative?

Back Lever Negative is a controlled eccentric ring exercise where you lower from an inverted hang toward the horizontal back lever. It primarily targets the core, shoulders, and upper back. Difficulty: Medium — suitable for intermediates developing scapular control and full-body tension.

How to Do Back Lever Negative

  1. Assume inverted hang: Hang upside down from the rings with arms straight, legs squeezed, scapula protracted and posterior pelvic tilt to create full-body tension before descent.
  2. Brace core and shoulders: Squeeze glutes, lock ribs down, and pull shoulder blades slightly forward to stabilize the scapulae. Maintain a rigid straight line through your body.
  3. Lower with control: Slowly lower your hips and torso toward the back lever, using eccentric strength. Aim for a 3-5 second descent and stop if form breaks.
  4. Tuck and recover: At the bottom, tuck knees in and pull legs back through to return to the inverted hang, keeping arms straight and scapula engaged.
  5. Progress safely: Use spotters, assisted progressions, or partial range if needed. Rest fully between reps and increase difficulty only when descent is consistently controlled.

Muscle Groups

Core, Shoulders, Back

Description

Assume an inverted position hanging from the rings, with arms straight. Squeeze your legs together, you should be in scapula protraction & posterior pelvic tilt, the whole body engagement.
Maintain this posture and begin to lower yourself in towards the backlever position, controlling your descent as much as possible. When you reach the bottom position, tuck your knees in and pull your legs back through. Return to the inverted position and repeat for repetitions.

Movement Group

Pull

Required Equipment

Rings

Progressions and Regressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Back Lever Negative?

Back Lever Negative builds eccentric strength in the shoulders, lats, and core while improving scapular control and posterior chain tension. It enhances body alignment, reduces injury risk when progressed properly, and transfers to advanced back lever holds and other pulling skills.

What common mistakes should I avoid?

Common mistakes include bending the arms, letting shoulders collapse, rushing the descent, losing posterior pelvic tilt, and flaring the legs. These break alignment and increase injury risk—focus on scapular engagement, straight arms, slow eccentric control, and consistent body tension.

How do I progress to or regress from Back Lever Negative?

Regress with band-assisted negatives, partial-range lowers, or strict skin-the-cat and support holds. Progress by extending leg tuck to advanced tuck, single-leg negatives, then full back lever holds. Reduce assistance gradually while maintaining perfect alignment.