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Pseudo Front Lever Row Progressions

Muscles worked

  • Lat
  • Trapezius
  • Rear Shoulder
  • Tricep
  • Forearm Flexors

Equipment

Gymnastic Rings
Gymnastic Rings

Form Cues

  • Set rings or bar at approximately waist height and grip with hands shoulder-width apart for optimal lat engagement and front lever carryover

  • Lean back with your heels on the ground and maintain a straight body line from head to heels throughout the entire movement, keeping a slight hollow body position

  • Actively press your hands downward on the rings or bar to engage the lats — this downward pressing force is what distinguishes the pseudo front lever row from a regular row

  • Row by pulling your lower abdomen toward the rings or bar, not your chest — the contact point should be at or near your belly button

  • Keep your scapulae depressed and mildly retracted throughout the pull, fighting against gravity rather than maximally squeezing them together

  • Use full range of motion on every rep: lower all the way down until your elbows are fully extended, and pull all the way up until your abdomen contacts the rings

  • Control the tempo throughout — use a smooth 1-2 second pull and a controlled 1-2 second descent, never dropping into the bottom position

  • Do not let the hips hinge or sag at any point; if your body breaks at the hips, reduce the difficulty by adjusting your foot position

Progressions

  1. 01

    Pseudo Front Lever Top Hold

    • Set rings or bar at approximately waist height and grip with hands shoulder-width apart

    • From the bottom hang position, pull yourself up to the top of the row by driving your hands downward and your lower ribs toward the rings

    • At the top, your hands should be at lower rib or upper abdomen height — this is the hold position

    • Actively press your hands downward on the rings or bar throughout the hold to keep the lats engaged, just as you would during the full pseudo front lever row

    • Maintain a straight body line from head to heels with a slight hollow body position — do not let the hips sag or pike upward

    • Keep your scapulae depressed and mildly retracted, squeezing the shoulder blades toward your back pockets rather than pinching them maximally together

    • Brace your core firmly and squeeze your glutes to prevent any break at the hips during the hold

    • Hold for the prescribed duration while breathing steadily, then lower back down under control

    • To scale difficulty, adjust the angle of your body by walking your feet closer to (easier) or further from (harder) the anchor point

  2. 02

    Pseudo Front Lever Row

    • Set rings or bar at approximately waist height and grip with hands shoulder-width apart for optimal lat engagement

    • Lean back with your heels on the ground and establish a straight body line from head to heels with a slight hollow body position before starting

    • Initiate the pull by pressing your hands downward on the rings or bar — this lat-driven pressing motion is what makes this a pseudo front lever row rather than a regular row

    • Pull your lower belly toward the rings or bar, aiming for contact at or near your belly button — do not pull to the chest

    • Keep your scapulae depressed and mildly retracted throughout the movement, fighting against gravity rather than maximally pinching the shoulder blades

    • At the top, briefly pause with your abdomen touching the rings before lowering back down with a controlled 1-2 second descent

    • Lower all the way down until your elbows are fully extended at the bottom — use full range of motion on every single rep

    • Maintain a rigid body line throughout — do not let the hips hinge, sag, or kip at any point during the movement

    • To scale difficulty, walk your feet closer to the anchor point (easier) or further away (harder) to adjust your body angle

Common mistakes

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