Half Skin the Cat

These notes combine advice from 10 reviewed passages across 6 workouts.

Overview

Half Skin the Cat uses only part of the skin-the-cat path. Move backward to the assigned halfway position, then reverse and open back out. This partial range can be used as a progression before back-lever work. [1] [2] [8]

Keep the arms straight and tight, brace the joints, push from the shoulders, and engage the lats as the feet lower. [1] [3] [5]

Range and leg position

For the bent-knee version, keep the knees bent underneath as you travel backward to the halfway position. Reverse there and open back out. [1] [2]

A separate descent variation uses straight, open legs. Keep the legs straight and apart while lowering rather than applying the bent-knee position from the other version. [1] [2] [10]

Upper-body technique

Maintain straight, tight arms through the repetition. Keep the joints braced, create the push from the shoulders, and use the lats while lowering the feet and completing the assigned descent. [1] [3] [5]

Back-half progression

For the back-half variation, come halfway toward the bar and work downward from that position. Return toward the bar while staying within the partial skin-the-cat path. Continue practicing this range before moving to back-lever work. [7] [8]

Related movement references

The partial skin-the-cat path can help organize a related front-lever movement. In that comparison, begin along a pullover-like path and reverse before completing the pullover. [4] [6]

When continuing upward after the skin-the-cat path, open with the feet apart while preserving the narrow, jackknife-like body position and tension. [9]

Sources

1. 2024-12-05, 3308.5-3322.5s

Workout: workout:2024-12-05

Passage: passage:2024-12-05:000900-000904

2. 2025-01-11, 4556.3-4582.4s

Workout: workout:2025-01-11

Passage: passage:2025-01-11:001459-001465

3. 2025-01-11, 4608.2-4610.8s

Workout: workout:2025-01-11

Passage: passage:2025-01-11:001474-001475

4. 2025-01-15, 3751.3-3766.4s

Workout: workout:2025-01-15

Passage: passage:2025-01-15:001224-001228

5. 2025-01-17, 3436.4-3457.2s

Workout: workout:2025-01-17-muscle-machine-5

Passage: passage:2025-01-17-muscle-machine-5:001109-001125

6. 2025-01-17, 3751.3-3766.4s

Workout: workout:2025-01-17-muscle-machine-5

Passage: passage:2025-01-17-muscle-machine-5:001224-001228

7. 2025-01-22, 1943.4-1950.5s

Workout: workout:2025-01-22

Passage: passage:2025-01-22:000724-000726

8. 2025-01-22, 1983.1-1990.5s

Workout: workout:2025-01-22

Passage: passage:2025-01-22:000736-000742

9. 2025-01-22, 2072.5-2102.2s

Workout: workout:2025-01-22

Passage: passage:2025-01-22:000785-000794

10. 2025-01-25, 1560.4-1574.8s

Workout: workout:2025-01-25

Passage: passage:2025-01-25:000521-000526