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Skill prerequisites

These notes combine advice from 127 reviewed passages across 83 workouts.

Advanced skills rest on foundations built beforehand. Build foundational strength first and prepare the muscles and physical qualities a target skill needs before training the skill itself. Progress skills step by step, because each stage develops something the next stage needs. Once the foundation is established, the skill becomes easier and its logic becomes clear. [5] [6] [7] [15] [29] [34] [36] [57] [66] [113]

Attempting muscle-ups or handstands without foundational upper-body strength is a mistake, and a certain level of arm strength is necessary. Difficult tricks require strength, and gaining strength makes balance easier. Balance skills need both strength and endurance. A handstand requires strength, coordination, balance, and flexibility, with the shoulders held in position continuously. Being inspired by someone else’s skill is different from doing it without the prerequisite work. [17] [18] [31] [44] [52] [56]

Assign a movement only when the trainee has enough strength for it. Develop the earlier muscle components of a movement before aiming for the full skill, even when the surface of the movement already looks achieved. When an advanced position is weak, drop down several levels, train the missing prerequisite, and rebuild from a sound foundation. Prepare an advanced skill through graduated loading of a related movement, and treat capacity in that progression as the sign of readiness. Build to 8 to 10 clean repetitions before the next step of a progression. [10] [67] [68] [102] [114] [116]

Before moving up to a skill, be able to perform at least four of the five foundational movements that support it. Preparing the midsection well can unlock other static and dynamic skills. [47] [115]

The handstand is a foundational skill for many other movements, including breaking. In handstand and balance work, push fully and strongly from the start. A weak foundation causes problems as balance progresses. A drop in arm strength makes holding the handstand harder, and handstand work needs good strength and focused practice. Assess strength in the current progression before requiring a kick-up. [37] [38] [54] [55] [60] [107] [124]

Hold-time benchmarks can guide progress. Aim for about 10 to 12 seconds freestanding before the next step, 55 to 60 seconds on the wall before going freestanding, use a 30-second wall hold as a checkpoint, and reach comfortable 30-second holds before handstand push-ups. Treat 30-second handstand holds as a coordination target. [30] [60] [71] [91] [94]

Train open-leg control. Difficult handstand skills, including slow rises from the floor, involve opening the legs and closing them overhead. In the rising phase of the movement, the back muscles work along with the wrists. Wait until balance has developed further before adding leg-opening and closing sets. [24] [75] [115]

Establish a stable handstand before the elbow stand. The elbow stand is easier for short holds because it has more ground contact. Being able to perform several handstand dynamics and reach 20 to 30 comfortably makes further instruction more productive. [42] [87]

Do not start planche work without some handstand ability. The planche is a hand-supported form of handstand, and even a 5 to 6 second hold is a starting level. Use about 10 seconds of handstand before planche work and 10 to 12 seconds freestanding before practicing descents. Train the wrist, biceps, and shoulder before pressing from planche to handstand. [40] [41] [58] [62] [76]

Build the strength the planche needs. Dips and triceps are the relevant preparation, with a target of about 25 dips. Both the back lever and front lever are needed for planche preparation, and one drill can serve both planche and back lever preparation. [8] [84] [88]

Progress planche through positions. Establish the advanced tuck with form before the tuck planche, using five-second holds. The advanced tuck requires more shoulder capacity plus trunk work, including opening the lower back. Treat a 15-second tuck plus five tuck push-ups as readiness for the straddle. Develop scapular protection, shoulder depression, and glute engagement before progressing to the straddle, and perform at least ten consecutive repetitions of the preparatory movement without opening to develop shoulder strength. [59] [70] [100] [104] [106]

If you can do dips for 5x2, you have the strength for the muscle-up and only technique remains. Always do at least five pull-ups before moving on to muscle-ups. Pull the bar to the chest or at least the upper abdomen. This high pull is the entry key for the muscle-up. Russian dips build the elbow transition used in the muscle-up and are a strengthening movement on their own. Strengthen regular muscle-ups as preparation for a clean muscle-up. [9] [25] [32] [112] [121]

For the slow muscle-up, train L-sit pull-ups with a false grip, aiming for 90 degrees and a full range of motion. The false grip and L-sits are its second foundation. Assess the slow muscle-up gradually, checking upper-body ability and range without forcing speed or a fully upright position. The muscle-up needs some shoulder flexibility. [48] [50] [61] [108]

Many muscle-up skills are based on the one-arm muscle-up and are then refined through improved form. [51]

The pullover can be described as partly a skill movement that requires a pull-up and coordinated leg contact. Another view treats it as mostly a pull-up plus bringing the leg to the bar, with little skill demand. When teaching a new movement such as the pullover, show its steps and progressions and never compare a beginner to yourself. Think in fractions of your own ability. [77] [78] [90]

Use the skin-the-cat as preparation for the back lever. Train the back and core for the back lever, and use a back crunch with the feet squeezed together as a useful drill. After the basic back lever is established, connect it into combinations. Build the basic locking movements as the foundation for the front lever. Reaching advanced bar levels requires substantial biceps training. [63] [72] [82] [83] [85] [86] [118]

Build several regular rope jumps before attempting the cross. About 100 regular jumps is a sufficient base, and starting earlier means rushing. Make the cross and double solid before combining them into cross-doubles. Add a rope skill to training once the body has acquired the coordination for it. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Practice cartwheel-related drills because they are needed for handstand landings. Bridge descents from above are needed for connecting the cartwheel, and back flexibility is needed for the handstand. Work on back flexibility and strength before a movement that demands them, such as by building the bridge first. The reverse pullover needs back flexibility, because you must be able to give your back to transfer the weight. [19] [21] [73] [79]

Learn the topal köpek and controlled wall-contact work before the circle. Starting with the circle leads to rolling without awareness of the wrists, elbows, and shoulders. [20]

Understanding the tripod is a foundation for further progress. Creating a rounded, ball-like shape opens up many future movements. Without enough flexibility a person cannot stand straight in the position, and holding long does not guarantee good form. An opening and closing exercise that works the rear shoulder and scapula is one of the most fundamental preparations for these skills. [22] [23] [111] [125]

Side Star is needed for the flag and also works the hips. Adequate flexibility, including adequate shoulder flexibility, is required for the flag. Spartan is important for the wheel-related skill. The skindicard requires strong shoulders, lower abs, and other parts, and many people cannot do it. One of the most basic exercises for the flair works shoulder strength and the legs. [26] [46] [65] [117] [119]

The tiger bend push-up needs pulling strength. Insufficient pulling strength can limit it. Fifteen comfortable bar repetitions is a readiness benchmark for TKB work. [93] [109]

Flexibility demands vary by discipline. Rhythmic gymnastics requires substantial flexibility, while aerobics requires more than moderate flexibility. [39]

Learn lifting technique with no or light weight before adding load. Start very small and spend an initial period on technique. Establish the deadlift before the other barbell techniques. Otherwise the bar separates from the body. In the deadlift the hips move back, and the knees also need to be at least somewhat strong. Some lifts require more developed legs and careful posture. Teach foot support early because it will be needed with heavier weights. [74] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] [123]

Strong, deep push-ups are needed before the bar dip push-up. Increase strength before the full dip and its balance demands. Do about 20 to 25 push-ups before starting one-arm push-up work, and about 20 comfortable pull-ups before starting one-arm pull-up work. [35] [43] [92] [101]

In duo acrobatics, the male partner needs strength and the female partner needs flexibility, and the supporting base must be strong. An athlete who throws a partner needs repeated throwing practice and weight training to do it comfortably. One minute of plank endurance is the threshold for entering partner-dance work. [2] [53] [80] [110]

Advanced ring skills such as the Iron Cross should wait until they are appropriate. Moving rings make them harder than fixed bars. The ring swing movement requires shoulder stretching. [1] [4]

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Passage: passage:2025-12-04:001450-001451

114. 2025-12-18, 3002.9-3020.0s

Workout: workout:2025-12-18-slow-muscle-up-6-1

Passage: passage:2025-12-18-slow-muscle-up-6-1:000603-000610

115. 2025-12-20, 1461.5-1479.7s

Workout: workout:2025-12-20-slow-muscle-up-7

Passage: passage:2025-12-20-slow-muscle-up-7:000341-000346

116. 2026-01-07, 2923.5-2940.9s

Workout: workout:2026-01-07

Passage: passage:2026-01-07:000885-000892

117. 2026-01-17, 4758.7-4765.8s

Workout: workout:2026-01-17

Passage: passage:2026-01-17:001334-001336

118. 2026-02-12, 2791.0-2793.0s

Workout: workout:2026-02-12

Passage: passage:2026-02-12:000754-000754

119. 2026-06-18, 1874.4-1903.2s

Workout: workout:2026-06-18

Passage: passage:2026-06-18:000688-000688

120. 2026-07-12, 3135.2-3157.9s

Workout: workout:2026-07-12

Passage: passage:2026-07-12:000926-000932

121. 2026-07-12, 4313.6-4316.5s

Workout: workout:2026-07-12

Passage: passage:2026-07-12:001250-001251

122. 2026-07-24, 1652.6-1663.4s

Workout: workout:2026-07-24

Passage: passage:2026-07-24:000405-000409

123. 2026-07-26, 2895.8-2901.2s

Workout: workout:2026-07-26

Passage: passage:2026-07-26:000764-000766

124. 2026-08-02, 3960.8-3971.9s

Workout: workout:2026-08-02

Passage: passage:2026-08-02:001203-001205

125. 2026-08-09, 1500.5-1512.2s

Workout: workout:2026-08-09

Passage: passage:2026-08-09:000560-000563