Bodyweight Archer Pull-up Progression

[Achieve234]

What are some good progressions to learn the Archer Pull-up because I feel like they are still do difficult even after being able to do 12 pull-ups. Any tips would be much appreciated.
I have also created a youtube channel featuring my progress please subscribe as it took me a long time to create the video.YouTube

Also I have a plateau between row and tucked front lever rows.

Thank You!

 

[Achieve234]

Link:

 

[Kettlebelephant]

Very nice progress on your calisthenics!
@305pelusa might have some tips for you and might correct my suggestions

I think you should get to 20+ strict pullups first. Being able to do "only" 12 PUs means an archer PU is probably very close to your 1RM, maybe even harder than that.
You can simply hold the top position of the archer PU for time and follow it up with a slow negativ from that position. Basically the same way you probably achieved your first pullup -> holds + negatives.
At the same time work on increasing your straight PU numbers. Maybe even work on weighted straight PUs.
This should do the trick and would be the way I'd try for myself.

For the tucked lever rows:
Any kind of front lever requires very strong pulling muscles (especially lats). Adding an actual rowing movement to the lever requires even more strength, because you add motion to the already very demanding isometric hold of the lever.
People who try that kind of progression usually can crank out sets of 20 or more straight PUs and there's a reason for that.
With a max set of 12 PUs your back/pulling muscles are simply not strong enough for advanced movements like that. You need to spend more times with the basics first.
The progression for the tucked front lever row I'd use would be as followed:
Row/Australian PU + normal PU work -> tucked front lever -> tucked front lever with one extended leg -> full front lever -> tucked front lever row.
You skip 3 progressions and jump right from rows & PUs to tucked front lever rows...

 

[305pelusa]

@Achieve234 : Very cool video. You remind me very much of myself a few years ago. Calisthenics is where it's at!

I'll second what @Kettlebelephant is saying about the archer Pull-up. I wish I had some dirty little trick variation, but most of us just work on our Pull-ups and once we start hitting 18+, we suddenly get free stuff like the Archer Pull-up or even Muscle-ups. That's kinda how calisthenics is, everything carries over pretty well.

That said, what you do at 2:00 is a good beginning step. If you slowly widen your grip, you can slowly work up to the Archer (and its cousin, the "Typerwriter Pull-up"). I would do some of those from 2:00 also, they are useful.

Also I have a plateau between row and tucked front lever rows.

I have no idea what you mean. You're doing Tucked FL Rows at 1:20 (although it's hard to say if they're good). You're saying you're stuck and having trouble moving on to the Advanced Tuck Front Lever Row? Or you're not making any more progress on the Tucked FL Row?

 

[pet']

Hello,

@Achieve234
You can get into postion, then holding 5s, then getting down, holding at the middle for anoter 5, then getting to the dead hang. You have to control all the way down. Rest a while and repeat on the other side.

For the concentric phase, you can make sets of partial ROM. Then, you progressively increase ROM until you get to the top position. Do not hesitate to take rest.

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Wesker11]

@Achieve234 you could try the Get Strong program from the Kavadlo bros. They have archer pull ups in the program starting at month 4. I'm two months in and I highly recommend it.

Start at the beginning, refine what skills you have and I have no doubt you'll have the strength for archers by month 4. You won't have to worry about programming or what moves to do. It's all laid out for you.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

@Wesker11
did you start at the beginning for everything?
I can do 10+ pullups & have no problems cranking out 50+ squats and don't see the point of starting with hangs and squats to a box, so I asked Al in an email what he thinks about starting at different points for different exercises. He said it's no problem to mix the phases of the routine.

 

[Incoqnito]

Nice video and progression.
You need a little work on your backspin though.

 

[Wesker11]

@Wesker11
did you start at the beginning for everything?
I can do 10+ pullups & have no problems cranking out 50+ squats and don't see the point of starting with hangs and squats to a box, so I asked Al in an email what he thinks about starting at different points for different exercises. He said it's no problem to mix the phases of the routine.

I did, but I was having some dysfunction in my right scapula and my squat sucks. I had done weighted pull ups in the past maxing out at 45 lbs. When I started the program, my right elbow would completely lock up after doing just one pull up. After some stretching, trigger point release, and technique tips from the book, I am back to doing pull ups with no pain whatsoever. The scapula hangs in the beginning of the program were very beneficial for me. As well as the tip to start a pull up with the scapula retracted. Something I was not aware of.

With the push ups I could have easily started at a later stage of the program, but I thought why rush? Like the pull ups, there were a few cues from the book that I haven't heard before, so I just focused on building the correct form.

 

[Achieve234]

@Achieve234 : Very cool video. You remind me very much of myself a few years ago. Calisthenics is where it's at!

I'll second what @Kettlebelephant is saying about the archer Pull-up. I wish I had some dirty little trick variation, but most of us just work on our Pull-ups and once we start hitting 18+, we suddenly get free stuff like the Archer Pull-up or even Muscle-ups. That's kinda how calisthenics is, everything carries over pretty well.

That said, what you do at 2:00 is a good beginning step. If you slowly widen your grip, you can slowly work up to the Archer (and its cousin, the "Typerwriter Pull-up"). I would do some of those from 2:00 also, they are useful.


I have no idea what you mean. You're doing Tucked FL Rows at 1:20 (although it's hard to say if they're good). You're saying you're stuck and having trouble moving on to the Advanced Tuck Front Lever Row? Or you're not making any more progress on the Tucked FL Row?

I have trouble increasing my reps on T.F.L.R and I can't move on.
Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for the tips on continuing at 2:00 and making my grip wider.
Guys please subscribe to my channel it would mean a lot to me!

 

[305pelusa]

@Achieve234 : What does your pulling schedule look like? How often (sets and reps) do you do Pull-ups, Rows, and TFLRs? Do you do any other pulling exercise (like simple Tuck Front Lever holds)?

Adding an actual rowing movement to the lever requires even more strength, because you add motion to the already very demanding isometric hold of the lever.

Actually I'll have to disagree slightly. There are various reasons (I can go into them if you want me to) why a Straight-Arm exercise like the Front Lever is harder with straight arms. In fact, a common compensation is to bend the arms somewhat. So while a straight-arm Planche is a particularly difficult feat (one I'm still far from), a bent-arm Planche is actually quite easy (and have been able to do for many years).

It's so much easier with bent arms, that 5 Planche Push-ups (which might take 10 secs to do) can actually be easier than a 10 second Planche hold. It can go either way. Same logic for the Front Lever.

Calisthenics progressions are ordered based on difficulty. That's why it's called Progressive Calisthenics. I know it sounds like a good idea that you'd need a full Front Lever before ever doing Tucked Rows, but the reality is that OP is clearly capable of the Tucked FL Row and almost definitely nowhere close to the full FL. That will decide the ordering for OP. For people like @pet' capable of a FL, the TFLR is a joke of an exercise and useless for him at this point. It is like thinking that you need to squat 500 lbs before ever trying to DL 300.

Through years of experience, the calisthenics community has found that FL Row work is usually about one progression behind the FL holds. So those capable of a good Adv. Tuck FL hold, can probably get some good TFLR reps to be a productive exercise.
If you care to know, Planche PU work usually lags about one and a half progressions behind Planche holds. Meaning, it wasn't until I could do One-leg Tuck PL for a few seconds that I could finally tackle Tuck PL PUs with productive form.

 

[Achieve234]

@Achieve234 : What does your pulling schedule look like? How often (sets and reps) do you do Pull-ups, Rows, and TFLRs? Do you do any other pulling exercise (like simple Tuck Front Lever holds)?


Actually I'll have to disagree slightly. There are various reasons (I can go into them if you want me to) why a Straight-Arm exercise like the Front Lever is harder with straight arms. In fact, a common compensation is to bend the arms somewhat. So while a straight-arm Planche is a particularly difficult feat (one I'm still far from), a bent-arm Planche is actually quite easy (and have been able to do for many years).

It's so much easier with bent arms, that 5 Planche Push-ups (which might take 10 secs to do) can actually be easier than a 10 second Planche hold. It can go either way. Same logic for the Front Lever.

Calisthenics progressions are ordered based on difficulty. That's why it's called Progressive Calisthenics. I know it sounds like a good idea that you'd need a full Front Lever before ever doing Tucked Rows, but the reality is that OP is clearly capable of the Tucked FL Row and almost definitely nowhere close to the full FL. That will decide the ordering for OP. For people like @pet' capable of a FL, the TFLR is a joke of an exercise and useless for him at this point. It is like thinking that you need to squat 500 lbs before ever trying to DL 300.

Through years of experience, the calisthenics community has found that FL Row work is usually about one progression behind the FL holds. So those capable of a good Adv. Tuck FL hold, can probably get some good TFLR reps to be a productive exercise.
If you care to know, Planche PU work usually lags about one and a half progressions behind Planche holds. Meaning, it wasn't until I could do One-leg Tuck PL for a few seconds that I could finally tackle Tuck PL PUs with productive form.

3 sets of Chest High Pull-ups with 5 pounds 5-7 reps
3 sets of side to side chin-ups superset with chin-up(3 reps on each side, 4 chin-ups)
3 sets T.F.L Hold superset with elevated body rows 8-12 reps
3 sets of Bodyweight bicep Curls 8-12 reps

 

[305pelusa]

So you don't do TFLRs in your regular routine?

The volume seems fine to me. You seem young and light so it's fine. I will recommend that you start eating like you mean it. Your routine looks excellent for muscle growth; complement it with nutrition. Nothing complicated; just eat until you're full on your meals, and add a healthy snack (like a sandwich, 3 bananas with some milk, etc) every day.

It is possible to break a plateau by changing exercise order. It changes things the least, while still being effective. So do your Rows before Pull-ups sometimes. However, do follow the tip ^ on nutrition. If you don't, you'll stall on other exercises too. Slowly gaining muscle is a really good way of making sure you keep getting stronger.

Good luck!

 

[Achieve234]

T

So you don't do TFLRs in your regular routine?

The volume seems fine to me. You seem young and light so it's fine. I will recommend that you start eating like you mean it. Your routine looks excellent for muscle growth; complement it with nutrition. Nothing complicated; just eat until you're full on your meals, and add a healthy snack (like a sandwich, 3 bananas with some milk, etc) every day.

It is possible to break a plateau by changing exercise order. It changes things the least, while still being effective. So do your Rows before Pull-ups sometimes. However, do follow the tip ^ on nutrition. If you don't, you'll stall on other exercises too. Slowly gaining muscle is a really good way of making sure you keep getting stronger.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Steve Freides]

FWIW, I had to look up what an archer pullup was, but I was able to do one on each side when I tried them a little while ago. My usual pullup training is irregular but when I do them, it's usually 1-3 reps, 1-3 sets, with a little weight, usually a 16 kg bell on my foot, sometimes 20 kg.

-S-