Strength
Toes to bar
A high-skill gymnastic movement that builds elite midline stability and lat strength.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Hang from a pull-up bar with a double overhand grip, keeping your thumbs wrapped and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Initiate a rhythmic hollow-to-arch swing by pulling your shoulders down and pushing the bar away from you to generate momentum.
Transition from the arch position into a hollow position while aggressively pulling the bar down toward your hips.
Contract your core and hinge your hips to bring your legs upward in a rapid, controlled motion.
Touch both feet to the bar simultaneously between your hands.
Lower your legs with control while maintaining tension to transition directly into the next repetition.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Losing tension in the shoulders and 'bottoming out' at the bottom of the rep.
- Bending the knees excessively which reduces the leverage needed for core engagement.
- Relying solely on momentum without activating the lats to pull the bar down.
- Kicking the bar away rather than touching it and pulling the feet back in.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.