---
title: Ice Cream Maker
seo_title: How to do ice cream makers
skill: do 3 sets of 5 ice cream makers
tags: [pull, core, back, grip]
track: reps
image: ice-cream-maker.webp
image_source: https://youtu.be/KYH2rcYN-aw
image_credit: Simonster Strength
image_credit_url: https://www.youtube.com/@SimonsterStrength
image_clip: https://youtu.be/KYH2rcYN-aw?0:13.9-0:16.4
authors:
- renec112
published: 2026-08-15
---

The ice cream maker moves you from the top of a pull-up out into a [front lever](/calisthenics/front-lever) and back again, in one continuous arc. It works the muscles used in both positions, and you can scale it by shortening the lever - tuck, advanced tuck, one leg - or by adding a band for assistance.

It's also one of the most argued-about exercises in calisthenics. Some people call it essential for the front lever, others call it a waste of time. The honest answer is in between: it's a good accessory, it isn't a substitute for the movements it looks like.

## Prerequisites

You're ready to start playing with these when you can do:

- 10+ [pull-ups](/calisthenics/pull-up)
- 3×10 [tuck front lever rows](/calisthenics/tuck-front-lever-row) with your back parallel to the floor
- A 30-second [hollow hold](/calisthenics/hollow-hold)

## How to do it

Pull to the top of a pull-up, chest near the bar. From there, lean back and push the bar away while extending your hips, letting your arms straighten as your body rotates out toward horizontal. Reverse it: pull the bar back toward your hips and bend the arms to return to the top of the pull-up.

- **Core:** [hollow body](glossary:hollow-body) from shoulders to feet, held the whole way. This is the part most people underestimate
- **Hips:** never let them sag or pike - the body travels as one rigid piece
- **Legs:** squeezed together, glutes and quads flexed
- **Bottom position:** the lever half should be reached with straight arms, not a bent-arm cheat


See more here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYH2rcYN-aw

*Video by [Simonster Strength](https://www.youtube.com/@SimonsterStrength)*

## Key tips

- Straight arms in the lever half, or you're training a different movement
- Don't seesaw the hips up - if you can't get out there with a rigid body, shorten the lever
- Hold or pause the lever position on every rep; that's where the value is
- These are an accessory, not a replacement. Holds, raises and pull-ups stay your main work