Levitation Series on the Ladder – Climbing the straps

When you're doing Levitation exercises on the Ladder you're strengthening your posterior chain: primarily your back muscles and your glutes. And it's called "levitation" because you're floating up against gravity. Then wouldn't using a strap be a little bit of a cheat?

It could but it isn't in this case.

Here, you're not using the strap to help you come any higher. It's kind of the opposite actually. You're using your own strength to lift your torso against gravity, then you get a good hold on the strap and sink your rib cage down. This lets you flatten the kyphotic curvature of your thoracic spine, the roundness of the spine in your rib cage area. You're moving your spine in the opposite of it's normal, natural position. Holding the straps lets you use your shoulder blades as levers to open your thoracic spine in a very muscularly active way. It's similar to upward dog from yoga but with much more total body strengthening.

The only part of your body that isn't working here is your face. You're keeping it serene. Never show 'em how hard your working.