L-Sit Progression

The ultimate core control skill — progress from basic tucks to full L-sit holds, building extreme core strength and hip flexor power

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⚡ Quick Reference

Aspect	Details
Pattern	Core (Static Hold)
Primary Muscles	Core, Hip Flexors
Secondary Muscles	Shoulders, Triceps
Equipment	Bodyweight, parallettes optional
Difficulty	⭐⭐⭐ Advanced
Priority	🟡 Supplementary

Movement Summary

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🎯 Setup

Starting Position

1. Hand placement: Directly beside hips, fingers pointing forward
2. Arms: Fully locked out, pressing into floor or parallettes
3. Shoulders: Depressed (pushed down away from ears)
4. Scapulae: Retracted and depressed
5. Body: Lifted completely off ground, supported on hands
6. Head: Neutral, eyes forward

Equipment Options

Option	Setup	Best For
Floor	Hands flat on floor	Starting out, mobility work
Parallettes	Hands on handles	Better wrist position, easier lift
Parallel Bars	Hands on bars	Gym setting, most comfortable

Setup Cue

"Shoulders down, arms locked, push the ground away hard — create maximum space between shoulders and hips"

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🔄 Execution

The Progression

🔝 Support Hold

What's happening: Learning to support bodyweight on straight arms

1. Hands beside hips, fingers forward
2. Press into ground, lock arms completely
3. Push shoulders down away from ears
4. Lift butt off ground (feet can stay down initially)
5. Hold 10-30 seconds

Goal: Build shoulder and wrist strength for later progressions

Feel: Shoulders working hard to depress, triceps engaged

🦐 Tuck L-Sit

What's happening: Adding leg lift with knees bent

1. Achieve support hold position
2. Bring knees to chest while staying lifted
3. Keep shoulders depressed
4. Core engaged to hold knees up
5. Hold 10-30 seconds

Common error here: Shoulders rising up — keep pushing down actively.

Feel: Core burning, hip flexors working, shoulders stable

🦵 One-Leg L-Sit

What's happening: Straightening one leg while other stays tucked

1. Start in tuck L-sit
2. Extend one leg straight out, parallel to ground
3. Keep other leg tucked to chest
4. Maintain shoulder depression
5. Hold 10-20 seconds per side

Feel: One hip flexor working much harder, core fighting rotation

🤸 Straddle L-Sit

What's happening: Both legs straight but spread wide

1. From support hold, lift both legs
2. Spread legs wide in straddle position
3. Legs parallel to ground or higher
4. Keep shoulders down, arms locked
5. Hold 10-20 seconds

Easier than full L-sit: Less hip flexor compression required

Feel: Inner thighs engaged, core working, shoulders stable

🏆 Full L-Sit

What's happening: Both legs straight and together

1. From support hold, lift both legs together
2. Legs completely straight, parallel to ground
3. Feet together, pointed or flexed
4. Core maximally engaged
5. Hold 10-30 seconds

The goal position: This is the full L-sit

Feel: Everything burning — core, hip flexors, shoulders, triceps

Key Cues

Primary Cues

• "Shoulders away from ears" — active scapular depression
• "Push the floor away" — straight arms, maximum lift
• "Legs parallel to ground" — not drooping down
• "Toes pointed" — engages more muscles

Hold Times by Level

Level	Position	Target Hold
Beginner	Support Hold	30s+
Beginner+	Tuck L-Sit	20-30s
Intermediate	One-Leg L-Sit	15-20s each
Intermediate+	Straddle L-Sit	15-20s
Advanced	Full L-Sit	10-30s

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💪 Muscles Worked

Activation Overview

Primary Movers

Muscle	Action	Activation
Rectus Abdominis	Holds trunk rigid, prevents collapse	█████████░ 90%
Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas)	Lifts and holds legs horizontal	█████████░ 85%

Secondary Muscles

Muscle	Action	Activation
Anterior Deltoid	Shoulder flexion, keeps body lifted	███████░░░ 65%
Triceps	Maintains arm lockout	██████░░░░ 60%

Stabilizers

Muscle	Role
Serratus Anterior	Protracts and stabilizes scapulae
Wrist Flexors	Maintains wrist stability under load
Lower Traps	Assists scapular depression

Unique Benefit

L-sit builds hip flexor strength like almost no other exercise. This translates directly to higher kicks, better leg control, and improved gymnastics skills.

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⚠️ Common Mistakes

Mistake	What Happens	Why It's Bad	Fix
Shoulders rising	Shoulders shrug toward ears	Loses stability, reduces hold time	Actively push shoulders down
Bent arms	Elbows not locked	Easier but not proper form	Lock elbows completely
Legs drooping	Legs below horizontal	Not true L-sit	Engage hip flexors harder
Leaning back	Torso leans backward	Compensation for weak hip flexors	Keep torso vertical
Holding breath	Breathing stops	Reduces hold time, dangerous	Breathe steadily throughout

Most Common Error

Shoulders creeping up — the moment shoulders rise, you lose stability and leverage. Fight to keep them depressed the entire hold.

Self-Check Checklist

• Arms completely straight and locked
• Shoulders pushed down away from ears
• Legs parallel to ground (or higher)
• Core maximally braced
• Breathing steadily

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🔀 Variations

By Difficulty

Easier (Regressions)

Variation	How	When to Use
Support Hold	Just lift body, feet stay down	Building base strength
Foot-Supported L-Sit	Heels lightly touch ground	Learning position
Tuck L-Sit	Knees to chest	First true L-sit progression

Intermediate

Variation	How	Emphasis
One-Leg L-Sit	One leg extended	Unilateral progression
Straddle L-Sit	Legs wide apart	Less compression needed
Bent-Knee L-Sit	Legs out but knees slightly bent	Almost there

Harder (Progressions)

Variation	How	When to Use
Full L-Sit	Both legs straight together	The goal
L-Sit to V-Sit	Legs lift above horizontal	Elite skill
L-Sit Pulls	L-sit on bar, pull to chest	Insane difficulty

By Equipment

Equipment	Benefit	Notes
Floor	Most accessible	Harder on wrists
Parallettes	Better wrist angle	Easier to lift hips
Parallel Bars	Most comfortable	Gym setting
Rings	Adds instability	Elite level

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📊 Programming

Hold Times by Goal

Goal	Sets	Hold Duration	Rest	Notes
Strength	5-8	Max holds (10-30s)	2-3 min	Push for longer holds
Skill	3-5	Submaximal (50-70%)	90-120s	Multiple quality sets
Endurance	2-3	Near-max holds	60-90s	Focus on total time

Workout Placement

Program Type	Placement	Rationale
Calisthenics	Early in workout	Requires fresh CNS
Skill session	Primary focus	Main skill work
Core day	Finisher	After dynamic work

Progression Scheme

How to Progress

Master each position for 20-30 seconds before moving to the next. Don't rush — quality holds build strength faster than struggling in harder positions.

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🔄 Alternatives & Progressions

Exercise Progression Path

Regressions (Easier)

Exercise	When to Use
Support Hold	Can't lift body off ground yet
Foot-Supported L-Sit	Building awareness of position
Tuck L-Sit	First real L-sit variation

Progressions (Harder)

Exercise	When Ready
Straddle L-Sit	Tuck is easy for 30s+
Full L-Sit	Straddle is solid for 20s+
V-Sit	L-sit is comfortable for 30s+

Alternatives for Same Muscles

Alternative	When to Use
Hanging Leg Raises	Building hip flexor strength
Compression Work	Improving flexibility component
Hollow Body Hold	Core strength without wrist stress

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🛡️ Safety & Contraindications

Who Should Be Careful

Condition	Risk	Modification
Wrist pain	Excessive load on wrists	Use parallettes, build up slowly
Hip flexor strain	Overuse injury	Reduce hold times, focus on regression
Shoulder impingement	Improper shoulder position	Focus on depression cue

Stop Immediately If

• Sharp pain in wrists, shoulders, or hips
• Shoulders won't stay depressed (means you're too fatigued)
• Wrist buckling or giving out

Injury Prevention

• Always warm up wrists thoroughly before L-sit work
• Build hold times gradually (add 2-5 seconds per week)
• Don't skip regressions — they build necessary strength
• Use parallettes if wrists are sensitive

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🦴 Joints Involved

Joint	Action	ROM Required	Stress Level
Hip	Hip flexion (lifting legs)	90°+	🟡 Moderate
Shoulder	Shoulder flexion, depression	Full	🟡 Moderate
Wrist	Extension under load	~70-90°	🔴 High
Elbow	Extension (locked)	Full	🟢 Low

Wrist Care

L-sits put significant load on wrists. Build up gradually, use parallettes, and do wrist mobility work before and after sessions.

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❓ Common Questions

How long should I hold each progression before moving on?

Aim for 20-30 seconds with good form before progressing. Quality holds are more important than rushing to the next level.

My wrists hurt during L-sits. What should I do?

Use parallettes or parallel bars for better wrist positioning. Also ensure you're warming up wrists properly and not doing too much volume too soon.

I can hold tuck L-sit but my legs drop immediately when I try to extend them. Why?

This is normal — there's a huge jump in hip flexor demand from tuck to straight legs. Use one-leg L-sit as a bridge, and do compression work (seated pike stretches while lifting legs).

Should I do L-sits every day?

No. L-sits are very demanding on the CNS and hip flexors. 2-3x per week is plenty for most people. More frequency works if volume per session is low.

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📚 Sources

Technique & Progression:

• Overcoming Gravity (Steven Low) — Tier A
• Gymnastic Bodies — Tier B
• GymnasticBodies.com — Tier C

Programming:

• Building the Gymnastic Body — Tier B
• Reddit /r/bodyweightfitness Wiki — Tier C

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For Mo

When to recommend this exercise:

• User wants to build extreme core strength
• User is interested in calisthenics or gymnastics skills
• User has mastered basic core exercises and wants progression
• User wants impressive static holds

Who should NOT do this exercise:

• Acute wrist injury → Wait for recovery
• Complete beginner → Start with basic core work first
• Poor shoulder mobility → Address mobility first

Key coaching cues to emphasize:

1. "Shoulders down, away from ears"
2. "Push the floor away as hard as you can"
3. "Legs parallel to ground — don't let them drop"

Common issues to watch for in user feedback:

• "My wrists hurt" → Recommend parallettes, slower progression
• "I can't lift my butt off the ground" → Start with support holds on parallettes
• "My legs drop immediately" → This is normal, use regressions (tuck, one-leg)
• "My shoulders keep rising" → Cue scapular depression harder

Programming guidance:

• For beginners: Start with support holds, 5x10-30s, 2x/week
• For intermediates: Progress through tuck/one-leg/straddle, 3-5 sets of max holds
• For advanced: Full L-sit practice 2-3x/week, 5-8 sets
• Progress when: Can hold position cleanly for 20-30s

Progression timeline:

• Support hold → Tuck: 2-4 weeks
• Tuck → One-leg: 4-8 weeks
• One-leg → Straddle: 4-8 weeks
• Straddle → Full: 4-12 weeks
• Total beginner to full L-sit: 4-8 months typical

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Last updated: December 2024