Keeping legs straight in SL/PE10, SL/PE11 and L-sits

Hi all,

so I had this question recently:
 

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In the Core series of Foundation 2, we begin windscreen wipers, and that exercise before windscreen wipers (basically side to side leg movements while hanging). I'm finding that I don't have the strength and/or flexibility to do these exercises at the moment. When I try to get into a hanging L (or even an L on the rings, or bars, with my hands by my hips), I find my quads kind of hurt/pull.

I've had this problem for years, so it's time to address it. Do you know what I need to work on? I'm guessing both strength and flexibility, but of what exactly? Is it a hip flexor thing? A quad thing? A hamstring thing? A core thing?

It's worth noting, though, that I have had to recently cut back on the stretching series because my long-term calf injury (peroneal tendinopathy) flared back up again. I'm therefore quite limited in what I can stretch lower-body wise. (And it also means I can't get into a bridge, so most of the T-spine bridge work is out too.) I'm doing what I can though.

 

But after some searching, I found the post below, which links to this website:

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http://www.drillsandskills.com/article/16

Check out the last picture shown, helped me with lots of my L-sit woes (hip flexors, hamstrings).

 

So, I'm going to try those drills and report back. As I say, I've had this problem for as long as I can remember, but my focus has always been on weightlifting, so I've never addressed it.

Now is the time to start being a gymnastics hero.

I'll let you know how it goes.

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Hi Maria,

Because there is pain in your quad, I strongly suggest consulting a medical professional. You do not want to try and force anything by training through pain. Once your injury is completely healed, it is best to start submitting some form checks of your progressions, starting with PE1. 

Which manna progression are you on? Does the pain limit your ability to progress in that category?

Hi Everett,

Thanks for your input.

I'm on MNPE6 (hanging leg lifts with a 10s negative). I get the same feeling of tightness, but I think strength is the limiting factor, in both this and the windscreen wipers. The pain isn't a "real pain". Just a bit of tightness in my quad. No drama.

I'm going to try those pike and straddle pulses and see how that helps me progress. I can sit on the floor in an L with ease, so I should have the range. I just need to build up the strength.

I forgot to update this post, but not long after I started doing those leg pulses on the floor, I can now do L-sits on rings and bar, hands at waist height or from hanging.

I guess it means my hip flexors were a bit too weak. I'm smashing it now though. So I highly recommend those exercises if you're struggling with an L-sit.

Maria, if you take off your shoes, you will find this easier. Think about your hips as the pivot point. The amount of force your hip flexors must exert is much less if you bend your knees, right? And the further from the pivot point, the more effect any weight has. So take off shoes AND socks, and you might find this easier.

Even with light shoes, it can make a surprising difference to the difficulty of an exercise.

Thanks for the tip, Nicholas!