L-sit video & future progressions

Hey guys

I recently started performing the L-sit again. I stopped a few months ago because I would feel a strain in my lower back after performing the l-sit, probably from bad form. I don't have that problem anymore

I've made an effort to keep my back straight. I can consistently perform the L-sit for about 20 seconds, and on a good day, about 30. Here is a video I took of myself. Would this qualify as the "advanced l-sit" according to coach sommer?

My eventual goal is to perform a V-sit, and be able to hold the L-sit for 60 seconds. I can push my hips forward to try to accomplish the V, but only hold it for a few seconds. It looks like this

So, how should I go about training to accomplish these goals? Also, I'm a little confused on what how working to a V-sit is different from working to a manna. From what I understand, a manna focuses much more on pushing the hips forward rather than raising the legs. At this point, however, the only way for me to get my legs higher is to push my hips forward. Does this mean I need to work on flexibility, or I'm just not strong enough to progress past the L-sit?

One more thing- sometimes when I'm on the ground, I bend my fingers to a 90 degree angle and press off my knuckles to accomplish height. My only other alternative is going on my fists, since I'm not strong enough to do fingertips. Is this OK?

Thanks

Hey MCem222,

Does this mean I need to work on flexibility, or I'm just not strong enough to progress past the L-sit?

I'd say both.

You need to clean up that L-Sit.

Try to lock your arms and legs and see how long you can hold it then.

Work up to the 3x30sec L-Sit first before progressing.

Keep throwing in L-Sits prior to your workouts.

Do the BtGB progressions, i.e. v-ups (straddle), L-Sit lift, v-up lifts, HLL.

OK, thanks (and also for the youtube sub!)

I'll keep working the L-sits, making sure to lock out my arms and legs, and post a video when I'm up to a solid 3x30 sec

You are flexing your lower back a bit as well. If you straighten your arms you might find that your feet won't be as high. Don't let that bother you. It may be you are too close to the floor for the time being, try setting your nice mini-pb's on a chair and work on the flat back, straight arms and legs but with out over forcing the feet up at the expense of everything else.

One thing i find helpful is to point the toes but pull back in through the inner legs. In other words, if you had a string running from your ankles to butt cheeks, try to pull it straight back. This will help lift the legs and flatten the low back. This may have been the source of you earlier pain, and you don't want it to re-occur.

BTW-What is that you are using to do the L-sit on?

I'm not sure what exactly you mean with pulling my inner legs back. When I think of doing that, it just makes me bring my hips back. Maybe I should pretend I'm arching my back slightly so the lower back flattens out?

Also, I'm doing it on the Iron Gym bar. I bought it for 30 bucks as a pullup bar for my dorm room (going to college in a month), it hooks over the door frame and works pretty well. They also advertise as being suitable for dips and pushups. While the bars are way too shallow for dips, theyre perfect to use as paralettes

My recommendation is first attain a 30 L-sit on the floor, then a 30 sec straddle L on the floor and finally a 30 sec MSH on the floor, before you begin to seriously work V-sits.

-- Coach Sommer

MCem222 said:

I'm not sure what exactly you mean with pulling my inner legs back. When I think of doing that, it just makes me bring my hips back. Maybe I should pretend I'm arching my back slightly so the lower back flattens out?

It should just send a signal to your tail bone not to tuck.

As trianglebob says, spend time working on your L-sit. First using some elevation to keep your low back safe and find how it and the core work together. (put the iron gym on a chair or across two chairs?) Don't try to arch your back, move the tail bone from the inner legs, and keep the core stable.

Once you are good with a solid 30-sec L-sit with the feet lower than the hips and the back feeling good for a least a month, move to the floor. I think you will build a much better foundation this way and in the long run your progress will be faster.

That doesn't mean you can't play with the more advanced variations, but let this be the meat and potatoes until its rock solid.

MCem222 said:

Also, I'm doing it on the Iron Gym bar. I bought it for 30 bucks as a pullup bar for my dorm room (going to college in a month), it hooks over the door frame and works pretty well. They also advertise as being suitable for dips and pushups. While the bars are way too shallow for dips, theyre perfect to use as paralettes

OK it is, the camera angle make is look much narrower. I always wondered how they could be used for dips.

MCem222 said:

Also, I'm doing it on the Iron Gym bar. I bought it for 30 bucks as a pullup bar for my dorm room (going to college in a month), it hooks over the door frame and works pretty well. They also advertise as being suitable for dips and pushups. While the bars are way too shallow for dips, theyre perfect to use as paralettes

I've got one of those and I just couldn't get my arms locked straight in the L-sit because they're so narrow. I thought it might just be my size but a friend of mine has the same problem and he's only about 5''6'. You can do them on dumbbells as well or simple push-up bars work well too. I just got the push-up bars and noticed the L-sit get easier to straighten instantly.