L sit/Mobility or Flexibility?

Hi everyone,

I have been following the workouts for a couple of weeks now. Use the book for scaling coupled with basic FSP, Wrist routines, Shoulder rehab/prehab, etc. that I found should be included for a beginner.

Here is my question: anytime I need to do something like a 15 second PB L-Sit hold (which for me is a tuck L-Sit), the most difficult part is keeping my legs together. Something is tight that I need to work on, but I really don't know what.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for the help - great forum and community.

Jason

Keeping your legs together? My guess would be adductor strength....

Thanks. Is there a way to test "dynamic" adductor strength? It only is an issue when I need to hold my legs together while simultaneously holding my knees up.

If it is a tightness then I am wondering if you have tight adductors. When you stand normally, do your feet or knees point outward?

Philip - Yes, my feet have always pointed a bit outward - which also causes the knees to slightly point outward. I am virtually flatfooted, but that in and of itself has never caused me any problems.

You might want to have a look at your internal rotation of the hip both in flexion and extension? There are some great mobility exercises in KStar's http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/. I have seen a great improvement both with internal and external rotation after following for a short while. Have a look through the back issues, or try a google search using site specific search, like "site:mobilitywod.blogspot.com hip internal rotation".

Cheers,

George.

George said:

You might want to have a look at your internal rotation of the hip both in flexion and extension? There are some great mobility exercises in KStar's http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/. I have seen a great improvement both with internal and external rotation after following for a short while. Have a look through the back issues, or try a google search using site specific search, like "site:mobilitywod.blogspot.com hip internal rotation".

Cheers,

George.

Hey, George. Thanks for recommending Dr. Starrett's website! I've been trying to help increase his following, and I think it's starting to pick up.

Hi,

Thinking about this a little further, when considering that you might have a lack of the adductor strength required to keep your legs together during the L-sit ...that strength is relative to the forces it has to overcome, including any opposing muscles. This could include stronger muscles pulling in slightly different directions, and also tightness that must be overcome. The latter can also bring reciprocal inhibition into play, in the same way that tight hip flexors can inhibit glute activation.

If this is of interest, I am sure there are many experts here who can expand rather more scientifically.

NB: Also, some muscles exert different forces in different ranges of motion, for example: According to ExRx, Gluteus Maximus is an adductor (weak) when the leg is straight down, but performs abduction when the hip is flexed toward 90[degrees][/degrees], like in an L-sit position. If your glutes are tight, they will pull into abduction when flexed at the hip. I also recall that the adductors are lengthened during hip flexion (apparently these are often a cause of 'butt wink' at squat end range), and may lose some strength toward their end-range.

- - - - - - - - - -

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/GluteusMaximus.html

Heads

1. Upper Fibers (Most Fibers)

2. Lower Fibers

Movement > Hip

- Extension [1, 2]

- External Rotation [1, 2]

- Transverse Abduction [1, 2]

- Adduction [2]

- - - - - - - - - -

Anyway - I'm waffling on, and should probably be working!

Cheers,

George.

I thought about this a bit... what do you mean by "legs together"? Do you mean the entirety of your legs touching each other? Because that won't happen

Wow, thanks for all the info!

I have discomfort in even pulling them, but yes I am trying to actually touch them together. It probably is a combination of tightness and lack of strength in one direction. I don't have time right now to look at the information posted, but I will tomorrow and let you know if it seems to apply to me.

Thanks again!