L-Sit Leg Straightening Help: Strength, Flexibility, Both?

Let me preface my question by saying I'm not quite there yet with all of my L-Sit strength, but I'll be there very soon. My shoulder and abdominal strength is solid, but my flexibility and quad strength lags slightly behind.

My problem is now that I can hold an L-Sit on paralletes for quite awhile, but I can't quite fully extend my legs during the hold. With my weighted pike, I can take the weight about an inch from the floor, and seated I can get my nose about 4 to 5 inches from my knees. I do notice that my VMO tone leaves something to be desired.

I'm currently doing Bent Leg L-Sit to Tuck PL on parralletes and Bent Leg L-sit lifts on parraletes. I recently added the hip extensions into my routine that were posted on the board as well.

Any suggestions to get my L-sit to be an L?

Seated leg lifts in pike and straddle.

Sit in pike, place hands anywhere from knees to ankles. Lift heels off floor.

Play with combinations like 10s holds or 10 lifts. 3-6 sets.

Blairbob said:

Seated leg lifts in pike and straddle.

Sit in pike, place hands anywhere from knees to ankles. Lift heels off floor.

Play with combinations like 10s holds or 10 lifts. 3-6 sets.

I've also done similar from parallettes - essentially a half hanging-leg raise from support position. Just another idea.

MightyMouse: how is your hamstring flexibility? That limited me for a while

phrak said:

Blairbob said:

Seated leg lifts in pike and straddle.

Sit in pike, place hands anywhere from knees to ankles. Lift heels off floor.

Play with combinations like 10s holds or 10 lifts. 3-6 sets.

I've also done similar from parallettes - essentially a half hanging-leg raise from support position. Just another idea.

MightyMouse: how is your hamstring flexibility? That limited me for a while

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely be trying those out at the gym today.

My hamstring flexibility is a work in progress. It isn't necessarily bad anymore, but it's far from good. Individually I can get the right to about 100-105 degrees of hip flexion before having to either bend my knee or let my opposite hip rise using a stretch band. In the left, it's probably more like 90-95 degrees.

I can't hold an L sit for very long, under 20s, on para lets- but I'm new to this!

I can't fully straighten my legs either, and it's defiantly a matter of flexibility, as such I'm doing several hamstring stretches after each session (4 sessions a week) my other flexibility is done with the bridge position, as it builds some lower back strength too- and I want to do back walk overs some day!