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

[MightyMouse13]

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?

[Blairbob]

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.

[Aaron Griffin]

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

[MightyMouse13]

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.

[Evilllamas]

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!