Why, oh why does my floor L-sit suck?

[Aaron Griffin]

I can't figure it out (and sadly, I do not have a video). I have a decent (30s+) parallette L-sit, and can do a decent ring l-sit (never timed it).

However, once I move to the floor, I can't seem to get enough clearance to hold an L correctly. Interestingly, If I press myself up and keep my heels on the ground, I get a lot more clearance than if I press up into a tuck-L. So it sounds like pressing/scapular strength is the issue here.

How do I fix this? Any cues or assistance work you guys know of? Would doing support shrugs help?

[Bryce Warren]

Flexibility is a pretty big issue if you're doing L-sit on the floor compared to rings or parallettes due to the ground forcing you to stay parallel rather than having clearance underneath you from an elevated platform. Taking a video of your l-sits on the parallettes will give you an idea of your current flexibility in the piked position.

Also an uneducated guess so there could be something else, this is one of the main problems I know of though so I thought I'd just get it in there.

[Aaron Griffin]

You mean hamstring flexibility? Mine is lacking - I'm fairly far from a full pike, though I can get my head almost to my knees when doing the straddle twist and bend stretch

[Bryce Warren]

Sounds like you just need to work on your active hip flexibility. If you can do a 30s PB L-sit there no way you should have a strength issue transferring to ground. So work on the flexibility and you should be able to do it no problem.

You can even stretch out a bit right before doing your L-sit to see if loosening your hips/quads/hamstrings will help you out for the time being so you can at least get off the ground. I do this every time due to my lack of flexibility as well, always feel my quads cramping when I do them without stretching first. It's so easy to be lazy when it comes to stretching lol :roll:

[Falcon]

It's not a flexibility problem, I have a poor flexibility too and have 30+s FX L.

Your problem is that you don't have strength to depress the scapula. L on PBs is much easier than on floor because you don't have to depress as much. I think I would be able to do 60s L on PB (if I had to ).

I would suggest doing PB Shrugs (preferably in L, low L or tuck L) as an supporting exercise, and focusing on Tuck L or L on floor, as long holds as you can manage.

[Cole Dano]

Falcon has it right. You don't have to be super flexible to do an FX L-Sit, but it does take much more compression from the core and depression of the shoulder blades. It's just harder.

[Aaron Griffin]

So it sounds like pressing/scapular strength is the issue here.

...

Would doing support shrugs help?

Your problem is that you don't have strength to depress the scapula.

...

I would suggest doing PB Shrugs (preferably in L, low L or tuck L) as an supporting exercise, and focusing on Tuck L or L on floor, as long holds as you can manage.

I feel vindicated, as it seems to be what I guessed initially.

I'll throw some PB and ring shrugs into my normal routine

[jl5555]

Do you try getting up onto your fingertips? Although uncomfortable if you're not used to putting your bodyweight on them it is a good way to get additional clearance under the butt while you work on depressing the scapula.

[Andrew Lim]

Hi, I am working on a similar problem & here is my thread :wink:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=7706

As per my post there, please be careful if you do L on fingers. I really hurt my thumbs trying that & they took ages to get better! Yes, I was showing off at work :oops:

I really like the idea of low tuck parallette shrugs in addition to the statics. Thanks for that.

Cheers

[Aaron Griffin]

As per my post there, please be careful if you do L on fingers. I really hurt my thumbs trying that & they took ages to get better! Yes, I was showing off at work :oops:

I have no plans to work on my fingertips. I should be able to press with flat palms, so I plan to attain that.