hanging leg raise progression--help!

[Jeff]

I've been following the article on this site.

I can't do a decent hanging V. Not sure if the limitation is due to lack of strength or lack of flexibility or, more likely, both. The only way I might be able to get it is if I close my shoulders.

However, I do feel like I'm closer to a full hanging leg lift than to a hanging V hold. As far as I can tell, my legs are 90-95% straight and my shoulders aren't closing as much. I do have to rely on a bit of momentum so I can't do these too slowly.

So where should I go from here?

Should I continue to concentrate on the hanging V and hope that eventually through practice I'll develop the strength and flexibility to keep my shoulders open?

Or might it work better for me to shift my focus to the leg lift and progress in a different order?

Or maybe spend equal time on both?

Thanks!

[Blairbob]

HLL is easier than hanging V due to momentum from hip flexion.

From hang, tuck up as high as possible and extend legs and try to start holding the V. Don't be surprised if you can only hold it 1 or 2s. Progress from this.

How is your pike flexibility? How is your inverted pike stretch?

[John Sapinoso]

Try this variation:

You can make it a little easier by straddling your legs; the mass of your weight is closer to your point of rotation so it makes it slightly easier. (if that didn't make sense, just take my word for it)

The bigger you straddle, the easier and the reverse is also true, progress toward legs together. This will also help increase your hip flexor strength as a side effect.

[Jeff]

Pike flexibility, on a good day, I can get my forehead to my knee on a one leg pike (http://www.drillsandskills.com/stretching/Pike/pk006). I sort of stopped doing these stretches though because I always felt like I was just rounding my back and not really stretching my hamstrings at all. Any opinions on this?

Inverted pike, I've never done this, so I can't imagine my flexibility to be very impressive here.

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I'll try the straddling next time I'm in the gym. At home, I have a bar in my hallway so that sort of prevents me from really doing this here.