L-Sit on Parallettes

Supported hold with the legs held horizontal, taxing the trunk, hip flexors and straight-arm shoulders together. Three holds of twenty seconds with legs level before you attempt a V-sit.

DIFFICULTY
Intermediate
EQUIPMENT
Bodyweight · Parallettes
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Abs · Hip Flexors
ALSO WORKS
Triceps · Quads · Lats · Serratus Anterior
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01Sit between the parallettes and grip the bars with straight arms.
  2. 02Press down hard to lift the hips clear of the floor.
  3. 03Depress the shoulders so the neck stays long rather than swallowed.
  4. 04Extend the legs straight out until the heels are level with the hips.
  5. 05Hold with the quads locked, then set down before the position collapses.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Push the bars down through the floor.
  2. 02Shoulders down, chest tall.
  3. 03Knees locked, toes pointed, legs level.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Shrugging into the ears, which makes the hold about hanging on rather than pressing and loads the neck.
  2. 02Bending the knees to fake height, which is fine as a tuck sit but should not be logged as an L-sit.
  3. 03Rounding the low back and leaning far behind the hands, which is the hip flexors quitting and shortens the lever.

Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.

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