The L Sit is a great entry level calisthenics move that requires skill, strength and mobility. It is highly scalable, a great goal for anyone getting started and an absolute must for athletes trying to dive deeper in their calisthenics journey.
Hamstring Warm Up
Rest between sets: As Needed
Intensity: Moderate | Focus on form
Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
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![]() | 1 Legged Good Morning 8x each side | Hold your hips in a slight anterior pelvic tilt, keep your back straight and guide the movement with your coccyx.Keep your shoulders low and pull them together in the back. Actively push your elbows back as well. Keep your hips and shoulders squared.Move slow and focus on muscle engagement, alignment and balance. | |
![]() | Walking Pike Progression 40sec | The anterior pelvic tilt is the most important part of this exercise.As you move your foot pull your toes up towards your chin and flex your foot.Keep your knees locked and shoulders squared with the hips at all times. | |
![]() | Runners Stretch 40sec each side | Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.Place your hips on top of your back knee.Lock the front knee and push the bottom of the knee towards the floor. Flex your foot pulling your toes towards the chin. Place your hands further towards the front to increase difficulty. | |
![]() | Runners Stretch Flex against Elastic 40sec each side | Keep your hips and shoulders perfectly squared and parallel to the floor.Place your hips on top of your back knee.Keep your front knee fully locked and push the bottom of the knee into the floor. Place your hands further in front to increase difficulty. | |
![]() | Standing Pike Stretch Leg Extensions 12x Slowly | Fully lock your knees in each rep.Keep your hips on top of your feet at all times.Exhale as you straighten your knees and squeeze your belly button towards your shin. |
Rest between sets: As Needed
Intensity: Light
Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
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![]() | Forehead to W 1x8 | Rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling as your bring your arms to the W. Make sure you have a 90 degrees angle in your shoulders and that your elbows are in line with the shoulders. Pull your hands and elbows up towards the ceiling and not back.Keep your chest on the floor the entire time and rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling.Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch. | |
![]() | Straight to W 1x8 | On the way back stop with your elbows in line with your shoulders and a 90 degree angle in your elbows. Lift your forearms towards the ceiling and squeeze on top for a moment.Keep your chest on the floor the entire time and rotate your hands for the thumbs to point towards the ceiling.Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch. | |
![]() | Back Extensions 1x8 | Then externally rotate your arms, squeeze your shoulder blades together in the back, look up towards the ceiling and engage the whole back lifting the upper body of the floor.Keep your feet about shoulder width apart on the floor the entire time.Move slowly! The longer this takes the more control and strength you will develop! | |
![]() | Elbow Lifts 1x8 | Lift your elbows up as you were trying to make them touch behind your head. Bring them back down slowly. Do not slam them into the floor.Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch.Move slowly! The longer this takes the more control and strength you will develop! | |
![]() | Arm Circles 1x12 each direction | Keep your chest on the floor and lift your head sligthly.Keep your legs engaged but on the floor. Point your feet and make your ankles touch. |
Rest between sets: As Needed
Intensity: Moderate | Focus on form
Demo Exercise Reps/Sets How to/Cues
Spread your thumb and pinky finger wide towards the side whilst your remaining fingers fold into a fist.Rotate your hands fully intp internal and external rotation in each rep.Isolate the rotation into your wrist only keeping your elbow mostly stable.
Keeping your hands in a vertical position push them down in front of your body towards your belly button.Apply pressure on your wrists by pushing your hands together and move sligthly deeper in each repetition.Keep your shoulders depressed and squared with your hips.
Elevate the fingers of your working hand only making sure that this hand point away from you. Lock your elbow and rotate the pit about 45 degrees towards the front.Bring your shoulder towards the front loading the wrist with pressure into a higher degree of extension.Go slow and only place as much pressure in your hands as you are comfortable with.
L Sit Workout
Rest between sets: As Needed/Up to 1 min
Intensity: Elevated | Focus on form
Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
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![]() | Push Up Leans 6x | Engage your core and create 1 straight line from your feet all the way through your neck. Do not allow your back to arch or your hips to stand out!Point your feet and lean your shoulders towards the front transferring more weight from your feet into your hands. | |
![]() | Half L Sit Push Up with Elevated Hands 2x5 | Consider externally rotating your hands to ease pressure on the wrists.Lock your knees, push your feet together and keep them on the floor at all times.Keep your hands shoulder wide apart and aim to keep your hips in between your hands. | |
![]() | Half L Sit Back Leans 2x4 | Push your shoulders down. Show your neck long and proud like a swan.Fully lock your elbows. This is a straight arm drill! Consider rotating your hands on the floor so your fingertips are pointing outwards to ease pressure on the wrists. | |
![]() | Block Assisted L Sit Leg Lifts with Elevated Hands 2x4 each side alternating | Fully lock your elbows. This is a straight arm drill! Consider rotating your hands on the floor so your fingertips are pointing outwards to ease pressure on the wrists.Use your hip flexors and core compression muscles to lift the leg.Use blocks, books, parallettes or anything similar to elevate your hands. This will create room for your hips and make things easier. | |
![]() | Sitting L Sit Leg Lifts Hold 10sec | Work with strength only. Do not slam your feet into the floor on the way back down.Lock your knees and point your feet!Exhale as you lift your legs. | |
![]() | Reverse Push Up Scapular Push Ups with Elevated Hands 1x5 | Push your hips up to create a straight line from your shoulders all the way through your feet. Keep your head in a neutral position.Move especially slow and careful on the way down when you protract your scapula to protect your shoulders from impact and to build strength and awareness in this vulnerable position.Fully lock your elbows. This is a straight arm drill! Consider rotating your hands on the floor so your fingertips are pointing outwards to ease pressure on the wrists. | |
![]() | V-Up Combi 4x total | Aim with your face towards your foot. Keep your back as straight as possible, shoulders down and arms engaged.Keep the immobile leg on the floor for control and balance. As you bring both legs up open them sligthly to reach in between.1 repetition equals 1 V-Up with each leg and 2 with both! |
Rest between sets: As Needed
Intensity: Light
Demo | Exercise | Reps/Sets | How to/Cues |
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![]() | Reverse Wrist Stretch 40sec each side | Use your opposite hand to gently pull your fingertips towards the floor or towards you if mobility allows it moving your wrist into flexion.Keep your shoulders depressed and squared with your hips. | |
![]() | Prep for Half Split 30sec each side | Place your hips on top of the back knee and keep them squared with your shoulders at all times.With every exhale work on lengthening hip flexors and rotate your hips into a deeper posterior pelvic tilt. |