An L-sit is a straight-arm hold with the hips off the floor and both legs straight out in front, level with the floor. It works the arms, core and hip flexors at once. Many people cannot lift off the floor at first. Support strength, hip flexor strength, hamstring flexibility, technique and body proportions all play a part, and the steps below build them in order. This page shows you which step of the progression you are on and how to do each step.
The L-sit progression, step by step
Pass each step before you spend time on the next. The pass mark is the number to hit with strict form.
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1
Support hold
Pass: 30 s support hold
Push down so the shoulders move away from the ears. Do not let them shrug up.
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2
Tuck L-sit
Pass: 30 s tuck L-sit
If both feet will not lift together, lift one at a time, then try both.
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3
One-leg L-sit
Pass: 5 s one-leg L-sit on each side
Straighten the knee slowly from the tuck. Point the toes.
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4
Full L-sit
Pass: 10 s L-sit, legs straight and level
Lock the knees and point the toes. Bent knees turn it back into a tuck.
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5
Solid L-sit
Pass: 30 s L-sit
Keep the chest up and the shoulders down for the whole hold.
How to do an L-sit
- Sit upright on the floor with your legs straight out in front.
- Put your hands flat on the floor next to your hips, fingers spread so you can press through the fingertips.
- Lock your elbows and push your shoulders down, away from your ears.
- Press the floor away, brace your core and lift your hips and legs off the floor.
- Hold with your legs straight and level with the floor, so your body makes an L.
- Lower yourself back down under control.
Keep your thighs tight and your toes pointed, and keep your chest up. Leaning forward makes the legs harder to lift. If your hands cannot push you high enough off the floor, put them on yoga blocks or parallettes. To make the full L-sit harder, wear a weighted vest.
Common L-sit mistakes
Shoulders shrug up
The hold looks done but the shoulders are hanging on the joints. Push down until the neck looks long.
Bent knees
Bending the knees to get the legs up makes it a tuck. Use the one-leg step until both legs stay straight.
Kicking the legs out
Throwing the legs out lasts a second. Build the hold from the tuck instead.
Fighting a cramp
Hip flexor cramps are common early on. Stop, shake it out, and use shorter holds.
Train the L-sit safely
- Warm up the wrists if you train on the floor.
- Chairs used as bars must be sturdy and level. Weigh down the seats if they tip.
- Stop for wrist or shoulder pain and use parallettes or a higher surface.
Muscles worked in the L-sit
- Abs: keep the trunk and pelvis steady while the legs are out in front.
- Hip flexors: the muscles at the front of the hip. They hold the legs up, level with the floor.
- Quads: keep the knees locked straight.
- Triceps: lock the elbows and hold your body up.
- Shoulders and lower traps: push down so the shoulders stay away from the ears.
Benefits of the L-sit
The L-sit builds core and hip flexor strength together, which helps any exercise where you lift your legs, such as toes-to-bar and hanging leg raises. Pushing the shoulders down also builds the support strength that dips need. All you need is the floor, or two sturdy chairs.
Exercises that help the L-sit
- Boat hold: sit on the floor, lean back a little, cross your arms and lift your straight legs. Good for building the core strength before the tuck L-sit.
- Plank: holds the trunk rigid. See our plank guide.
- Hollow body hold: builds the same braced core. See our hollow body hold guide.
L-sit variations
- L-sit pull-up: hang from a bar, lift your legs level with the floor, and do pull-ups without letting them drop. Holding the legs level adds hip flexor and core work to every rep.
- L-sit pull-up on rings: the same on gymnastic rings with your palms facing each other. Your head can pass between the rings, but the rings need more core control.
- Toes-to-bar: hang from a bar and raise your feet to touch it. A moving version of the same core and hip flexor work.
How long does it take to learn the L-sit?
No reliable source gives a timeline. Hamstring flexibility, arm length and the surface you use all change how hard it is, so two people with the same strength can take very different times.
Where the L-sit pass marks come from
- GMB Fitness, L-Sit Progression: 6 Steps To A Rock Solid Core
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Support Progression
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Recommended Routine
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Dipping Progression
- Steven Low (author of Overcoming Gravity), The Fundamentals of Bodyweight Strength Training
- r/bodyweightfitness wiki, Planche
Pass marks are FitnessVolt coaching standard v1, based on these sources. They show readiness to practise the next step, not a guarantee.
Interested in measuring your progress? Check out our strength standards for Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift, and more exercises.
