Baby Steps to Mastering the L-Sit Pull-Up

The L-sit pull-up is a much higher challenge compared to the ordinary pull-up exercise. It changes your center of gravity thus making it a little bit more difficult to execute. On the core strength, this exercise increases the challenge as well, especially for the lower abs. Because of its difficulty, this CrossFit exercise is great for learning and practicing proper dead-hang pull-up technique.

Compared to other difficult workouts, the L-sit pull-up is much easier to learn because it combines two main exercises which are pull-ups and the L-sit position. When you master these two exercises separately, putting them up together is much easier, and the below tips will help you do this.

Doing L-Sit Pull-Ups

While hanging from a pull-up bar with your shoulders packed down and elbows locked, get into a dead hang position. Then, raise your knees to a level where your thighs are parallel with the ground. Lock your knees and point your toes to extend your legs straight in front of you. While performing your pull-ups, maintain this L-sit position.

Before you start pulling yourself up the bar, exhale forcefully. The extent of your pull-up should be where your arms are fully flexed, your chin at or above the bar, and elbows behind your ribs. Pause there for a moment and then slowly lower yourself down until you get a full elbow lock. As you descend, inhale.

Tips for L-Sit Pull-Up Technique

With L-sit pull-ups, repetition speed and tempo are very important. Perform your reps slowly and under control always. Do not jerk or kip your way through the movement.

Do not allow your body to jerk down into the bottom dead hang position. Make the transition gradual and controlled so as to prevent shoulder and elbow problems.

When you initiate the L-sit pull-up with a strong exhale, make sure you contract your entire core musculature hard. Tuck your tailbone forward and roll your hips up with a slight abdominal crunch.

Squeeze your thighs and glutes as you keep your knees locked, and your toes pointed out.

The L-Sit Pull-Up Progression

Once you can do about 10 dead-hang pull-ups with good control and technique, you can now start L-sit pull-ups. This is how to work your way up to this phenomenal CrossFit workout.

Phase 1 –Here, you combine pull-ups with knee raises. Do at least 10 reps of hanging knee raises, 30-second hanging knee raise isometric hold, and 10 reps pull-ups with a hanging knee raise.

Phase 2 – In this phase, you combine pull-ups with knee raises. Do at least 10 reps of hanging leg raise, 30-second hanging leg raise isometric hold, 10 reps scap pull-ups with leg raise isometric hold and at least 10 reps pull-ups with a hanging leg raise.

The above progression is just an experiment because there are many other variations you can come up with yourself. The most important thing is to keep on challenging yourself progressively as you take on harder exercises.