Parallel Bar L-Sit
What Is the Parallel Bar L-Sit?
Parallel Bar L-Sit is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core and also engages the hip flexors, quadriceps, triceps and the muscles that hold the shoulders down. It is an intermediate-level movement in which you support your body on straight arms between two parallel handles, such as the dip handles of a power tower or dip station, and hold your straight legs out in front of you at hip height so your body forms an L.
The bars change the hold in two ways compared with the floor L-Sit. On the floor your hands are level with your hips, so you have to push the shoulders down hard and pull the hips and legs up just to get them off the ground. On the bars your body already sits well above the floor, so the legs only need to stay level rather than be lifted clear, and the shoulders work from a stable, pressed-down position on the handles. That makes the bar version the usual place to learn the L-sit and a less demanding hold than the floor version for most people.
The abdominals hold the pelvis steady and stop the lower back from arching, while the hip flexors hold up the weight of the straight legs, which is why they often tire or cramp first. The quadriceps keep the knees locked, the triceps keep the elbows straight, and the lats and lower trapezius keep the shoulders pressed down and away from the ears. Bending the knees into a tuck shortens the lever and makes the hold easier; straightening the legs and lifting the feet higher toward a V-Sit makes it harder.
The L-sit is a staple of gymnastics and calisthenics, and CrossFit athletes use it to build the trunk strength behind movements such as toes-to-bar and handstand push-ups. It suits anyone who already has a solid straight-arm support position on the bars. If the full hold is out of reach, build up with a tuck hold, then one leg extended at a time, and use the Parallel Bar Knee Raise to strengthen the hip flexors and abs. Once a straight-leg hold on the bars feels steady, the floor L-Sit is the natural next step.
Muscles Worked
- Rectus Abdominis
- Primary
- Rectus Abdominis (Lower)
- Primary
- External Oblique
- High
- Rectus Femoris
- High
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Medium
- Lower Trapezius
- Medium
- Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Medium
Instructions
- Stand between the dip handles of a power tower or dip station, using the foot steps if needed, and grip one handle in each hand with your palms facing each other.
- Press up until your arms are straight and your body is supported between the handles, with your hands beside your hips.
- Push the handles down and draw your shoulders away from your ears. Keep your chest up and your torso nearly upright, clear of the back pad.
- Brace your abs and lift your knees toward your chest.
- Straighten both legs out in front of you until they are level with your hips, with your legs together and your toes pointed.
- Lock your knees, keep your elbows straight and hold the position while taking short, steady breaths.
- Hold for the target time, then bend your knees and lower your feet back to the foot steps before stepping down.
Common Mistakes
Shrugging into the shoulders
Letting the shoulders rise toward the ears hangs your weight on the shoulder joint instead of the lats and lower trapezius and shortens the hold.
Bending the elbows
Soft elbows drop you into a partial dip, shift the work onto the triceps and let the shoulders roll forward.
Bending the knees
Letting the knees bend shortens the lever and turns the L-sit into an easier tuck hold without you meaning to.
Letting the legs droop
On the bars nothing stops the feet from sinking, so legs that drift below hip height quietly take the hip flexors and abs out of the hold.
Leaning back on the pad
Resting the back against the power tower's back pad takes the shoulder support work away and turns the hold into a different exercise.
Holding the breath
Holding the breath raises tension and ends the set early, so keep taking short, steady breaths while staying braced.
Injuries
Parallel Bar L-Sit is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. Your whole body weight rests on straight arms, so the shoulders, elbows and wrists carry the load, while the hip flexors hold up the legs. Those are the places where problems usually show up.
The most common strain comes from letting the shoulders sink toward the ears, which hangs the body on the front of the shoulder joint instead of the lats and lower trapezius. Keep pushing the handles down for the whole hold. Keep the elbows straight, but if your elbows bend backward past straight, stop at straight rather than forcing them further. The neutral grip on dip handles is usually kind to the wrists; warm them up anyway, along with the shoulders, before long holds. Hip flexors cramp easily under long isometric holds, so build hold time gradually rather than pushing every set to failure.
If the full hold is too hard, start with a support hold at the top of a Triceps Dip to build shoulder strength, then a tuck hold, then one leg extended at a time. The Parallel Bar Knee Raise builds the hip flexor and ab strength the hold needs. Once a straight-leg hold on the bars is steady, progress to the floor L-Sit and then the V-Sit.
Stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the shoulder, in the elbows or wrists, or in the lower back, or if a hip flexor cramps. Bend your knees and lower your feet back to the foot steps under control rather than dropping off the handles.
- Primary Focus
- Core
- Equipment
- Other and body weight
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Parallel Bar L-Sit
The Parallel Bar L-Sit is also known as:
- Dip Bar L-Sit
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is the L-sit easier on parallel bars than on the floor?
For most people, yes. On the floor your hands are level with your hips, so you have to press the shoulders down hard and pull the legs up just to clear the ground, while on the bars the floor is out of the way and the legs only need to stay level. Once the bar version is steady, the floor L-Sit is the next step.
- Q: How long should I hold a Parallel Bar L-Sit?
Start with several short holds of 5 to 10 seconds with good form rather than one long, sagging hold. A 10-second hold with straight legs at hip height is a solid intermediate standard, and 30 seconds is a strong target to work toward.
- Q: Why do my hip flexors cramp during L-sits?
The hip flexors hold the full weight of your straight legs in a shortened position for the whole set, and long holds in that range cramp easily when the work is new. Shorter holds spread over more sets, built up gradually, usually help; when a cramp hits, lower your legs and rest.
- Q: What if I can't keep my legs straight?
Hold a tuck with the knees bent toward your chest, or extend one leg at a time while the other stays tucked. Tight hamstrings can also pull the knees into a bend, so regular hamstring stretching helps alongside the strength work.
- Q: Should my elbows be locked during the hold?
Your arms should be fully straight, because bent elbows turn the hold into a partial dip. If your elbows naturally bend backward past straight, stop at straight and keep the triceps tight rather than resting on the joint.