# L Sit Leg Raise - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10951/l-sit-leg-raise/ - Media ID: 10951 - Primary muscle: Abs - Body part: Core - Equipment: Body Weight - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10951/l-sit-leg-raise.mp4 ## Description The L Sit Leg Raise is a floor-based bodyweight movement that starts from a seated position with your legs extended straight in front of you and your hands planted on the floor beside your hips. From there, you press down through your palms, lift your straight legs off the floor, and raise them up in front of you toward vertical before lowering them back down with control. It is essentially the transition from an L-sit position into something closer to a V-sit, performed on the ground rather than on parallel bars. This movement is excellent for anyone who wants to build serious midsection strength without equipment beyond a mat or a smooth floor surface. It is especially useful for calisthenics and gymnastics trainees working toward a full L-sit or V-sit hold, and for anyone whose hanging leg raises have stalled. Because your hands are fixed on the floor and your torso leans back slightly, your hip flexors and lower abdominals have to work through a long lever arm, which makes the movement far harder than it looks. The primary work comes from the rectus abdominis, with heavy involvement of the lower abs and deep core as they hold your trunk stable while the legs travel. The hip flexors, particularly the iliopsoas and rectus femoris, drive the legs upward, and the quadriceps keep the knees locked straight. Your triceps and shoulders stay busy pressing the floor away, and the muscles of the lower back work isometrically to keep your spine from collapsing as your hips hinge. Setup matters a lot here. If your hands are placed too far back or too wide, you will tip backward or shrug into your shoulders, and if your torso is too upright, the lift becomes nearly impossible to perform cleanly. Sit tall with your legs together and fully extended, place your palms flat on the floor just outside your hips with fingers pointing forward, and get comfortable supporting some of your weight through your arms before you ever move your legs. To execute it well, think of the legs as one solid piece. Keep your knees locked, ankles together, and toes pointed, then sweep the legs up in a smooth arc while your chest stays lifted and your shoulders stay pressed down away from your ears. Raise only as high as you can without your lower back rounding excessively or your heels dropping, then lower the legs slowly back to the extended position, keeping tension all the way down so the feet settle softly rather than flopping to the floor. Expect to use this exercise in moderate to low repetitions, since strength endurance in the abs and hip flexors is the limiting factor. It fits well at the start of a core session when you are fresh, or as a progression tool on the path to supported L-sit and V-sit holds. If your hamstrings are tight, warm them up first, because tight hips and hamstrings pull your torso backward and make the starting seated position itself a challenge. ## Instructions 1. Sit on the floor or an exercise mat with your legs extended straight in front of you, knees fully locked, and feet together with toes pointed. 2. Place your palms flat on the floor just outside your hips, fingers pointing forward, and lean your torso back slightly so your shoulders sit behind your wrists. 3. Press firmly through your palms to lift your ribcage and depress your shoulders, keeping your arms nearly straight and your chest open. 4. Brace your core hard and pull your belly button in as if preparing to take a light punch to the stomach. 5. Keeping your knees locked and legs together, sweep your straight legs off the floor and raise them up in front of you toward vertical in one smooth arc. 6. At the top, hold briefly with your feet as high as your strength and hamstring flexibility allow, ideally so your body forms a compressed V shape. 7. Lower your legs slowly and under control back to the extended position, resisting the weight of the legs the entire way down instead of letting them drop. 8. Breathe out as the legs rise, and breathe in steadily on the way down without letting your torso collapse. 9. Lightly touch your heels to the floor, reset your posture and brace, then begin the next rep. ## Tips & Tricks - If your heels drag on the floor as you start the lift, you are not pressing enough weight through your palms; push the floor away harder and shift slightly more load onto your hands before the legs move. - Bent knees are the most common cheat on this movement. If your knees drift into a bend, regress to lifting one leg at a time or raising the legs a shorter distance until you can keep them locked. - Tight hamstrings will yank your torso backward and kill the top position. Spend time on hamstring mobility so the seated start does not force you into a slouch. - Avoid shrugging your shoulders up to your ears. Actively push the floor away so your shoulders stay depressed, which protects the shoulder joints and keeps your torso tall. - Do not let your lower back round heavily at the top of the raise. A small posterior tilt is fine, but if your whole spine curls, you are going too high for your current control. - Speed is the enemy here. If you have to swing your legs up, the set is over; use a slower, shorter arc you can genuinely control. - Pointing your toes and squeezing your quads tightens the whole leg chain and makes the lift feel noticeably more connected. - Place your hands no wider than just outside your hips. Wide hands angle your torso sideways and make the leg path uneven between left and right sides. - Keep your chin neutral and eyes forward. Craning your neck up at the top usually comes with losing upper-back tension. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the L Sit Leg Raise work the most? The abs, especially the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, do the largest share of the work, while the hip flexors such as the iliopsoas drive the legs upward. The quads, triceps, shoulders, and lower back muscles support the position throughout. ### Is the L Sit Leg Raise suitable for beginners? Yes, with regressions. Beginners can start with bent knees, lift one leg at a time, or raise the legs only partway off the floor until straight-leg control develops. ### How is the L Sit Leg Raise different from a hanging leg raise? On the floor, your hands are fixed beside your hips and your torso leans back instead of hanging free, so you have to press through your arms and compress your trunk harder. It also demands hamstring flexibility that hanging variations do not. ### Why do I keep tipping backward when I raise my legs? Your weight is too far behind your hands, or your shoulders are not pressing down firmly enough. Shift your shoulders slightly over or just behind your wrists and actively push the floor away to create a stable base. ### Can I do the L Sit Leg Raise on an exercise mat? Yes, a mat works well and cushions your sit bones and tailbone. Just make sure it is firm enough that your palms do not sink in, which would make pressing down less stable. ### How many reps should I do of the L Sit Leg Raise? Because the legs act as a long lever, most people do best in the range of 5 to 10 controlled reps for 3 to 4 sets. Quality of the straight-leg arc matters more than total volume. ### What can I use as a substitution if the floor version is too hard? Try a seated knee tuck with hands on the floor, single-leg raises from the same setup, or raises on a slight incline bench with your head higher than your hips. Each shortens the lever and reduces the strength demand. ### My knees keep bending during the raise. How do I fix that? Squeeze your quads hard and point your toes before the legs leave the floor, and cut the range down to the height where you can keep the knees locked. Bent knees almost always mean the load currently exceeds your control. ### Is it safe for my lower back? For most people it is, as long as you brace your core and avoid swinging the legs or forcing excessive range. If you feel sharp discomfort rather than muscular effort, reduce the range or regress to a bent-knee version.