@smokingjoepot So I notice when I do L Pull ups I have a hard time keeping my legs dead straight. I get a slight bend in them, do you think that has to do with getting more flexible in the legs?
@godsprincess22 I have the same problem, I think it is a combination of flexibility, and strength. You have to be flexible enough to do them, and if you can just barely do it it takes strength to overcome your lack of flexibility.
@godsprincess22 If your L-sit is solid and at 90 degrees, then it could be that your shoulder girdle isn't flexible enough, and you're trying to maintain the legs parallel to the floor while the torso is all out of whack - essentially meaning you need to hold a V-sit, and are bending the legs to aid this. Try filming yourself.
@yunus061 How can you increase active flexibility? I have this same problem. I can touch my toes standing and sitting fine with my legs straight but I can't keep them held in the air straight for anything other than 'six inches' (I don't know what people actually call that, lying down and holding feet six inches above the ground)
@dawn16 Active flexibility is just flexibility under your own muscular power. It is a combination of strength and passive flexibility.
L-sits are probably the king of active flexibility here. This exercise is useful for the same thing, and can be done almost anywhere (plus, it helps with balance). Compression exercise are also recommended around these parts for the whole thing.
The general advice from Thomas Kurz for working optimal flexibility would be to do about 3x15s active flexibility holds first, then do some passive stretches.
@yunus061 Thanks for that last point, I was planning on asking that question. Do you know if he recommends doing all active flexibility work at the same time or go from active to passive by muscle group/movement? For example, V raises -> touch your toes -> straddle lifts -> splits or V raises -> straddle lifts -> tyt ->splits?
@anonymouspenguin Yeah, I try to keep my back as straight as I can, but I only started doing this recently because I wasn't aware you should do this until recently.