Programs → Parallettes & Floor Strength
Parallettes / Floor

Master the
L-sit & beyond.

Parallettes unlock a whole category of gymnastics floor skills — L-sits, V-sits, push-up variations, and press progressions. This 8-week program takes you from your first supported hold to a clean L-sit and the strength to build beyond it.

Duration
8 Weeks
Level
Beginner
Per Week
3 Days
Equipment
Parallettes
$19
One-time. Lifetime access.
Get This Program

🔒 Secure checkout

What's included
Full 8-week program (all weeks unlocked)
Step-by-step guides for every exercise
L-sit progressions from tucked to full
Parallette push up & dip variations
Email support from Liam
What You'll Achieve

After 8 weeks,
here's where you'll be.

The L-sit looks simple. It's not. It requires simultaneous hip flexor strength, tricep pressing power, and tight core tension — all things this program builds directly.

🅻

Full L-sit hold

From tucked L-sit to full L-sit with straight legs — this is the signature parallettes skill and a genuine measure of your floor strength and compression.

🔽

Deep parallette push ups

Parallettes allow a deeper range of motion than floor push ups — your chest drops below your hands. This builds more pressing strength and shoulder flexibility simultaneously.

🤸

Compression strength

Pike compression — the ability to actively fold your hips — is fundamental to gymnastics floor work. This program builds it systematically through seated pike holds and V-sit progressions.

📐

V-sit foundation

The V-sit is the advanced evolution of the L-sit. The final weeks introduce the hip flexor and compression work needed to start building toward it.

How It Works

Support. Compress.
Elevate.

The L-sit has three prerequisites: the strength to hold yourself up, the compression to raise your legs, and the flexibility to extend them. Each gets trained directly.

01

Support first

Before your legs go up, you need to support your bodyweight on your arms. Week 1 starts with support holds, parallette push ups, and shoulder depression — the press strength that makes everything else possible.

02

Compression is a skill

Pulling your legs up while supporting your bodyweight is a specific skill — not just core strength. Seated pike compression and hollow body work train exactly that, progressively throughout the program.

03

Progressions, not plateus

Tucked L-sit → one leg extended → full L-sit → straddle L → V-sit. There's always a next step. This program takes you from the beginning and shows you the full progression path.

Inside the Program

Week 1 is on us.
The rest is yours.

Tap any exercise to see exactly how to do it. Purchase to unlock all 8 weeks.

WEEK 1 & 2

Foundation

Support hold & L-sit entryFree Preview

Day 1 — Support & Press

Parallette Support Hold
5 × 15 sec
+
1
Grip the parallettes and push down to lift your body above them. Arms locked out.
2
Depress your shoulders — push them down away from your ears. Hold this position.
3
Keep your legs together and pointed down. Hold for 15 seconds.
Shoulders must stay depressed throughout — if they creep up, your triceps and lats can't engage properly
Think "push the floor away through the parallettes" — active pressing, not passive hanging
Don't support with bent elbows — full lockout is mandatory, both for safety and for the correct muscle engagement
L-Sit — One Leg
4 × 5 sec each leg
+
1
Get into a support hold. Extend one leg forward at 90° — parallel to the floor.
2
Keep the other foot resting lightly on the floor for balance.
3
Hold for 5 seconds. Switch legs. This is your first taste of the L-sit position.
Point your toes — it engages the whole leg and makes the position easier to hold
Keep your hips pushed forward — don't let them slide back
Don't let your supporting shoulder creep up when you lift the leg — stay depressed throughout
Seated Pike Compression
3 × 10 reps
+
1
Sit on the floor with legs straight in front of you. Place your hands beside your hips.
2
Actively pull your legs off the floor by flexing your hip flexors — even 1–2cm is a start.
3
Lower back down and repeat. Focus on the hip flexor contraction, not just the legs moving.
This trains the active hip flexion that raises your legs in the L-sit — it's often the hardest part
Point your toes and keep legs perfectly straight — no bent knees
Don't use momentum to swing your legs up — slow, deliberate contractions only. The control is the training
Parallette Push Up
4 × 8
+
1
Set up in a push-up position with hands gripping the parallettes. Body in a straight plank.
2
Lower your chest below the tops of the parallettes — get a full range of motion.
3
Press back up to full lockout. That's one rep.
The extra depth compared to floor push ups dramatically increases the range — you'll feel it in your chest and shoulders
Keep elbows at 45° from your body — not flared wide, not tucked in tight
Don't stop at floor level — the whole point of parallettes is going deeper. Get the full range
Hollow Body Hold
3 × 25 sec
+
1
Lie on your back. Press your lower back firmly into the floor.
2
Lift legs to 45° and extend arms overhead. Pull your ribs down toward your hips.
3
Hold for 25 seconds. Breathe steadily — don't hold your breath.
The hollow body trains the same core tension you need when holding the L-sit position
Imagine trying to make your body as thin as possible front-to-back
If your lower back arches away from the floor, raise your legs higher or bend your knees — don't train with poor position

Day 2 — Compression & L-sit

Tucked L-Sit
5 × 5 sec
+
1
Get into a support hold. Tuck both knees to your chest — feet off the floor.
2
Hold the tucked position for 5 seconds. Keep shoulders depressed.
3
Lower feet to the floor and rest. This is the gateway to the full L-sit.
The tuck position is much easier than the full L-sit — build your hold time here before extending the legs
Focus on shoulder depression and arm lockout even in the tucked position
Don't let your hips slide back — they should stay stacked directly above your hands, not behind them
V-Up (Bent Knee)
3 × 10
+
1
Lie on your back, arms extended overhead. Knees bent, feet flat.
2
Simultaneously lift your torso and bring your knees toward your chest — meeting in the middle.
3
Lower back down with control. That's one rep.
Both halves lift simultaneously — this is what makes it a V-up, not just a crunch or a leg raise
Touch your shins with your hands at the top for full compression
Don't throw your arms forward — the power should come from your core contracting, not momentum
Parallette L-Sit Attempt
5 × max time
+
1
Get into a support hold. Extend both legs forward — aim for parallel to the floor.
2
Hold for as long as possible with quality position. Toes pointed, legs straight.
3
If you can't get both legs up yet, do one leg extended and one tucked — this still counts.
Note your best time each session — even 2–3 seconds is a real L-sit. Progress is week-to-week, not day-to-day
If your legs start to drop, try to fight for every extra second before releasing
Don't count holds where legs are below horizontal — that's a compression deficit, not an L-sit. Work the pike compression to fix it
Parallette Dip
4 × 6
+
1
Support yourself above the parallettes, arms extended. Lean slightly forward.
2
Lower until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
3
Press back up to full lockout. That's one rep.
Parallettes allow a deeper dip than regular bars — use the full range
Keep elbows tracking back, not flaring out to the sides
Don't dip with straight-down shoulders — a slight forward lean keeps the stress on your triceps, not your shoulder joints
Wrist Extension Stretch
2 × 45 sec
+
1
Kneel on the floor. Place palms flat with fingers pointing back toward your knees.
2
Gently rock your weight forward to increase the wrist extension stretch.
3
Hold 45 seconds. Do this after every session — parallettes load your wrists significantly.
Consistent wrist stretching is non-negotiable in parallette training — it prevents pain and builds the range you need
Build the depth gradually over weeks — don't force range
Don't train through wrist pain — if your wrists ache during exercises, add more daily stretching and reduce volume temporarily

Day 3 — Integration

Parallette Support Hold (Max)
3 × max time
+
1
Get into the support hold with full arm lockout and shoulder depression.
2
Hold as long as you can maintain quality position. Stop when form breaks.
3
Note your time. Benchmark this each week — you're aiming for 30+ seconds.
This tracks your raw support strength — the base that determines when you can progress to full L-sit work
Focus on the quality of position, not just duration
Don't count time where your arms are bent or shoulders shrugged — locked out, depressed position only
Seated Pike Compression (Weighted)
3 × 8
+
1
Sit with legs straight. Hold a light weight (book, water bottle) against your shins if available.
2
Actively lift your legs off the floor — even with the added resistance — and hold for 2 seconds.
3
Lower and repeat. If no weight, do the bodyweight version with maximum focus on contraction.
Hip flexor strength is the limiting factor in most people's L-sit — train it deliberately
Squeeze at the top of each rep — that peak contraction is what transfers to the L-sit hold
Don't let your torso fall back to help lift your legs — stay upright and use only your hip flexors
Parallette Push Up (Deep)
3 × 8
+
1
Set up in parallette push-up position. Lower your chest as far below the parallettes as your shoulder flexibility allows.
2
Pause 1 second at the bottom. Feel the stretch through your chest and shoulders.
3
Press back up to full lockout. Prioritise depth over speed.
The deeper you go, the more shoulder flexibility you build — this transfers to press handstand work later
If shoulder flexibility limits your depth, add shoulder stretching between sessions
Don't let hips pike up to get more depth — only go as deep as your body can go with a flat back
WEEK 3 & 4

Build

Full L-sit & straddle entry🔒 Locked

Full L-sit holds, straddle L-sit entries, and advanced compression work. Unlock to continue.

Unlock Full Program — $19
WEEK 5 & 6

Strength

V-sit prep & press work🔒 Locked

V-sit hip flexor work, press to handstand foundations, and advanced parallette push ups. The strength phase.

Unlock Full Program — $19
WEEK 7 & 8

Master

V-sit attempts & skill practice🔒 Locked

V-sit attempts, press progressions, and advanced floor skills. The final phase of the program.

Unlock Full Program — $19
Your Coach

Built by a gymnast.
Designed for everyone.

Liam Vanounou

Hi, I'm Liam.

Floor strength is where gymnastics begins. I've spent years on parallettes and the floor, and the L-sit was one of the skills that took me the longest — until I understood that compression strength is a separate quality that needs to be trained directly.

This program teaches that. Everything is progressive, deliberate, and explained so you know exactly why you're doing each drill.

15+ years of gymnastics training
Competed at national level
Coached hundreds of athletes at all levels

Own the L-sit.

8 weeks of structured parallettes progressions. One-time payment. Yours forever.

Get the Program — $19