The V-sit can be compared to a progression of the L-sit both from the point of view of strength and mobility. When we talk about "V-sit" we refer to a skill in which the weight of the body is supported on the hands while keeping the elbows fully extended, the knees are fully extended and the trunk and legs form the profile of a "V" .
This skill can be performed on the ground or on the parallels or even on the rings. The easiest version is the parallel one, the medium difficulty version is on the ground while the
decidedly advanced version is to the rings.
Prerequisites
To train the V-sit you need to have a solid L-sit. This must be the starting point, all other aspects are covered with a specific training. These other aspects are:
- Excellent hip and abdomen compression
- Good hip flexor and abdominal strength
- Excellent strength in the end range of the shoulder extension
The first and second aspects are not congruent: the first refers to the mobility aspect while the second refers to the strength of the muscles.
Shoulder extension and compression capacity in the hip and abdomen area are two aspects that are partially offset: to have a good "V" you can have the pelvis more or less distant from the arms, this "more or less" is determined by how much the lower body can be compressed onto the trunk.
Hip and abdomen compression and strength in the End ROM
Increasing strength in the later degrees of ROM also leads to increased mobility in that given movement. This "secondary benefit" however must not eliminate the work on increasing mobility.
Obviously, when a good compression has been obtained, this second aspect can be removed because already the active work of the end of ROM includes the work on the necessary mobility.
Two exercises are useful to increase compression:
- Jefferson curl
- Good morning
The jefferson curl consists of the following exercise:
Stand with your feet slightly apart and aligned on a raised surface. Start by keeping the entire spine straight, knees extended and eyes slightly upward.
From here begin by flexing first the head, then the neck, then the thoracic spine and then the lumbar spine until the trunk is completely adherent to the legs.
The hands should accompany the progressive flexion and ideally should be pushed lower than the feet. The goal of this exercise is to feel each vertebral segment flex and to be able to squeeze the trunk as much as possible on the legs.
This leads to an elongation of the entire posterior kinetic chain. Extra benefit: This exercise is beneficial for spine health.
The good mornings are used to work specifically on the mobility of the hamstring. It is useful to place a 5 kg disc on the nape of the neck and keep the pelvis in anteversion and lean forward. the width of the feet should correspond to that of the pelvis.
The weight on the nape facilitates the activation of the intrinsic muscles of the spine. Move to the end of the ROM and hold the position for 5 seconds and then contract the hamstrings back to the starting position, repeat for a total of 6-8 repetitions.
To increase the strength of the hip and pelvis flexors, the following exercise is sufficient:
Sit with your knees extended on the floor. Place your hands between the pelvis and the knees, the closer you get to the knees, the more difficult the exercise becomes. From here keep your knees extended and lift your feet off the ground as you exhale.
Maintain the maximum ROM for 1 second and check the negative phase. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions and on the last one add 10-20 seconds of isometry in maximum contraction. This exercise should feel a very intense contraction in the inner thigh, rectus femoris and abdominals.
Strength in Maximum Shoulder Extension The best way to increase strength in the end ROM is to work towards the end ROM. It seems obvious but often you end up focusing on other things when in reality the best solution is the simplest.
To do this, simply get into the L-sit position, flex your knees and try to push your arms back and down. Little by little, try to go further.
Continue the exercise until good extension can be maintained, repeat for a total of 4-6 sets. Bent knees allow you to reduce effort and focus on the goal of increasing active ROM.
When you manage to have a “V” angle, work on the progressive extension of the knees. Work on mobility first, then on maximum active ROM. This skill can be trained up to 4 times per week.
