As with “Skin-the-cat“, good gymnastics coaches will have vast amounts of insight on this challenging but foundational position.
Prior to attempting to do so from hanging or holding, assess your ability to make an “L”, seated on the ground; If you cannot sit on the floor with your legs straight, and your torso truly upright, there is very little chance of achieving that position in the air.
Anchor hard into whatever you’re holding or hanging from, first lift the knees to past-90 degrees, and then, if that cooperates, extend the legs, point the toes, and hold on tight.
If legs straight doesn’t yet work, practice sitting with knees up, and toes pointed down, extending one leg at a time and practicing the position, while also building strength for the full “L”.
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Precursors (all contained within this very Movement Library):
- Strong, below-parallel squat
- Hollow rock
- Bar hang
We always recommend addressing each piece, before assembling the puzzle.
(Don’t skip steps, unless you favor impatience over performance… )