Sit ups

[fuddam]

Just the ordinary way, straight legs, straight back, then lift with hands behind head.

Yeah, straight legs, thought you were supposed to do them that way? - Always done them that way in school... even primary school from what I remember.

reason you don't want to is that it puts major strain on your lower back. lotsa peeps still do that, as do old army training films etc, but is a NO-NO

unless you like back pain, of course.

[Rave]

Definately bend your legs. Personally I do crunches, and then a few leg raises to work my lower abs. It's not a bad idea to balance your situps with back curls (or whatever their called- lie on your stomach and then raise your shoulders and legs) to maintain a good balance of strength.

[Theo]

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html for all your exercise needs

Just wondering.. are you only doing sit ups? If so, why?

[0iD]

Offset those with some leg raises for the lower abs & incorporate some side raises & twists to work the obliques. Also work the lower back to get balanced core strength. Time & effort, s'all it takes. :-)

[Swafe]

I've started doing weighted sit ups, started off at 40 and thought after 50 it was hard work, slowly built up and I can now do them with 77kg on the rack for a session of about 25.

Problem is, my back is really startin to hurt after them, so obviously I should stop, the machine at the gym goes upto 98kg, and I'm sure I can easily reach that but as I do more and more, even if I get stronger and can do them fine my back will no doubt hurt a lot more, is there anyway of really doin some hardcore abs work without doin sit ups that stress the back?


Also, if anyones listenin, forearms, cant seem to find anything at the gym that will target them, rowing a load tenses them out and I'm sure that must do something for them, but is that it ?

[herulach]

I've started doing weighted sit ups, started off at 40 and thought after 50 it was hard work, slowly built up and I can now do them with 77kg on the rack for a session of about 25.

Problem is, my back is really startin to hurt after them, so obviously I should stop, the machine at the gym goes upto 98kg, and I'm sure I can easily reach that but as I do more and more, even if I get stronger and can do them fine my back will no doubt hurt a lot more, is there anyway of really doin some hardcore abs work without doin sit ups that stress the back?


Also, if anyones listenin, forearms, cant seem to find anything at the gym that will target them, rowing a load tenses them out and I'm sure that must do something for them, but is that it ?

FOr a start you have to question why you feel the need to do weighted sit ups, especially if you arent doing a corresponding back/lower ab workout, if its for looks, youre misguided, as all it will do is make you a funny shape, with a couple of big bumps, then smaller ones, the key to really hard abs is number of repetitions, not weight, ask one of the trainers at your gym what they reccomend, if they dont know, find a better gym

As far as forearms go, lifting straps FTW! or, those girp things you can get, and wrist curls (dumbell on end of fingers, make a fist then lift wrist, make sure you support your wrist) again, ask one of the trainers, form is key with any exercise, do it badly and youll not only do yourself harm, you wont get anything like the full benefit out of it. (the number of people ive seen that think they are awesome because they can bench whatever and then you see them and they only drop to about 6 inches off their chest.

[Lowe]

To be honest, if you're doing ab work and your back's hurting, doesn't that tell you something? Technique might be wrong?

[Theo]

BLOODY HELL. Firefox finishes downloading something just as I'm deleting something I was saying, and the browser decides to go back several pages. So I've now lost the lovely little essay I was writing for you. I'll summarize though.

-Try these: http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...neCrunchX.html
-Find a weight that you can do 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions with failure on the 3rd set.
-Work your abs on triceps and chest day, as the last exercise you do.
-As with any weightlifting exercise, physically and mentally target the muscle group that you're working. Gradually tense the muscles as you lift, squeeze them completely on the peak, then gradually relax as you lower.

[demonwolf]

Ive been doing situps for the past 11 years since i was 17 - 18. I start off my whole routine with situps. First I warm up by doing sitting on the floor. placing my feet and hands flat on the floor and pulling myself up into the crap position. Typically hold it on each arm then both arms them push myself into standing.. stretches out the abs the back really warms you up generally.
I do situps without any aids on a carpeted floor knees bent and to put the strain mostly on your abdominal area make sure your feet are placed flat on the floor. Dont use anyone to hold them down as youll use your legs to pull yourself up rather than your abs. Youll also possibly only work one side of your muscles and end up looking weird. If you find you cant hold your feet in place keep practising! Itll come in time. I touch my tempes with my fingers and that gives my hands a position to adopt that doesnt affect the excersise. Try to minimise 'flapping' of your arms and that will help strengthen your abs more.
Vary the type of situps you do there are many different types which will use all the muscles in your abdominal region.
About back pain, generally when you start doing situps some people will mistake muscle pain for backpain. Your muscles will hurt after you start training. Generally if your beggining a training routine your muscles will ache until and get progressively more painful until the third/fourth day. If your doing a weekly routine then your muscles will ache progressivley with the most sore pain on the second day. If you do things twice a week or more youll find your muscles wont ache if you do the same routine.
If your pain persists for longer than these times then something is wrong and you should go see a doctor. And a person should be able to tell between muscle pain from training and strains and injuries. They dont feel the same. Its hard to describe.
In my situp routine, first I do it everyday except fridays I dont train at all. I warm up with the crap position then do 270 situps in a row knees bent as i decribed. Then I have one minutes rest and do 120 situps with my legs straight. Then I take another minutes break and do 90 situps with my knees bent and double touch my elbows to alternate knee on each situp.

I initially remember suffering from some discomfort in the back when i started all those years ago. And i didnt do 270 situps straight away .. I built up to it initially i think I could only do 30 or 40. But i persevered and now I have a really strong back as well as abs. I dont do much lifting at the moment. but I used to work part time as a fish monger where at the end of the day we had to lift long trays from the counter that were full of ice in them that were very heavy. Im also quite a short guy so I was lifting from very bad positions. I had no back injuries though and typically 'liked' to lift out the whole counter as it was good training.

From my own experience any injuries I have I persevere and train through it. I do the splits as well as kicking excersises and even if ive pulled a muscle ive trained through it and ive been fine. But I dont advise to do this. If youve injured yourself PLEASE seek medical advice. I train through my injuries and intuitively know how hard to push myself, this comes through years of experience.

Sorry for the long post but I have been doing my routine for a long time now and Im the strongest and fittest Ive ever been. Perseverance is a good quality to have. But I must stress I developed this routine and it works very well for me. Noone else I know trains this hard so I dont know how how well it translates to other people. Always if your new to this dont take what I say as truth again it works for me but always get a professional opinion.

[Theo]

Are you only doing situps?

[demonwolf]

lol.. no definately not, chin ups press ups boxing, kicking and close combat drills. plus when i get the free time weapons training.

[Stewart]

Sit ups gives you a great buzz. I do 250-300 (with a short break, I'm not Jean Claude Van Damme) most days, that burning you get that just gets slightly more intense after each one... ooooooh, is it pleasure, is it pain? Either way its all a bit weird. But I like it.

[steve threlfall]

250- 300 isnt that a bit much, maybe try using a weight plate and doing a few less

Mix it up a little to surpirse those abs. I could surprise mine by doing 15

[Lowe]

Huge numbers are overkill really. As said really, drop the reps, add more weight...

[Stewart]

Bit tricky to add more weight as I only have my body as weight, I'm not down the gym, I'm on a situp mat in my front room. Arms are easy to shock into getting bigger, but the stomach muscles are much harder. If I do less if feels like I'm not doing anything.

I keep my weight training for my arms down to short intense sets, 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

I will try sneaking up on my abs and shouting 'boo!' from now on though, or perhaps mention just as I am about to start that I might vote Labour at the next election. See if I can add the element of suprise.

[Theo]

3 sets of 12-15 reps is in no way, shape nor form, short or intense, chap. You've right mixed your toasties. Go for 3 sets of 8-12 reps, with failure in the last. Or if you want short and intense - 5 sets of 5, with failure in the last. All you have to do is find a weight for yourself.

It's easy to find weight to use in the lounge - hold a pair of two litre bottles, filled with water on your chest. Mr Motivator used to deadlift CARTONS OF ORANGE JUICE MAAAAAN!