Sit-ups question

Caychadh

Hi.. just a quick question. I've started doing sit-ups (just 20 a day- I don't want to start out too ambitious) and find them pretty hard but I'm persevering. However when I'm doing them I feel a lot of strain in my lower back as well as my stomach muscles obviously. Is this right? Do they work out your back or am I doing them wrong? I don't want to do any damage in the course of trying to get fit! I'm very very new to this exercise lark so my fitness levels and knowledge on the subject is pretty non existent.
Thank you!

Reg'stoy

I presume you are doing the 'normal' hands behind the head sit-up, the reason I ask is I do a different kind which does not put any strain on the neck nor on my back.

The type I do, which are seemingly done by the army (I don't know if that makes them better or not :rolleyes:) are similar to the above. You lie on your back knees bent, heels about 18'' from your rearend and this is where it differs, you slide your hands up your thighs and over your knees, although I was told you don't have to do this if it's too hard at first.

The great thing about them is you dont need your feet held but oops I should have said you shouldn't raise your feet off the ground while doing the sit-up. I'll try and find a better description if I can.

Any hoo I am up to doing close on a 100 a day including oblique curls no six pack showing but its hidden down there somewhere, if thats what you want plenty of advise on these threads.

Sputnik

The type I do, which are seemingly done by the army (I don't know if that makes them better or not )

It makes them harder. They're more like crunches if you're doing them the right way, the muscles don't have as much of a chance to rest.

The great thing about them is you dont need your feet held but oops I should have said you shouldn't raise your feet off the ground while doing the sit-up. I'll try and find a better description if I can.

Some people, myself included, find it very difficult to keep their feet on the ground while doing them. Obviously this make it much harder as you tend to rock back. Not sure why this happens.

flaka

Try this... I've adopted an ab routine from Jeff Kunard's 20 Min. Hotel Workout Pt. 2 (Ford Models Fitness)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qceX0bP7xTI

I admit I only do 10 minutes.... my abs are shot after


You should also perform back extensions so you're balancing the ab work.

Caychadh

Thanks all!

mac123

flaka wrote: »

You should also perform back extensions so you're balancing the ab work.

What are back extensions?

flaka

See http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/WtBackExtension.html

TeenageKicks

Hello guys, what about using an Ab roller, you know the thingy you can by in lifestyle or the likes are they any use? I know it makes doing sit ups easier but does it have the desired effect?

WHIP IT!

TeenageKicks wrote: »

Hello guys, what about using an Ab roller, you know the thingy you can by in lifestyle or the likes are they any use? I know it makes doing sit ups easier but does it have the desired effect?

I've never used one but supposedly they're one of the most effective Ab-workout thingys around... but it certainly isn't an "easy" solution - the ab roller workout looks particularly vigorous, but alot of people swear by em...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjk8aqMP1xQ

rubadub

OP- are you only doing 20 situps and that is it? I could think of better things to spend your time on. situps will not target your stomach fat. I would be doing bodysquats and pushups before them. And chinups and pullups if you have a bar, or any place to do them. You can do leg raises on a chinning bar to work your abs

I know it makes doing sit ups easier but does it have the desired effect?

exaclty, makes them easy! they are a gimmick if you are talking of the rocking chair motion ones, like this


An ab wheel will work you well though.


But first things first, get a chinning bar as you can do a lot more with it, leg raises for the abs.

I have a abwheel but no longer use it. I do ab rollouts and tricep pushups on rings instead. www.ringtraining.com

WHIP IT!

How do you do an Ab rollout on the rings, Rubdubdubbydubby?

rubadub

WHIP IT! wrote: »

How do you do an Ab rollout on the rings, Rubdubdubbydubby?

Cant find a video. Basically you set them down low, lower they are the harder it is. I have the rings so they are at about knee level. Now step back from them, bend down and pull them towards you, now just fall foward in a controlled manner. The rings go out and upwards like a pendulum, then pull back up again.

The stabilisation makes them tough, stopping them swinging out to the sides. The higher the rings are fixed the better. This is because they are like a big swing. The higher it is then the less the rings rise up when you go foward. So if they are looped on a really high bar then they only rise up a little bit and are similar to the abwheel rollouts.

Imagine this guy pushing his arms out in front. You would be bending at your lower back.

WHIP IT!

rubadub wrote: »

Cant find a video. Basically you set them down low, lower they are the harder it is. I have the rings so they are at about knee level. Now step back from them, bend down and pull them towards you, now just fall foward in a controlled manner. The rings go out and upwards like a pendulum, then pull back up again.

The stabilisation makes them tough, stopping them swinging out to the sides. The higher the rings are fixed the better. This is because they are like a big swing. The higher it is then the less the rings rise up when you go foward. So if they are looped on a really high bar then they only rise up a little bit and are similar to the abwheel rollouts.

Hmmm, will give that a bash tonight - thanks!

rubadub

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Hmmm, will give that a bash tonight - thanks!

Have a go of some tricep pushups too. I prefer efficient exercises that can work a few things at once. The call them tricep pushups but they hit my abs even more, maybe since I dont do enough ab work though. This guy has them high, again lower go the tougher it is. He is using a new device, it is like rings, 2 little rope ladders really.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNex_gL4MKY