One Freakin' Sit-up

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

My epic quest is to get in shape to join the National Guard as a Chaplain. I've found techniques to help me work toward my goals on the two mile run, and the push ups, and though it's not part of the Army's PT test, I'm using Steve's technique to pepare my body for pull-ups. My problem is I can't yet do a single sit-up. The Army regulation sit up is lying down with ankles secure, knees bent at 90 degrees and fingers interlocked behind the head. I can't arch or bow my back, my heels and buttocks must remain on the ground. Does anyone know of any intermediate excersizes to get me to a single sit up? After the first one, all I have to do is reapeat till I can do enough reps in a minute. I need help getting to that first one.

Thanks,

[Spicy]

When I was training for my PFT I just did crunches and planks for the first week.

[Diotima73]

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Levels 1 and 2 include core exercises and planks, and Level 3 brings you up to doing a real sit-up. She even comments in the video "why don't people do real sit-ups anymore?"

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Thanks guys, this is a big help.

[Razor]

Planks. Planks are a freaking god-send of core exercises. They don't risk injury to the spine and they train the core more than crunches or sit-ups. I remember reading a study, more like a contest between two platoons in the american military. Both of them spent the same amount of time training and were on the same diet. One platoon trained their core with situps, the other with planks. After the training time (probably a few months), the plank platoon beat the sit-up platoon IN A SIT UP CONTEST. The platoon that hadn't even trained the exercise beat the other guys that had.

I'll try to find the source article if I can.

[Waldo]

Planks. Planks are a freaking god-send of core exercises.

Planks are purple dumbbells to the pink dumbbells that are crunches.

They'll give you some ab endurance, but they aren't going to get you strong.

For doing situps I would not suggest planks. Situps have much more flexor involvement. You are much better off doing the leg lifting family of core exercises. Whether at the very remedial lying knee and leg lifts, to the more advanced hanging knee lifts and leg lifts, to the much harder L-sits and V-sits.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Have been doing planks for a little while now. I have already noticed they help with push-ups. I was struggling to keep my back straight then BOOM muscle memory. The planking muscles kicked in and my back straightened right up. Thanks again for the advice.

[blindasutsutsu]

Planks are purple dumbbells to the pink dumbbells that are crunches.

They'll give you some ab endurance, but they aren't going to get you strong.

For doing situps I would not suggest planks. Situps have much more flexor involvement. You are much better off doing the leg lifting family of core exercises. Whether at the very remedial lying knee and leg lifts, to the more advanced hanging knee lifts and leg lifts, to the much harder L-sits and V-sits.

I'll second waldo here in saying doing leg lifts and knee lifts is a good idea. I am a big fan of Russian Ab Twists which you can do with your feet elevated off the ground or flat on the floor.

[Porta]

The Army regulation sit up is lying down with ankles secure, knees bent at 90 degrees and fingers interlocked behind the head. I can't arch or bow my back, my heels and buttocks must remain on the ground.

Hi Tank,

Situps can be hard when starting out, keep at it, try these tips.

1. Always remember SPECEFICITY, you gotta replicate the movement where possible, so that means situps in variations of what you described. (you woundlt turn up to a pistol duel with a pocket knife would you). Planks are are a great global core exercises, but probably wont help you much, the situp you have descibed is Hip flexor dominant, which means its actually more of a leg exercise than a "abb" exercise.

2. Start in the same situp position (hooklying), lying on back, knees bent at 90, feet anchored. Now just draw your belly button in and flattten your back onto the floor, pause then slowly release. aim for 2 x 15

3. Same setup as above, but this time once you have flattened your back lift your head and look between your knees, focus on your abbs, hold and realese. 2 x15

4. Same setup as 3, but now when you look between our knees keep rolling up into that situp until our feel your shoulders leave the floor, it wont be far but your abbs will really engage. 2 x15

5....Once at this stage you should be able to keep going

cheers

Porta