sit ups

[wickchick]

hello Does anyone one know any good sites for fitness ? i really want to work on my sits up and need to know how to do them proper ! any ideas would be good thanks :D

[A_Usher]

Hi,
Cant think of any sites, but i can give you a few ideas of how to work the sit up. In our Russian Martial Art and fitness class we do a lot of sit ups, but slowly.

Lie flat on your back, and do a slow situp, and by slow i mean of a count from, say 10 up, hold for 10, 10 down. Vary it, so one will be to a 10 count, another 20, 30, 40 etc. But SLOW and smooth.

Then try situps holding your breath, and then varying the breath, inhale on the way up, exhale on the way down, reverse.

Next lie in a typical crunch position. legs bent, but put the feet so they are on the toes, that way you wont use to much of the adductor muscles, and you will get more pull on your abs. Then with your hands at the side of your head, slow sit up to the 45 degree position. HOWEVER, the key is your arms at the sides of your head must not bend, and remain straight. If you do this, the situp will be much, much, harder.

If you have a partner to work with then there are a lot of variations, such as incline, or for a nice excercise lie with your legs bent and together, have your partner have his or her feet on top of yours, effectively standing on your feet, and then in a nice slow motion sit up and then continue by standing all the way up.

Another note, dont use anything to hold your feet, such as a situp bar for the door, as by using this you will engage the adductor muscles and use less of the abs, to which you are trying to maximum use off.

There are loads more excercises and drills and i am sure you will find a few on the web.

Regards,
Andrew Usher
Instructor
Systema Caithness

[Anonymous]

try:

http://www.physsportsmed.com/issues/1997/06jun/sit_up.htm

[wickchick]

Thank you very much this replies were greatly apreciated :D :D :D